American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-01-01

ahead OF the plunging bow. no imagina-
flon could picture. From where |
stood. clutchlng the spokes OF the
wheel. could not ever trace the yards
Of the mainmnst. nor could l perceive
on either side the water through which
we drove. Yet Il was not this which
pulled 80 at my nerve. | had stood at
the wheel often before guiding a great
ship through ~impenetrnble blackness,
and amid the immensely Of the ocean.
But then | was one OF n 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 hat on all hat space OF
deck forward only one solitary man
crouched IN the %blackness that below
In the enginerOOm, 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,
plunglng through the Wild waters of
the mid-Atlantic. with death lowering
above In the shrek OF the storm. Yet
chung 10 II grimly. no longer making
any attempt 10 hold any settled course,
but merely choosing the easler way In
which TO meet the force OF the storm.
II wns two o'clock when, too thor
oughly wearied TO stand the strain
longer. sent Dugan below to call the
mates. Leayord was tho heavier man,
and the more experienced sailor, so, at
my suggestion. he took the wheel, while
Olson went forward. / can recall
creeping down the ladder, and stag
gering down the stairs, but nothing
more. ! must have been asleep even
before I reached the berth In the cap
tain's stateroom.
A hand shook me. and I opened my
eyes. For an instant I 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.
Il had to call you. sir" he explained
kindly. THE main royal has broke
loose. an i'm take all hands ter stow
IL again IN this wind besides that fell
Ter Dugan he's gin out entirely. an
there's got ter be another hand sent
below TO tho stokehole."
sat up, already thoroughly awake.
"What time Is III"
Coin on half after four. sir"
Why ! thought l had just dropped
on. Any increase In the weight OF the
gale. Olson1'
mo, sir | don't think the wind is
quito so heavy. aud It's gettin' more
steadyllke, but there's considerable
sea"
II can tell that the way tho ship
pitches she's taking water forward"
Tons O II; the damned hooker is
loaded so deep she's more like a wharf
than a ship"
IL was a wild scene enough when l
emerged from the companion and
paused a moment IN the protection OF
the cabin 70 view the deck forward.
Huge crested waves burst over the
f%orecastle heads. cascadlng down onto
the main deck, and sweeping aft to the
scuppers amidships. Tho vessel stag
gered under the repeating blows, yet
recovered with a buoyancy which gave
me renewed courage, plunging forward
again 20 meet the next assault. The
continuous boom MS they struck against
our bows, the mad Tapping Of the
loosened canvas aioft. the ceaseless
shrieking Of the cordage. made a pan
demoniam OF noise which rendered the
human voice almost useless. | put my
lips TO Olson's ear.
Can the three OF us pass those gas
ketsf'
TITS got to be done, sir, unless we
let the sail go; but it's goin' TO be no
boys job"
where's Duganf'
"Hangin' there to the shrouds, a.
waitin' for us"
Then come on the sooner it's over
with, the better"
We went up the ratlines like snails
every burst OF wind driving us aat
against the ropes, where we hung on
grimly. Dugan was first to lay u
upon the footropes, and l 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. I made II In my turn. he
wind driving me fiat against the spar.
the footrope dancing madly beneath
my weight, the Tapping canvas Of the
loosened sail as stlf as iron. Dugan
had the worst OF It. but ne chung there
like a cat, stubbornly fighting inch by
inch as he drew In the cloth. He must
have had the strength OF a giant, and
the grip of a wise. II was a ten-minute
battle, and when ! got safely back into
the maintop every muscle of my body