The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-05-24

made steady undert0ne 10 tne Click
nick Of the knives In the pens, the
wrench and schloop Of torn heads,
the flap of ripped-open fish falling into
the tub on deck.
At the end Of an hour Harvey
wanted terribly to rest, but also for
the first time in his life he was one
of working gang Of men; and SO
beginning to take pride in the though
he held on grimy. Not till the last
fish was slowed below did a man res
But when that moment came! l,isko
and Old Salters rolled toward their
cabin hunks, Manuel and Long jack
went forward. Tom Platt waited only
long enough to slide home the hatch
All hands We're below and asleep,
except the two boys; they had TO
stand watch; SO by and by the moon
looked down on one slim boy in knick-
erbOckers, which was Harvey, stag
gerng around the cluttered deck
while behind him, waving a knotted
rope, walked another boy, which was
Dan, yawning and holding between
taps he dealt the first boy to keep him
awake.
The "We're Here was on a salt
fishing trif which meant four months
away from home; SO there was time
for Harvey to learn many strange new
things if he cared to. After a time,
as the pride in honest work well done
began to grip him, he cared. He
learned to fish from dory; to make
his way in safety around a heavlng
vessels deck; to know what each rope
and sail aboard a vessel was for.
Disko allowed him, when the wind was
light, to steer the vessel from one
berth to another, and wonderful was
Harveys sense of power when he first
felt the vessel answer to his touch OF
the wheel. Almost did he come to
understand, as fisherman under
stands, the never-absent dangers OF
the banks, the eternal fogs, the tides,
the gales, the wicked seas; and
learned, too, fishermen's opinion of the
officers of the great steamers who,
after cutting vessel down, raise high
hands to heaven and swear with
unanimity that the careless fisherman
had never-absolutely never-shown
so much as a single light.
He saw one day foul, draggled, I'M
kempt vessel heaving up past the
"We're Here" for all the world like d
blowsy, frousy, bad old woman sheer
ing at decent girl, saw her sail off
and into a batch of watery sunshine
and-go under, taking all hands with
her! He saw, while his hair stood on
end, whiteness moving in the white
ness of the fog with breath like the
breath of a grave; and then he heard
roaring, plunging and spouting; that
was his first iceberg. He saw the surf
break over Virgin Rocks; and the fish
strike in so thick on shoal that scores
of dories stood riding gunnel to gunnel
while their crews battled for the catch
He saw gale break so sudden and
fierce that everywhere on the sea were
men in dories cutting riding lines and
racing for their vessels, but some
never making their vessels.
. So he passed four busy, wonderful
months, growing in body, mind and
soul with every hour that passed; and
then came the great day when they left
the banks for home. Toll hardship
and danger were now mostly behind
them; there was left little to do but
stand watch and study the folding and
packing away of the morning mists
the hurry of winds across the open
spaces, the glare and blaze of the high
sun; to harken to the grinding OF the
booms against the masts, the creakine
of the sheets against the bits, the sail
filling to the roaring winds.
Now about the time the "We're
Here" hundred quintals of fish In
her hold, was laying her course fol
Gloucester, Harvey's father was be
ginning to wonder in his mahogany
offices In Los Angeles If it wasn't 8
better game to drop the ceaseless
struggle for more power and wealth
What was the use of it all-with nc
son to hand it to? He was still won
dering when one day an excited sec
rotary brought him telegram.
It was from Harvey, safe in Glouces
ter. Mr.. Cheyne laid his face dowr
on his desk, breathed heavily fol
awhile; and then, heaving orders
right and left, started that run Of
which railroad men talked for many
day. Three days and half 1t was
from coast to coast, with railroad spe
cialists along the way dividing huge
bonuses; for it was the great Harvey
Cheyne who was racing East to sex
his rescued boy, and the boys mother
was with him.
Not without fear did he meet thai
boy. He had a memory Of pasty
faced, bad-mannered lad. What BIZ
met was boy with toughened fgur'
and a keen, clear eye.
Railroads, lumber, mines-sucl
things did not interest young Harvey
What his heart yearned for was t.
some day manage his fathers newly
purchased sailing ships on the Pacific
Coast. The ships he got when he wa!
n Il n ~ =.