The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-07-07
CHAPTER xv.-continued.


something distinct and terrifying; but
he seemed not surprised, but rather
satisfied that Alan had not heard. He
nodded his head at Alan's denial, and,
without reply to Alan's demand, he
stood listening. Something bent him
forward; he Strengthened; again the
something came; again he straight
ened. Four times Alan counted the
motions. Burr was hearing again the
four long blasts of distress But there
was no noise but the gale. "The four
blasts !" He recalled old Burr's terror
outside the radio cabin. The old man
was hearing blasts which were not
blowni
He moved on and took the wheel.
He was a good wheelsman; the vessel
seemed to be steadier on her course
and, somehow, to steer easier when the
old man steered. His illusions of hear
Ing could do no harm. Alan consid-
cred; they were Of concern only to
Burr and to him.
Alan fought to keep his thought all
to his duty; they must be now very
nearly at the position where the Rich
ardson last had heard the four long
blasts: searching for ship or for
boats, in that snow, was almost hope
less. With sight even along the search
lights beam shortened to few hun
dred yards, only accident could bring
Number Is up for rescue, only chance
could carry the ship where the shouts
or the blasts Of distress II the wreck
still fioated and had steam-would be
heard.
They were meeting frequent and
heavy foes, and Alan gave warning of
these by halls to the bridge; the bridge
answered and when possible the steam
er avoided the foes; when II could not
do that 1t cut through them. The wind
rowed ice beating and crushing under
the bows took strange, distorted, glis-
tening shapes. Now another such shape
appeared before them; where the glare
dissipated to a bare glow In the swirl
ing snow, he saw q vague shadow. The
man moving the searchlight failed to
see Il. for he swung the beam on. The
shadow was so dim. so ghostly, that
Alan sought for II again before he
hailed; he could see nothing now, yet
he was surer. somehow, that he had
seen.
Something dead ahead, sir" he
shouted back to the bridge.
The bridge answered the hail as the
searchlight pointed forward again. A
gust carried the snow In fierce furry
which the light failed 10 pierce; from
the furry suddenly, silently, spar by
spar, shadow emerged-the shadow
of a ship. 1t was a steamer, Alan saw.
q long, low-lying old vessel without
lights and without smoke from the fun
mel slanting up just forward Of the
after deckhouse It rolled in the trough
of the sea. The sides and all the lower
works cleaned In ghostly phosphores-
cence, It was refraction Of the search
light beam from the Ice sheathing all
the ship, Alan's brain told him; but
the sight of that soundless. shimmering
ship materializing from behind the
screen of snow struck tremor through
him.
"Shipw he hailed. "Aheadl Dead
ahead, siri Ship"
The shout Of quick commands
echoed to him from the bridge. Un-
derfoot he could feel new tumult Of
the deck; the engines. instantly
stopped. were being set full speed as
tern. But Number 25, instead Of
sheering off to right or left to avoid the
collision, steered straight on.
The struggle Of the engines against
the momentum Of the ferry told that
others had seen the cleaning ship, or.
at least, had heard the hail. The skip
per's instant decision had been to put
to starboard; he had bawled that to
the wheelsman, "Hard overw But,
though the screws turned full astern,
Number 20 steered straight on. The
furry was blowing before the bow
again: back through the snow the Ice
shrouued simmer ahead retreated.
Alan leaped away and up to the wheel
house.
Men were struggling there-the skip
per, q mate, and old Burr. who had
held the wheel. He clung to 1t yet, as
one in a trance, fixed. staring ahead; !;
his arms, stiff, had been holding Num-
ber 25 to her course. The skipper
struck him and beat him away, while
the mate tugged at the wheel. Burr
was torn from the wheel now, and he
made no resistance to the skipper's
blows; but the skipper, in his frenzy.
struck him again and knocked him to
the deck.
Slowly, steadily. Number 20 was re-
spending to her helm. The bow point
ed away, and the beam Of the ferry
came beside the beam of the silent
steamer; they were very close now, 80
close that the searchlight, which had
turned to keep on the other vessel,
shot above Its shimmering deck and
lighted only the spars and, as the wa
ter rose ana fell between them, the
ships sucked closer. Number % shook
with an effort It seemed opposing with
all the power Of its screws some force
fatally drawing It on-opposing with
the last resistance before giving way.
Then, as the water fell again, the ferry
seemed to slip and be drawn toward
the other vessel; they mounted, side
by nide crashed recoiIed