The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-11-08

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1t. we agreed trde none OF US could
tell whether or not the sentries would
60 crazy while on watch and have the
rest of us at their mercy. It was aw'
/ full to talk about going crazy in this
way, and to figure that you yourself
might be the next, and that II was al
most sure to happen II you did moi
get some sleep soon. But II was worse
to find man near you going, and have
to boot him out with the other insane
men. t
The days passed like that, with
nothing to do but suffer, and starvt
and freeze. II got colder and colder
and all we could wrap ourselves In
was the coal. We began to speculate
on where we were. II was not til
later than an old skipper In our buncf
| told US that we had rounded the north
ern coast OF Iceland.
Finally. one day. a lad yelled dowr
Land n and we all dove for the fid
dley like wild men, and those wh'
could get near enough looked out. ant
sure enough there was the coast %
Norway. very rugged and rocky nnt
covered with snow. We thought I
was all over then, and that we would
be landed at Bergen sure. Then there
was the usual running around and
yelling on deck, and we were not so
/ sure we would be landed, and very
suddenly II got colder than ever.
was In the flddley. aching to get
out. nnd ready for anything that
might happen, when the door opened
suddenly and Badewitz grabbed me,
and asked me In English II was II
aulrtermaster. said yes, and he
pulled me by the arm to II cabin. l
did not know what was going to hap.
pen, but he took an ollskln from the
wall and told me to put II on.
There were two sailors there also,
and they put life belts on, and then
/ was more puzzled than ever, and
scared. too. because 1 thought maybe
they were going TO throw me over
board. though what that had TO do
with being quarterlmster could
not see.
But they drilled me up onto the
bridge and told me 10 tnke the wheel.
/ What their Idea was do not know.
Possibly they wanted noncombutant
at the wheel In ease they We're over
hauled by neutral vessel. We were
going full speed mt the time, but as
soon ms took the wheel she cur down
I to half speed, and stayed that way for
half an hour. Then up TO full speed
agnin.
Pretty soon there was tramp
steamer on the stnrboard bow. and al
most before saw II, there were two
more sentries ON each side OF me,
, pfoddlngj me with their reyolvers and
wuining me to keep on the course.
] They had civilian clothes ON.
Then we went through the Skager
Rack and Cattegat. which are narrow
strips OF water leading TO the Baltic,
and we We're only mile from shore
with vessels all about us. II would
have been an easy thing for me to
signal whit our ship was and who
were aboard. but they had six sentries
on my neck all the time to keep me
/, from II. never wanted TO do any
thing worse In my life than jump
overheard or signal. But would
have been shot down before had
more than started to do either, so l
just stayed with the wheel
We were nearing one OF the Dan
lsh islands In the Baltic when we
sighted a tug. She began to smoke
up and blow her siren. The sailors got
very excited and ran around In crazy
style. and Badewitz began shouting
more orders than they could get away
with. The sentries left me and ran
with the rest OF the Fritzies to the
boat deck and started to lower one of
the lifeboats. But Badewitz was right
on their heels and kicked the whole
bunch around In great shape, roaring
like bull all the time.
! lett the wheel and ran to the end
of the bridge, to jump overheard. But
the minute let 20 of the wheel the
vessel fell Off of the course, and they
noticed 1t. and Badewitz sent five Of
them up on the bridge and three
others to the side with their revolvers
to shoot me II i should reach the wa.
ter. think II had had any rope to
lash the wheel with could have got
away and they would not have known
II.
When the five sailors reached the
bridge one Of them jumped for the
cord and gave our siren five long
blnsts In answer to the tug The tug
was about to launch a torpedo, and
we whlstled Just In time. One OF orr
men was looking from the flddley, and
he saw the Huns making for the life
boats. so he got two OF three others
and they all yelled together, "Don't
lot them get awayp thinking thnt
they would get The boat over and
leave the ship, aud trying TO yell loud
enough for the tug 10 hear them.
Badewitz took this man aud two or
three others, whether they were the
ones who yelled or not, aud bent them