The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-02-14
BURNT GAS
The Adventure of a Little Crew of Fishermen in a
Sloop That Had Gas" Engine Trouble
NIFTEEN gallons of gaso-
line stopped to and fro in
the tank of the Vida Mil
By Albert w. Tolnan, in Youths Companion

|HfSM0H line stopped to and fro IN
|NEsSN1N the tank of the Vida Mil
uggg lay when she set out that
March morning for Mistaken Bank,
twenty-five miles. southeast of
Portland Head. Capt. Ceph Bev-
erage had considered putting in
five gallons more; but mild wealth.
er and a clear sky had convinced
him that fifteen gallons would
bring his sloop safe back to Com
mercial Wharf.
Besides her captain, who fished
aboard, the Vida carried four men
who fshed from dories.-Harry
Wentworth, Dave Pulsifer, Knott
Irving and Nate Lappin, and also
sixteen -year-old Brad McKown,
cook and general-utility man.
Brad came from Harpswell. He
was a stocky, good-natured, red.
haired boy, almost six feet tall, and
weighing one hundred and sixty
pound. He had learned fishing
from his father and cooking from
his mother; so he had two strings
to his bow. 1t. was the culinary
string that bunked him on the
Vida.
They had poor luck the first day.
and Beverage used a good deal OF
his gas in shifting about on the
bank, for there was no sailing
wind. But during the next three
days the fish bit fast. Thursday
noon found almost ten thousand
pounds of cod, hake and haddock
in the hold, and everyone except
Brad McKown was pretty tired
Capt. Ceph hated to leave, when
the fish we're coming in so plenti.
fully, but he had already stayed
out a day longer than he had
planned. All that was left in the
larder was a few pounds of hard
bread, little cold meat and half a
dozen doughnuts. Besides, an east
erly wind was blowing from a gray
sky, and it was beginning to spit
snow. So Beverage called in his
dories, pulled anchor and started
for home.
Down in the cabin that after.
noon the captain sat Oh the edge OF
his bunk, talking to Brad. Pulsi.
fer, Irving and Lappin were al.
ready sound asleep. Wentworth
stood at the wheel.
See that barometer!" He point.
ed to the aneriod on the wall. six
below thirty! Something's coming
sure likely as not the line gale.
Excuse ME- from being out here
when it strikes. We're giving her
the mainsail and jumbo, and with
the engine doing all she will we'll
90 in a.kiting."
Pulling down the chart from its
wires close to the ceiling. he un-
rolled it over his knees.
Nov. Brad. the rest of US are
played out, and need a little sleep.
l want you to take the Vida to the
lightship. Then wake me, and I'll
hold the wheel until we get in.
We're right here" He indicated
their position with the tip of his
knife blade. Here's the light
ship, northwest by north half north.
Steer a straight course and listen
for her big steam whistle. It's
about three now, and you ought to
pick her up not far from five."
He rolled up the chart, slid it
over the wires, and then with a
yawn sank back into his bunk.
''Brad'll take her. Harry!" he
called to Wentworth. Come
down and get a snooze. Now drive
her, Brad!'
Brad drove her. 1t was now
showing hard. The wind, which
had begun to blow from the east
gradually shifted ahead to the
northeast and increased, heading
him off. He kept lufing into it
and trimming his sheet, until the