Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1922-01-20

swered. Hicks and Flaherty hitched
forward In their chairs to listen.
Hello. Yes, Red Stack office.
i. +. Steamer Yankee Prince. 8.
What's that7 silk and rice7 t.. :.
Half a mile below the Cliff house,
Ell? Sure. III send tug right
away, Lindstrom."
Herman hung up and faced the two
shippers. Gentlemen" he announced,
here's chance for a little salvage
money tonight The American steam
er Yankee Prince is ashore half a
mile below the Cliff house. She's a
big tramp with valuable cargo from
Hong Kong, with the rudder gone and
her crank shaft busted"
"Ifs high water at twelve thirty
seven,' Jack Flaherty pleaded. "You'd
better send me, Herman. The Bodega
has more power than the Aphrodite.
This was the truth and Dan Hicks
knew it, but he was not to be beaten
out of his share OF the salvage by
such flimsy argument. "Jack," he
pleaded, don't be hog all the time.
The Yankee Prince is an eight thou
sanG-ton vessel and it's IA two-tug job.
Better send us both, Herman, and play
safe. Chances are our competitors
have three tugs on the way right
now"
What wonderful Imagination you
have, Dan. Eight thousand tons
You're crazy, man. She's thirteen
hundred net register and know Ii be-
cause l was in Newport News when
they launched her, and went out with
her skipper on the trial trip. She's
long. narrow-gutted craft, with en-
gines aft, like a lake steamer"
wen play safe" Herman decided.
go TO .t-both of you, aid may the
best man win. She'll belong to you,
Jack, II she's thirteen hundred net and
you get your line aboard first. If she's
as big as Dan says she is, you'll be
equal partners"
Down the docks Hicks and Flaherty
were racing for the respective COM
mands, each shouting TO his night
Waterman to pipe all hands on deck.
Fortunately, a goodly head of steam
was up in each tugs boilers; because
of the fog and the liability to COLI
sions aEd consequent hasty summons,
one engineer on each tug was on duty.
Out through the Gate they nosed
their way. heaving the lead continu-
ously, made a wide detour around Mile
rock and the Seal rocks, swung a
mile to the south of the position of
the Maggie, and then came cautiously
up the coast, whistling continuously
to acquaint the Yankee Prince with
their presence In the neighborhood
In anticipation Of the necessity for
replying to this welcome sound, Cap
tain Scraggs and Mr.. Gibney had, for
the past two hours, busted themselves
getting up another head of steam I'm
the Maggies boilers, repairing the
whistle and splicing the wires OF the
engine room telegraph. Like the wise
men they were however, they declined
to sound the Maggie's siren until the
tugs were quite close. Even then, Mr..
Gibney shuddered, but needs must
when the devil drives, so he pulled
the whistle cord and was rewarded
with weird, mournful grunt, dying
away into a gasp.
sounds like she has the pip" Jack
Flaherty remarked to his mate.
"Must have taken on some Of that
dirty Aslauc water" Dan Hicks solilo-
ouIzed, "and now her tubes have gone
60 glory"
Immediately both tugs kicked ahead
under a dead slow bell, guided by
series of toots as brief as Mr.. Gibney
could make them, and presently both
tug lookouts reported breakers dead
ahead.
Dan Hicks sent a man forward to
heave the lead under the nose Of the
Aphrodite, which was edglng in gin
gerly toward the voice. He had a
searchlight, but he did not attempt
to use Il, knowing full well that in
such fog 1t would be Of no avail
Guided, therefore, by the beliOwings
Of Mr.. GIhney, reinforced by the shrlll
yips of Captain Scraggs, the tug crept
in closer and closer, and when it
seemed that they must be within a
hundred feet of the surf, Dan Hicks
trained his Lyle gun in the direction
of Mr.. Gibney's voice and shot heav-
ing line into the fog.
Almost simultaneous with the report
Of the gun came a shrek Of pain from
Captain Scraggs. Straight and true
the wet, heavy knotted end Of the
heaving line came In over the Maggie's
quarter and struck him In the mouth.
In the darkness he staggered back
from the singing blow, clutched wild
iy at the air, slipped and rolled over
among the vegetables with the pre-
cious rope clasped 10 his breast.
81 got IT," he sputtered, 81 got It,
Glib"
safe, or" Mr.. Gibney bawled. "PAy
out your hawser."
They met II at the taffrail as It
came up out Of the breakers wet but
welcome. "Pass 1t around the main
mast, scraggy," Mr.. Gibney cautioned.
- ~ kgAg