The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-07-07

Because they were sh~ort-handed
consultation was necessary over what
was 10 be done, the young owner Of
the MiWaka, Captain Stafford, came
down the hawser onto the tug after the
line had been put straight. He came
to the wheelhouSe, where Benjamin
Corvet was, and they consulted. Then
Benjamin Corvet learned that the
other wner was aboard the new ship
as well-Ramsdell-the mar whose
money you have just told me had built
this and was soon to build other ships.
| did not understand before why learn
ing that affected him so much.
stafford wanted us (this is what
Benjamin COrvet said) TO tow him up
the lake; I would not do that, but |
agreed to tow him TO Manistique. The
night was dark, Father-no snow, but
frightful wind which had been increas-
ing until it now sent the waves wash
ing clear across the tug. We had gone
north an hour when, low upon the wa
ter TO my right, ! saw Il light, and
there came to me the whistling of a
buoy which told me that we were pass
ing nearer than | would have wished,
even in daytime, TO windward of BOul-
der reef. There are, Father, no people
on that reef its sides Of ragged rock
go straight down forty fathoms into
the lake.
81 looked at the man with me in
the w~heelhouse-at Staffordvand
hated him! l put my head out at the
WheelhOuSe door and looked back at
the lights, at the new, great steamer,
following safe and straight at the end
of its towline, / thought Of my two
men upon the tug who had been
crushed by clumsiness Of those on
board that ship; and how my W
ships had had a name for never losing
a man and that name would be lost
now because Of the carelesSneSs OF
Stalford's men! And the sound Of the
shoal brought the evil thought TO me.
Suppose / had not happened across his
ship; would it have gone upon some
reef like this and been lost? / thought
that if now the hawser should break,
| would be rid of that ship and per-
hapS of the owner who was on board
as well. We could not pick up the tow
line again in so close to the reef. The
steamer would drift down upon the
rocks"
Father PerTon hesitated an instant.
Il bear Witness" he said solemnly,
that Benjamin COrvet assured me
his priest-that it was only a thought !;
the evil act which it suggested was
something which he would not do or
even think Of doing. But he spoke
something of what was in his mind to
Stafford, for he said:
81 must look like a fool to you to
keep on towing your ship!
They stared, he told me, into one
another's eyes, and Stafford grew I'M
easy.
lived have been. all right he an
severed, until we had got help, if you'd
left us where we were! He, too, lis
tened to the sound of the buoy and Of
the water dashing on the ssOal. You
are taking us too close he said-'too
closer He went aft then to look at
the tow line"
Father PerrOn's voice ceased; what
he had to tell now made his face
whiten as he arranged it in his mem
DRY. Alan leaned forward a little and
then, with an effort, sat straight. Con
stance turned and gazed at him; but
- 4, rnJ not 1nnly ~ hnr Hn folt NOR
hand warm upon his it rested there a
moment and moved away.
There was q third mar In the
wheelhOuSe when these things were
spoken" Father Perron said, "the mate
of the ship which had been laid up at
Manistique."
Henry Spearman," Sheriff. sup
Piled.
THAT is the name. Benjamin Cor.
vet told me Of that man that. he was
young, determined, brutal and set upon
getting position and wealth for him
self by any means. He watched COrvet
and Stafford while they were speak.
ing. and he, too, listened to the shOal
until Stafford had come back; then he
went aft.
- looked at him, Father Benjamin
Corvet said to me, and l let him 60
not knowing. He came back and
looked ut me once more, and went again
to the stern Stafford had been watch
ing him as well as /. and sprang away
from me now and scrambled after him.
The tug leaped suddenly; there was
no longer any tow holding it back. fol-
the hawser had parted; and I knew,
Father, the reason was that Spearman
had cut it!
"'I rang for the engine to be slowed
and I left the wheel and went aft
some struggle was going on at the
stern Of the tug; a flash came from
there and the cracking Of q shot. Sud.
denly all was light about me as, aware
Of the breaking Of the hawSer and
alarmed by the shot, the s~earchlight of
the Miwaka turned upon the tug. The
cut end of the hawSer was still upon
the tug, and Spearman had been trying
to clear this when Stafford attacked