The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-09-14

II did not seem possible that such
frail craft could survive such stress
OF wind and water.
For an hour | saw nothing but the
naked. desolate sea. And then. where
a yagrant shaft OF sunlight struck the
ocean and turned It's surface Ia wrath
ful silver, | caught a small black speck
thrust skyward for an instant and
swallowed up. | waited patiently
Again the tiny point OF black projected
itself through the wrathful blaze n cou.
pie OF points on our port.bow. did
not attempt TO shout. but communi.
Gated tho news TO Wolf Larsen by wav.
ing my arm lie changed the course.
and | signaicd affirmation when the
speck showed dead ahead.
II grew larger, and so swiftly that
for the first time | fully appreciated
the speed OF our flight. Wolf Larsen
motioncd for me 10 come down. aud
when | stood beside him at the wheel
gave ms instructions for hcaving 10.
Expect all hell TO break loose he
cautioned me. but don't mind II.
Yours is to do your own work and to
have Cooky stand by the fore-sheet."
The boat was now very close. and
| could make out plainly that Il was
lying head to wind and sea and drag.
ging or its mast and sail. which had
been thrown overheard and made to
serve as a sea.anchor. The three men
were bailing. Each rolling mountain
whelmed them from view. Then. and
with black ~suddenness. the boat would
shoot clear through the foaming crest.
bow pointed to the sky. and the whole
length OF her bottom showing. vet and
dark. till she seemed on end.
The Ghost suddenly changed her
course. keeping away. Wolf Larsen
was preparing 10 beave 10. | felt an
abrupt easing OF the schooner. a loss
for the momen OF all strain and pres.
sure. coupled with 4 swift accelers.
ton OF speed. She wal rushing around
on her heel into the wind.
AS the Ghost wallowcd for an IN.
slant, %broadside on and rolling straight
over and far into the wind, / beheld a
huge sea rise far above my head 1,
descended randemonium broke loose.
everything happened at once. was
struck a crushing, stunning blow. no
where in particular and yet every
where. My hold hall" uecn broken
loose. ! was under water. and the
thought passed through my mind tra,
This was The terrible thing OF which
] had heard. the being swept iu The
trough OF the sea brought M yfp.
,.rt.y against What TOOK 20 be The
rail- hr"a'hol. and hraa'hed the sweet
afr again. Az ! scrambled out on all
tours passed over the body OF
Thomas Nurr.lse. who lay in a groan.
ing heap There was no time 10 In
ves'igate ! must get tho Jub backed
over.
on all sides there was a rcudinc and
crashing OF wood and steel and can.
vas. The Ghost was being wrcrchcl
and torn TO fragments. The forcsail
and f~oretopsail were laundering into
ribbons, the heavy boom ~threshlng
and splintorinr from rall 20 rail The
mir was thick with flying wreckagc
ropes and stays were kissing and co.l
Ing HE snakes, and down through IL
all crashed the gaH OF the ioresa'l
The spar could not have missed mo
by many inches, while II spurrrd mo
20 action. Perhaps the situation was
uot hopeless. remembered Vol
Larsen caution He had expected
al hell 10 break loose, and here n
a And where vas he? | caught
sight OF him toiling at the main sheet,
h"ay,lg II in and fiat with his trom"n.
dous muscles, the stern OF the schoon.
or lifted hlrh IN the ar and his body
outlined against "A white surge ~ sea
sweeping past All this. and more a
whole world OF chaos and wreck IN
possibly fifteen seconds ! had seen and
heard and grasped.
did not stop To see what mad he
come OF the small boat. but sprnng to
the i~lbshcct. The jib itself was be-.
ginning to slap, partially filling and
emptying with sharp reports. but
with a turn OF the sheet and the au-
| plication of my whole strength each
time II slapped. | slowly backed t..
This ! know; ! did my best ! pulled
till ! burst open the ends OF all my
fingers, and while | pulled, the flying
jib and staysail split their cloths apart
and Numbered into nothingncss.
still ! pulled, holding what ! gained
each time with a double turn until the
naXt slap gave me more. Then the
sheet gave with greater ease. and
Wolf Larsen was beside me, heaving
In alone while | was busted taking up
the slack.
Make fast" he shouted And come
on"
As | followed him I noted that In
spite OF rack and ruin a rough order
obtained. The Ghost was hove to. She
vas still In working order. and she
was still working, Though the rest OF
her sails were gone, the iib, backed
TO w%indward. and the malnsail hauled
down fiat, were themselves holding
and holding her bow to tho furious sea
as well.
looked for tho boat. and, Will,
Wolf Larsen cleared the boat tackles