Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-12-27

- T.
figure of Mccain in the bow, and then
her eyes sought my face q~uestioningly.
you are not going to offer him
"He deserves none; he has already
had more than both Of us together.
How many are left?"
"Seven fit to eat. But" she hest
tated, yet went on bravely enough,
please, he is not accustomed to being
deprived of food, and is really suffer-
ing. Let him have my share, for I am
not at all hungry-truly I am not.
81 shall insist ON your eating" I said,
almost sternly. "Your share is little
enough to sustain life. If it comes to
a choice between saving you, and that
miserable thing yonder, my is
taken. However, I grant your request
now, although / doubt if he shows
ven gratitude. McCann!"
He lifted his head, and stared aft,
but without changing attitude.
"Here is your ration. You do not de-
serve a bite, nor would you receive any
through me. You owe this to the lady
catch it now"
He picked the half biscuit up from
the bottom of the boat, where it fell at
his feet, and began nibbling at it, like
a famished dog. There was, no sign of
thankfulness in his action, and he con-
tinued to glare at us with one eye open
in sullen i%nsolence.
The sur blaZed down upon us out
of a clear sky, glistening along the
foam of racing waves, but, as noon ap- |
preached, the southern Sky became
sity until we could see only a few
hundred yards beyond our bow. 1t
was not q storm cloud, and brought
With it no fear of disaster, but com
pletely blotted out the horizon, and
gave a dark, sullen gloom to the u r
rounding waters.
1t must have been three o'clock when
Mccain suddenly gave vent to n
startled roar, Strengthening to his
knees, and pointing straight ahead into
the smother. I stared, but saw nothing
except the grotesque forms assumed by
the whirling mist, but Vera leaned out
owe the side, shading her eyes.
"What is it?" I asked sharply.
snake a report, mani"
ga ship yonderw he shouted, but
without turning his head. II saw it
plainly enough, but it has gone now"
81 see it, Mr.. Hollis! ' the girl cried
excitedly. fright out there through
that lane of mist-it's a big steamer!"
straight aheadw
"Just a little this way-there! you
can see her now!"
Ibid, a mere glimpse, instantly OBJ
scured, but visible again a moment
later. Mccain was on his feet, ges-
ticulating wildly.
Snow, d you'll" he shouted, 'sput
us on board there, and I'll show you
who I am. You brute, I dare you to
put us on board"
"Sit down." I ordered. sNow, keep
still, and stand by with that rope. I'll
put you aboard all right, but until I do,
you will obey what I say, or go into
the water"
I took my eyes off him, and stared
at the vessel, conscious Instantly that
something was wrong. She was APP
parently a big steel freighter, four
thousand tons / guessed, her water line
showing a heavy cargo, and her bows
red with rust where the black paint
had disappeared. The foremost was
broken off at the tops, remaining a
great splinter, and where the bridge
and wheelhouse ought to be there was
piled a mass of wreckage, showing
black above the bulwarks. A wheel
had been rugged aft on the poopdeck,
and there alone I saw evidence of hui
man beings on board. One fellow stood
gripping the spokes, while another
leaned motionless against the rail fac
ing forward. Neither n saw us, al
though I swung my hat, and sent a
hail across the intervening water. The
girl glanced back into my face.
what is the matter with them, Mr..
HollisT she asked. sis, something
wrong?"
II am afraid so; their foretop mast
is down, and 1t looks as though 1t had
smashed the bridge and wheelhouse
u 12H
when 1t fell. They have rugged up an
emergency wheel aft. Can you make
out her name?
'sThe Indian Chief Of Philadelphia"
"No regular unexpectedly a tramp.
I never saw tunnels painted like that
before, and she shows no flag. How
ever, any port in q storm"
I stood up, following my hands.
! "Ahoy there! Indian Chief, ahoyi"
The man leaning on the after rail
turned, and gazed down at us, shading
his eyes, and the heads of q half dozen
others bobbed up above the forward
bulwarks. I could see the fellow aft
plainly now, a broad, stockily built
man. with extremely red face. wearing
0veralls, and a wooden shirt, open at
the throat. In appearance there was
nothing OF the officer about him, yet
i ~ xro q hfc un|Oa xui,gobf Rrnllr nncruovoa