The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-10-10
%
N M.a IT" But. % %.a R" MIR. PRATT joseph s" %:


tttfii;fttffi'f'iiiifii''
politics. lie was hankerlng for
the county representative nomina
ton and ! knew his soft spot.
Hartley and the Page gifl got TO
Fether then. but they didn't seem
To know what 10 say.
heard her explaining that she
hadn't gone 10 Europe nj all. Hsi
ma had been took sick. nothing to
speak Of. judged, spell OF nerves
or the like OF that. So Agnes and
her chum, Margaret Talford, had
seen the chance they'd been walt
Ing for and had got their poor chill
dfen tribe together and come down
and took the LAthrop place nj
South Eastwioh.
Well. that was about all. Hart
ley and me had 10 be going We
walked along pretty brisk for Q
waya-after we had said 30 iby ic
.dlsa Page neither Of Ms sayiuf
much OF anything. by and by We
come TO the railroad crossing. And
here Hartley stops short
SOL" says he. Il believe I'll 70
back by train. don't feel like O
sea trip this afternoon. That-er-
that crack on the head has shaken
me up some. guess"
Hartley left me and went over
10 the railroad depot and ! kept
on down the road 10 tho shore.
Where's Martini" drawls Van
when I reach tho beach.
Hes gone home on the train,
says. Got headache"
Van. James and mo climbs
aboard tho Dora BasBet, and eastf
loose. Then afore could tell Van
the news about the pig race and
the rest, the Dora BhaBett run hci
nose on sand flat and there she
stuck. We got out OF that blessed
cove and into the channel sons
where's around six O'Clock. Then
TWAS a dead beat homo and the
breeze pretty nigh gone. A few
minutes. and n fog shut down on
ua, wet and thick and heavy az
ever | see a. We poked alonE
for an hour or so more and then
twas most dark and NO wa'n'i
half way TO Weilmouth.
Lord James was IN his usual 20
siilon. hanging on 10 the center.
board. Van was stretched ous on
the locker. blowing smoke rings
and spoutinK poetry.
See here" says I. finally. zone
Of you fellersil have 10 10 for'srd
and keep IA eye out for shoals"
Van went. and pretty coon the
breeze give out altogether. And
then, from off in the distance.
heard noise. rushing, roaring
kind OF noise.
"fIarki" ycils. do you hear
thatg Her, she comesl Down
with tho jib. Haul on that rope,
Mr.. Van. will your No. MOI
'Tosher one T'o,hcr one, God.
frey scissors Here you. oppcr:
hang on to that tillor. Keep her
just as she Ia"
Then / took n flying leap for'ard
where tho Twin was trying TO cas-,
loose tho peak ballard. having a
notion. II seemed. tina, II ought 70
belong 10 the jle.
The squall struck us. The fog
split into pieces. The Dora Bias.
sett hccied over. His Lortshir
turned loose a yell like a tuEboai
whistle. let's 30 tho tiiicr and dives
headfirst into the cockpit amid.
ship. As for me. ! was swinging
out over the side with my whole
weight on the 10 downhaui. paw
ing air with my feet. and trying TO
get back my balance.
That downhaui was old and some
rotten. II broke and / went over.
board with a howl and n splash.
went down. Then paved up
for air. When my head stuck out
OF water there was something bis
and black swooping past IT,
made a grab and caught hold. Ar
luck would have we was towing a
FSiff astern.
climbed into that skiff. could
see the Dora Bass.tt flopplnE
ahead os me with her gaff halfway
down her mast.
roared. spuitcring kind OF
roar. And then Vans head stuck
out over the sloop's stern.
Heaven sakcs. says he. Are
you drowned"
THAT ropo at the stern" hoi.
lcrs. dancing around In the skiff
Cast IL Off Liveiy,"
Tho second sduall struck us.
see tho Dora Bassett drive off In
sweeping circle. the end OF the
boom knocking the tops OF the
waves TO pieces and the spray fly.
ing like waterfall
There was two or three ropes al
the Eailboat's stern and Van had
cast off one OF 'cm. same as I or.
dered. Only. "a II happened. In.
stead OF tho mainshcet he'd cast
off the siiff's painter. Me and the
Dora Bassett was parting company
fast.
From out OF the dark ahead OF
me come n yell. louder even than
Lord James distress signals.
soil" hollers Van Brunt. SOL
Pratt"
"Ay, ay'" screams. I'm all
right. Never mind me. Put your
holm over to port"
Put whaty'
"Put--your-helm ovcr-to -
port, Port! you lubber! PORT"
Twas quiet for minute Then
from further off comes the
screech:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. - damn -
thing--is-port7"
Never mind" yells. Keep
her - inst ---- as-ehc--ta Nou'li---