Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-06-15
CHAPTER XV.-Continued.


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
blown
He moved on and took the wheel.
He was a good wheesman; 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 a ship or for
boats. in that snow, was almost hope
less. With sight even along the search
lights beam shortened to a few hun
dred yards, only accident could bring
Number % up for rescue, only chance
could carry the ship where the shouts
Or the blasts of distress if the wreck
still tloated 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 it could not
do that it cut through them. The wind
rowed ice beating and crushing, under
the bows took strange, distorted, gis-
tening shapes. Now another such shape
appeared before them; where the glare
dissipated to a bare glow in the swirl
ing snow, he saw vague shadow. The
man moving the searchlight failed to
see it, for he swung the beam on. The
shadow was so dim, so ghostly, that
Alan sought for it 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 a fierce furry
which the light failed to pierce; from
spar, shadow emerged-the shadow
of a ship. 1t was a steamer, Alan saw,
81 long low-lying old vessel without
lights and without smoke from the fun
mel sIanting 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 Undertaking from behind the
screen of snow struck tremor through
hiIa.
Ship he hailed. "Ahead! Dead
ahead, sir! Ship"
The shout of quick commands
echoed to him from the bridge. I'm
derfoOt he could feel a new tumut of
the deck the engines, instantly
stopped, were being set full speed as
tern. But Number % 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. IT,. skip,
per'S instant decision had been 10 put
tn starIt ri; he had bawled that to
the VIII, 'nHHRn, Hard overw But
though the screws turned full astern
Number % steered straight on. The
furry was blowing before the bow
again; back through the snow the ice
shrOuOed simmer ahead retreated
Alan leaped away and up to the wheel
house
Men were struggling there-the skip
per, a mate, and old Burr, who haC
held the wheel He chung to it yet. as
one in a trance, fixed, staring ahead
his arms, stiff, had been holding Mum
her % to her course. The skipper
struck him and beat him away, while
the mate tugged at the wheel. Bur-
was torn from the wheel now, and HI
made no resistance to the skipper!
blows; but the skipper in his frenzy
struck him again and knocked him t.
the deck.
Slowly, steadily, Number % was re
spending to her helm. The bow point
al away, and the beam Of the ferr.
came beside the beam of the silen
steamer; they were very close now, $,
close that the searchlight which hat
turned TO keep ON the other vessel
shot above its shimmerng deck an,
lighted only the spars and, as the wa
ter rose and fell between them, tn
ships sucked closer. Number % shOOI
with an effort; it seemed opposing wit
all the power of its screws some fore
fRtnlly drawing it on-OppOsing wit
the last resistance before giving way
Then. rs the water fell again, the ferr