Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-04-26
f'nY LAoY efHeNORTH.' f1Al0 ofAhe FoREoI ETC.

ton OF the lever we bent to the task.
Something caught, rendering the great
iron lid immovable.
"White," I called, scome over here
and give us a hand"
I heard him patter across the deck
in his bare feet, but before he reached
the bar, the fellow stopped, staring at
the narrow opening, and shifting like a
pointer dog.
clay holdr' I called out angriiy.
"The weight is breaking our Backs
'sBut there's fire below, SIR" he
roared excitedly. "That's smoke a
risin' out the hatch-the cargo's afire Y
I saw it now, and so did Red, and the
mate-a thin, circling vapor barely per-
ceptible in the night, curling up
through the hole we had succeeded in
forcing. For an instant I hardly knew
it as smoke, but the fresh draught of
air had already worked it's miracle,
and the wisp thickened as / stared into
q threatening black coil, darling up
ward into our very faces. / dropped
upon my knees, shading my mouth as
best l might, and sought to peer down
into the black void between decks.
Away forward a red eye winked out OF
the darkness, then another, and third.
leaped to my feet, realizing there was
no hope, nothing we could do but get
away alive-and, if we were even to do
this. every second was worth kings
ransom.
ashes afire forward!' / exclaimed,
striving to control my voice. "That Is
where the fellow was, and he's done
the job; there's no stopping her now"
'There's plenty of hose forward"
"BEt the donkey engine is not con.
nected, and we dare not take chances
with all those explosives below. Heav-
ems, man, we may go sky high any sec.
Ond. Don't stand talking; get over the
dinghy, it's the only boat we have:
haul her aft and swing her to these
falls below the after-hatch-that will
give us a chance to get away, perhaps.
Jump now, the three of you. No wait
Red and LeayOrd can rig the boat, and
I'll give you q hand when you hook
on. Mccain, get beaker of water in,
and some biscuits, We'll have no time
for anything else. Hurry men! there's
flame breaking through nOw!"
There was; red serpent, sticking
its ugly head up the hatch opening, the
CHASTITY light glimmering in our faces,
The men seemed fairly paralyzed at
this sudden outhurst of new horror, but
l drove them. even using hands and
feet in my mad desire for action.
"Aft with it now-aft with it. All
will be mass of flames amidship in
five minutes. Is there water in that
keg, Mccain? Then throw it in nov
the biscuits. Miss Carrington-Vera! !"
eyes, Captain Hollis"
"Can you hold to the wheel few
moments longer?-till I come for your"
eyes,
"Call down the tube TO the engine
room; tell Masters and Olson to come
on deck at once-as quick as they can
foot the ladder
Eyes, sir"
The cool quietness Of her voice
Gained me as though she had pressed
her hand on my brow in fever. /
sprang to the help of the others, as
sisted to hook the, light dinghy onto
the falls, lifted it clear of the deck,
and swung it outward over the rail.
The flame streaming up the main-hatch
by this time gave us light enough, and
helped hurry our movements. / saw
Masters and Olson emerge from the
shaft, stare at the red glare, and run
toward us. I have vague impression
that Mccain burst out of the compan-
ion, bag of sea-biscuits in his arms,
and flung it into the stern-sheets of the
dinghy. He must have done so, for
later the biscuits were there. But it
was impossible to think of these things,
to see clearly. to realize just what was
happening. Every second / expected
the ships deck to rend asunder under
our feet, blowing every human being
aboard into atoms.
overhaul these pulleys, Leayord !;
no, We'll load at the rail, and lower the
boat itself-are there oars? that's it;
stow 'em. Olson, to the wheel with
you; take couple turns about it with
a ropes end, and help the girl down.
Over the side Red, and ship the tiller
now lads, over with you. Masters, you
and Leayord lay hold of the ropes
don't lost your heads now and lower
too fast. Here, Red, help the lady;
step quick, dear; yes, I'll come-are
you all in? now where's McCann?"