Putnam patriot., 1916-06-23

Take the girl-quiok,e he implored But the effect of the reaction soon wore off. The water was cruelty cold and their bodies ached in every nerve and fber O'Neil did his best to en- courage his companion He talked to her through his chntterins teeth. and nn1e she had recovered from the men tai shock of the first fearful plunge she reSpl nded iluclSi}y. He knew that his own healt was normal and strong, but he feared that the girls might not be equal to tie strain.
 At length thee came through the mans daZusl senSibilities sound diff ferent from those he had been hearing 1t was Il human voice, mingled with the measured thud of oars in theil sockets. Il reused him like an electri current and gave him strength to cry out hoarsely. Some one answered him Then out of the darkness to seaward emerged deeper blot. which loomed 1 D hugely, vet proved to be no more than lifeboat banked full of people t came to a stop within all oars length If him. From the babbe of voices he distinguished one that WAS familiar and cried the name of Johnny Bren- nan, His bram had cleared now. a
 great dreamlike sense of thanksgivine warmed him. and he fell equal te any
 ITeft ile was vaguely amazed to dud that his limbs refused to obey aim.
 His own name was being pronounced a sho ekad tones. The splash from an aar filed lis face and s1ransled him. 5ut he managed 10 laF hold of the
 lade and Uas drawn in until out uefched hands seized him. An oalsnl2n was saying: Be careful there We can't take him in without swamping
 But Brennan's voice shouted. Make room or I'll lpaSh iu yoslr bloody siuii. Another protest arese. and 0Neil saw that dhr craft Hss indeed loaded | to the g1n1wales.
 'Talae iiae girl-qulsskr he implorcd "Fll hang on You can-iow me" The limp form was removed from hi side and dragged over tie thwarf
 
 went uP-
 "Can you hold onf for minute Murray asked Brennan.
 -@Yes-i think so'
 "Td give you my place, but you're too big to be taken in without dan ger"
 .'Go ahead" chattered the man in the water Look after the girl before it's-toe late"
 The captains stout hand was in his collar now. and he heard him crying:
 Pull you muscle bound heathens. Everybody sit still. Now away with her. men. Keep up your heart. Nlur- ray. my boy. Remember il takes more than water to kill il good Irishman. It's only foot or two further. and they've started q fire. Serves you right. you big iGiol. for going over bonrd with all those boats. Man dear but you're pulling the arm out of me. It's stretched out like a garden hose Hey. Cover up that girl, and you. lady, rub her feet and hands. Goodi Move over please so the men can bail.' The next O'Neil knew he was feeling very miserable and very cold notwith standing the fact that he was wrapped in dry clothing and lay so close to roaring spruce fire that it's heat blis- tered him.
 Brennan was bending over him with eyes wet He was swearing. too, in weak, faltering way, calling upon all lat man was tue embodiment of every vir tue and that his death would be Il national calamity. Others were gath cred about. men and women, and among them O'Neil saw the doctor from Sitka whom he had met on ship board.
 As soon as he was able to speak he inquired for the safety of the girl he had helped to rescue. Johnny prompt ly reassured him.
 Man. dear. she's doing fine. A jig ger of brandy brought her to. gasping like blessed mermaid"
 As dawn broke the cannery tender from the station near by nosed her way up fo the graYelly shore where the casfawa.s were gathered and blew a cheering tOOt-toOt on her whistle. She was fiat bottomed. wet sterned craft. and the passengers of the Ne braska trooped 10 her deck over gangplank. As Captain Brennan had predicted, not one of them had wet foot, with the exception Of the two who had been left aboard through their own careiessnesS.
 The reaction following a sleepless night of anxiety had replaced the first feeling of thankfuiness at deliveranee. and il was not a happy cargo of hu- manity which the reseuing beat bore with her as the sun peeped oyer the hills
 Many Of the ships pagscngers were but half dressed. all were exhausted and hungry. each one had lost some thing in the catastrophe Tho men were silent. the women hysterieai. the children fretful.
 IL was O'Sei's turn to comfort Cap tain Johnny Brennan. who had yielded to the biackest despair once his re- sponSibility was Over
 eIrs kind of you to cheer me up,"