Evening star., 1921-05-01

well take your port anchor inboard
at once. Mr.. Mate
This had been done when I went
forward. l saw Maggie on the fore
begged her to go aft. but she took no
notice Of me. Then Charley. who was
very busy with the headgear. caught
sight Of her and shouted in his. big
gest voice: Get off the forecastel head.
Maggie. You're in the way here For
an answer she made a funny face at
him. and l saw poor Charley turn
away. hiding smile. She was flushed
with the excitement Of getting home
again. and her blue eyes seemed to
snap electric sparks as she looked at
the river. collier brig had gone
round just ahead of us, and our tug
had to stop her engines in a hurry to
avoid running slap bang into her
ANY other ship than that brute
straight for a couple Of minutes-but
not she. Her head fell off at once.
and she began to drift down. taking
her tug along with her. noticed a
cluster OF coaster at anchor within a
quarter Of Tile Of us, and spoke to
, the pilot. II you let her among that
lot, 1 said: quietly. she will grind
some OF them to bits before we get
| her out again
Don't I know her" cries he. And
| he out with his whistle to make that
bothered tug get the ships head up
again as quick as possible. He blew
IKE mad. waving his arm to port. and
presently we could see that the tugs
| engines had besn set going ahead Her
paddles churned the water. but il was
as II she had been trying to tow a
rock--she couldn't get an inch out of
| that ship.
| For a moment tug and ship hung
motioniess, and then the terrific strain
! that evil. stony-hearted brute would al
! ways put on every thing tore the towing
chock clean out. The tow rope surged
over. swapping the iron stanchions of
the head rail one after another. 1t was
| only then ] noticed that in order to
| have better view over our heads
Maggie had stepped upon the port
anchor as 1t lay fiat on the forecastle
| deck.
| 1T had been lowered properly into
; no time to take turn with it. l could
see directly that the tow rope would
| sweep under the f1uke in another Sec
/ ond. My heart flew right into my
: throat. but not before I had time to
yell out. Jump clear Of that anchor"
But l hadn't time to shrek out her
name; ] don't suppose she heard mo
at all The first touch Of the haw
against the f1uke threw her down she
was up on her feet again quick as light
nine. but she was up on the wrong
side. l heard horrid, scrapine sound.
| and then that anchor. tipping over. rose
| up Ike something alive its great, rough
! iron caught Maggie round the waist.
! seemed to clasp her close with a dread
| ful hug. and flung itself with her over
and down in a terrific clang OF iron, fol-
lowed by heavy ringing blows that shook
! the ship from stem to stern-because tho
| ring stopper held!
| with a most pitiful howl Charley
| was over after her almost on the in
! slant. But. Lord he didn't see as much
as a gleam of her red tam O. shanter
in the water. Nothing! nothing what.
ever! In moment there were half a
! dozen boats around U.S. and he got
i pulled into one. !. with the boatswain
/ and the carpenter let go the other
anchor in a hurry and brought the ship
up somehow. The pilot had gone silly.
He walked UP and down the forecastle
, head wringing his hands and muttering
to himself. Killing women. now. killing
| women, now
Dusk fell. then night black as
pitch and peering upon the river
| heard low. mournful hail, Ship ahoy"
| Two Gravesend watermen came along
| side They had a lantern in their
wherry, and looked up the ships side
holding on to the ladder without Z