The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-10-26
CHAPTER ViII-Continued.


sir, and given stateroom where she
could fix herself up bit" he answered
soberly. "The other Teller had a heap
of lot to say, an seemed to have
some sorter grudge against you. !
hadn't any time to listen to his yarn,
so 1 naturally turned him over to the
bosum, ter have tibet eye dressed. He
must have got q peach o. a swipe, sir"
81 had to hit him-yes; but we can
talk of that later. Where is he now?"
"In the galley, sir, where they're
heating some water. After they get
him fixed up, is he to go aft, or for
rard?
"Aft, If you have room to spare; he
Is no sailorman, but millionaire from
New York; he has money to burn"
The fellow looked at me with his
mouth wide open, his glistening eyes
almost laughable.
''The devil you say, sir; he don't look
the part to my notion. You was all
part of yacht party?"
"Yes, the Esmeralda, steam yacht,
owned by Gerald Darlington of New
York. We were run down about q
hundred miles east of Montauk by a
big liner, which must have been out Of
her course. She cut us square In two,
but, excepting us three, all living on
board got away in the boats. By acct
dent we were left, and escaped later IN
the dinghy"
"What became Of the linerT
"She picked up the boats, and, think
ing they had all the survivors, went
on. She was q mail boat, likely. The
yacht went down five minutes after
we left her; we've been afloat ever
since. Now, Mr.. Masters, that's our
story In brief. What's the trouble
herew
"T'li tell yer enough to make 1t clear.
SIR" he said slowly, although there Is
others on board who can explain more
In detail. You're q seaman-or was
once-so you'll see easily the sorter
fix we're In. I'm the only officer left
on the hooker, an couldn't navigate
a ship II you'd give 1t to me. I'm only
the chief engineer, an my assistant Is
In the fo'castle with broken leg. You
see tibet rifle for-rard, sir7 Well, 1t
WIS lightning did that. Two bolts, SO
the crew says, fer / wus down below.
an never knew whut happened till the
electrics all went out. Then I shut on
steam, aud clumb out on deck. Lord,
but II wus black night, raining cats
and dogs, but no wind to speak Of. It
wus the rain what saved rs, for IRE
started yonder--yer can see where It
burned-but It died out of itself. When
morning come we saw what we was up
against: II looked a lot sight worse
then than II does now. Them bolts OF
lightning he'd knocked the foremost
into smithereens, killed the wheels
man, and put the steering gear plumb
out o. commission. Then the top
mast an spars just naturally wrecked
the bridge, and charthouse, an the
whole mass caught fire. The second
officer was In the wheelhouse, sir, an
never knew what hit him, an both the
captain an the first officer wus a
standin' tergether on the bridge. The
TOP mast crushed the life out Of 'em.
There wus six sailormen hurt the same
way, an four Of 'em died. 1t wus the
darndest mess I ever saw at sea, sir"
bad enough, surely; when did this
happen?"
might afore last; we've cleaned up
q bit since, but the crew won't work
much under me- an we're short
handed. / rugged up this wheel aft, SO
as to keep an engine going, and hung
on, waiting for something to turn up.
There wasn't nothing else could do"
mo, I presume not" and my eyes
rested thoughtfully on the scene for
ward. "How is the hull-sound7 You
seem sunk deeply"
That's carEc, sir; full to the
matches. The ships dry as a bone |;
have had the well sounded every three
hours"
"And what about the crew."
"Just so, so; a crimp brought them
aboard drunk, an we were not at sea
long enough for the mates to whip
them into shape when this thing hap
pened. I'm no deck officer, Mr.. Hollis,
and they don't take orders from me
very well. I call 'erh d-d hard
lot"
| I made no comment, endeavorfng to
| turn oil these facts over In my mind,
| and reach. some decision. II was ev'-
lent enough what was wanted, and