Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-12-10


could see that the girl was pleading
TO handle the ship, and that Garrison
was going to let her do so.
Rainey shrugged his shoulders. 1t
was Carlsen's risk. 1t was no child's
play in that weather 20 steer prop
erly. 1t took not only strength, but
watchfulness and experiSuce to hold
the course in the weller of cross seas.
Lund and Rainey stood together by
the weather-rail. 1t was Sill Ralney's
| deck watch, and at any moment Carl
sen might relinquish the wheel back
to him as soon as the girl got tired.
Suddenly shouts sounded from fer
ward, a medley of them, indistinct
against the quartering wind Sandy,
| the roustabout. came dashing aft
| along the slOping deck, catching
clumsily at rail and rope to steady
himself, flushed with excitement, al
most historical with his news.
"A bowhead, sirl" he cried when he
saw Rainey. ''And killers after him
Blown dead ahead! !"
Beyond the bows Rainey could see
nothing OF the whale, that must have
| sounded in fear of the killers, but he
saw half dozen scytheike, black
fins cutting the water in streaks of
foam, all abreast, their high dorsals
waving wolves Of the sea, hunting
for the gray bOwhead whale, to force
its mouth open and feast on the deli
cacy of fits living tongue SO Lund
told him In swift sentences while
they waited for the whale to breach
Rainey glanced aft. Sandy had
carried his warning to Carlson and
the girl, and now was craning over
the lee rail-, kneedeep In the wash,
trying to see something of the com
bat. Peggy Sirgns 1.-the figure was
leaning 10 one side as she, too, gazed
ahead. though she still paid attention
TO her steering and held the schooner
well up, her face bright with excite
ment, wet with flying brine, wisps of
yellow hair streaming free in the
wind from beneath the close grip Of
her wooden red am-O'shanter.
"Bl-O-ows" started the deep voice
Of lookout, from where sailors and
hunters had grouped in the bows to
witness this gladiatorial combat be-
tween sea monsters, staged fittingly
in sea that was running Wild,
"Bl-o-owsl" The deep voice almost
| leaped an octave in a sudden shrlll of
apprehension. Others voices mingled
with his In a clamor Of dismay.
Look out Oh, look out Dead
ahead"
The enormous bulk Of the whale
had appeared. not to spout, but to lie
belly up, rocking on the surface with
fins outspread, paralyzed with terror,
directly in the course Of the Karluk,
while toward 1t, intent only on their
blood lust, leaped the killers, thrust
ing at its head as the schooner surged
| down. In that tremendous sea the
! impact would be certain to mean the
STAYING in of something forward, per
haps the springing of butt.
Hard a lee!" yelled Rainey. up
with herl Upl"
! Forward. the men jumped TO handle
! the headsals. The Karluk started 10
spin about on its keel, instinct to the
changing plane of the rudder But
the waves were running tremendously
| high, and the wind blowing with great
| force, the water rolling In great noun
tains of sickly greenish gray, topped
with foam that blew In a level scud.
As the schooner hung in a deep
| trough, the wind struck at her, bows
| on.
Rainey saw one huge bIllow rising
curving, high as the gaff of the main,
it seemed to him, as he grasped at the
coil of the main halyards Down came
the tons Of water, booming on the
deck that bent under the blow, spill
Ing in a great cataract that swashed
across the deck.
His feet were swept from under
him, for a moment ne seemed to swing
horizontal "a the steam, cutching at
the halyards. The sea struck the OPP
pos!te rail with a roar that threat
cned to tear 1t away, piling up and
then seethlng overheard.
with it went figure. Rainey
caught sight Of a CHASTITY face, a
mouth that shouted vainIy for help in
the pandemonium, and was instantly
stoppered with strangling brine, pop
eyes appealing in awful fright as
Sandy was washed away In the cas-
cade. The halyards were heid on the
pin with a turn and twist that Rainey
swiftly loosened, lifting the coil free
making q fast loop, and thrusting
head and arms through 1t as he flung
himself after the roustabout.
A great bulk wallowed just before
him. the helpless body Of the bOwhead
whale. the killers darting in a mad
melee for its head Then figure was
Literally hurled upon the slippery
mass Of the mammal, its gray belly
plain in the weller, a living raft
against which the waves broke and
tossed their spray.
Clawing franticaLly, Sandy clutched
AT the base Of the enormous pectoraI
An. cllnging with maniacal strength,
mad with fear. Striking ont 20 little
J ,.r,rvoea save 70 helm buOv himself