Meade County news., 1918-01-03

"But you will stay on deck all
night"
"Not unless the storm increases. In
an hour or so I'll call the others, and
lie down myself. Come, dear, you be-
long in the watch below"
That certainly seemed lonely deck
after she had disappeared down the
ladder. l had served many a quiet
watch at sea, many q memorable one,
but that hour taught me the real les
son of loneliness. We were driving
forward recklessly into wall of dark
ness, utterly impenetrable to the eye.
What horror might be lurking just
ahead Of the plunging bow, no imagina-
ton could picture. From where l
stood, clutching the spokes Of the
wheel, could not even trace the yards
of the mainmast, nor could perceive
on either side the water through which
we drove. Yet it was not this which
pulled so at my nerve. / had stood at
the wheel often before guiding a great
ship through impenetrable blackness,
and amid the immenslty of the ocean.
But then l was one of a crew, alert and
ready, merely performing my part Of a
given task. But now could not drive
from me the consciousness that stood
there alone; that ON all that space Of
deck forward only one solitary man
| crouched in the blackness; that below
In the englneroom, and stokehole, only
two more; already worn and weary
with toll. stuck grimly to their work ;
that under my control this great
freighter, loaded almost to the deck
beams, was flying before the storm,
piunging through the wild waters of
the mid-Atlantic, with death lowering
above in the shrek Of the storm. let
I clung to 1t grimly, no longer making
any attempt to hold any settled course,
but merely choosing the easier way In
which to meet the force of the storm.
It was two o'clock when, too thor
oughly wearied to stand the strain
longer, ! sent Dugan below to call the
mates. Leayord was the heavier man,
and the more experienced sailor, so, at
my suggestion, he took the wheel, while
Olson went forward. I can recall
creeping down the ladder, and stag
gering down the stairs, but nothing
more. 1 must have been asleep even
before reached the berth in the cap
tain's stateroom.
A hand shook me, and I opened my
eyes. For an instant was too dazed
to comprehend. The port was closed,
but daylight streamed through the
thick glass Illuminating the stateroom,
and recognized Olson bending over
me.
II had to call you, sir" he explained
kindly. "The main royal has broke
loose, an it'll take all hands ter stow
1t again in this wind; besides that fel-
Ter Dugan he's gin out entirely, an
there's got ter be another hand sent
below to the stokehole."
sat up, already thoroughly awake.
"What time is it?"
"Goin' on half after four, SIR"
"Why thought l had just dropped
off. Any increase in the weight Of the
gale, Olson%
mo, sir; I don't think the wind is
quite so heavy, and it's gettin' more
steadylike, but there's considerable
sea-"
II can tell that the way the ship
pitches; she's taking water forward"
"Tons O. 1t; the damned hooker is
loaded so deep she's more like wharf
than ship"
1t was wild scene enough when l
emerged from the companion and
paused moment in the protection of
the cabin to view the deck forward.
Huge crested waves burst over the
forecastle heads, cascading down onto
the main deck, and sweeping aft to the
scuppers amidships. The vessel stag.
gered under the repeating blows, yet
recovered with buoyancy which gave
me renewed courage, plunging forward
again to meet the next assault. The
continuous boom as they struck against
our bows, the mad Tapping of the
loosened canvas aloft, the ceaseless
shrieking of the cordage, made q pan
demonium of noise which rendered the
human voice almost useless. I put my
lips to Olson's ear.
"Can the three Of us pass those gas
ketsY
"It's got to be done, sir, unless we
let the sail go; but it's goin' to be nc
boys job"
"Where's DuganI"
"Hangln' there to the shrouds, a
waitin' for u.s."
'Then come on; the sooner it's over
with, the better"
We went up the ratlines like snails
every burst Of wind driving us flat
against the ropes, where we hung on
grimly. Dugan was first to lay out
upon the foOtropes, and felt no regret
when Olson slipped past me In the top
bawling in my ear:
"Let me go next, sir, you haven't
been at this sort o. job lately"
However, made it in my turn, the
wind driving me fiat against the spar
Al r.