Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-04-17

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Others Heard His Yell, "Lssso me
lsssl lsmms outl"
ship Argyll. Come aboard and give an
account Of yourself. Step into that
cutter"
"Waits interrupted the Argyll's cap
tain. Before you leave empty your
ballast tanks You are too Low In the
waterloo elusive"
empty now, captain" answered the
skipper Of the lesser craft. We've got
the equivalent down aft in the bilges.
The tailshaft was badly packed and
the engine rooms nearly full OF water.
We've stopped the leak. Oh, I'm a fool.
Suppose I make fast to your boat boom
first. There'n be no strain on It I'm
steering with the diving rudder hard
down to trim her against that weight
Of water and must keep her turning
over or she'll sit on her tail"
'Do So" answered Mr.. FELTON,. Fin
negan, take that mans place at the
wheel and steer after the boat boom"
"Steer small" said the captain to
Finnegan as he climbed out OF the
hatch and stood knee deep on the sub
merged deck. "It's an air engine steer
ing gear. Don't touch anything but
the wheel"
The old man, shaky with age and
nerves, floundered into the coming
tower and took the wheel-the upper
spokes Of which were visible to those
on the high bridge Of the battleship-
while the boats commander waded
forward on the round and unstable
platform to where a ring bolt showed
through the water.
STRIKES me-" he said, with quixzical
glance at Finnegan and at those above,
''that there's no real necessity OF Sec
ond man getting wet feet when the
first Is drenched through. But I'm not
bossing this"
he was doomed to q worse wetting.
he had fastened the end Of q line
thrown him from the boom to the ring
bolt and was reaching for hanging
Jacobs ladder to climb to the boom
when those above saw him sink out OF
sight; then they saw the open coming
tower rush forward, settling as 1t came.
Some saw Finnegan's face, with its
look Of painted amazement; others only
heard his yeIl: "Leggo me legs-leggo!
Lemme outr'
Then Finnegan and the coming tow
or went under, the rope snapped, and
the water was smooth but for the rip
pies caused BY the swimming captain
and line Of large, irregular bubbles
that stretched ahead for hundred
feet and stopped.
It happened so suddenly that not q
Shot was fred, though every gun IN
the port battery was trained and
ready. Not q gunner on board would
shoot at Finnegan unless ordered, and
MI. FELTON, had not given the word.
But he ordered the boat after It had
picked up the swimmer to pull ahead
ready for Finnegan or any others who
might have climbed out Of that open
hatch against the inrush Of water. and
In ten minutes, none appearing on the
surface, he called It back. Drenched
and dripping, the submarine boats
commander was brought into the pres
ence Of the captain and officers Of the
battleship.
~Well. SIR" asked the big captain
starnly Of the officer, "what explana-
tiou have you to offer Of this trickr
mo trick at all, SIR" answered the
pals and crestfallen man. II suppose
that my engineer and my quartermas-
ter, who attends to the diving gear,
took chance that I would not II
they die am merely a prisoner. II
they live I am disgraced."
"Disgracedi You, an Enghshman,
serving Russia, talk Of disgrace"
IAN American, captain, who never
saw England, )" answered the man, with
dignity; IAN officer Of twenty years
service in the imperial navy; Aeuten-
ant Bronsonsky, in command Of the
Russian torpedo boat volga-plain Jim
Bronson back In Indiana,
"What happened to your boatT
"None Of my men understands Eng
nsh. Some one gave full speed to the
motor under which we were running.
The diving rudder was inclined. 1t
balanced her at half speed, but at full
speed made her dive. II they succeed
ed In closing that hatch In time they
may save their lives, but not the boat"
us the hatch easily closed"
"A strong spring keeps It up and
also down when pulled past dead
center. A man must reach up for It
against the downpour Of water.
doubt that It could be DONE"
.How about ART Is there enoughr
"Plenty Of compressed air and re-
serve store Of oxygen. # they escape
drowning they win starve before they
viii suffocate." 80
sBnt why" asked the captain. ~did
you approach % 20 unwisely r
.Now, captain" answered Bronson.
with some hesitation. you are scratch
ing the hide Of the bear. i do not
know. Russian diplomacy, suppose.
| I can ten this much, however. Ny or
dsrs were to conceal myself until Ire.
| ported TO the admiral of the seuter
squadron, except that IN this strait !
was to dsliver verbal information to z
| battlsship, which, alone Of The Russian
81. was Ignorant of - nsws that !
carried s s
SAnd tie nswsr
IT q known 70 the world ana g
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