Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28

| watch the Swede frantically swim
ming for the ship.
| The man was not a fast swimmer
and fear now caused him to muddle his
stroke and lose a lot of Roadway. The
| triangular fin quickened and raised
little wave. The seamen on deck
raced for the galley, secured some
Jumps of coal. and flung them hastily
at the great fish.
| The shark was hungry, that was
| evident, for the splashing coal failed
to drive him away. The captain
brought his revolver from the cabin
and took shot but the bullet
! glanced off the wafer and left the fish
| unframed.
| The Swede and the shark arrived at
the pilot ladder well-nigh together.
| The man heaved up as his clutching
hands found the ladder. His eyes
glistened with fear, his muscles were
| crawling and tense. His blond, droop-
ing mustache and his hair were al
most invisible now because he was
white, even his tan appearing to ebb
away. He wrenched himself up three
| rungs as the shark arrived with a
rush beneath him.
Eager hands jerked the pilot lad
der inboard as the Swede climbed
! The captain fired again and missed
Men were shouting. swearing, still
throwing coal. The shark leaped clear
| OF the water, open-mouthed. His
teeth filled jaws rang shut. He fell
back with a great splashing. Blood
| spouting. the Swede sank sobbinE at
last on the foredeck. His right foot
| was gone.
That, swore the mate, stamping
across the poop and shaking his fist
at the shark, swirling away in a
circle of red tinged water, finished
you. m'son. Carpenter, got those
| hooks?"
AYE. aye, sir" shouted the car
penter from for'ard. I'm getting the
gear rugged"
The captain stuffed his gun into his
pocket and went down the poop COM
panion. followed by the mate. The
seaman we're crowding midships
round the injured Swede, who was
calling out in frightened tones for the
mate TO come and look at his hurt.
The two officers pushed through the
seething, interested crowd.
* 4
THEY knelt beside the scared Swede
and examined his ankle. It was
in shreds. The mate pressed his
| thumb on the artery and checked the
| blood. He looked at the captain, who
mumbled and frowned.
Hot tar's a good thing" the latter
| said. "Or can you fix IL other ways"
The mate thought awhile. Il think
can. Well use hot tar If other ways
don't work. :. You, Hopkins. run
to my room and get that doctor-book
from the shelf over my bunk. An tall
the steward to bring some hot water
and the medicine-chest along"
Aye, aye, SIR" called the seaman al
he started aft. The captain raised his
hand.
Just a minute. Hopkins"
The seaman stopped.
Tell the steward to bring the
brandy bottle from my locker"
Brandy, sir? Yessir." The seaman
went on.
With most of the crew Watching in
tently and talking in low tones, the
two officers tended the hurt seaman.
Swede, mate, and captain emptied the
brandy bottle between them before
the operation started, and while the
two latter were studying up from the
doctor book. The liquor carried them
through successfully. When the opera
ton was finished. most of the crew
were feeling trife sick. Tho two
officers were covered with blood. The
Swede was unconscious.
Take him in the fo'c'sle head"
said the captain, rising and wiping
his hands on bundle of stained
bandages. Put an awning over him.
Now, where's that blasted
shark"
Every man turned to the side save
two who picked up the Swede and
took him away. The second mate had
remained in the fore rigging watch
ing the lean fish swim agitatedly
about the ship, evidently made
hungrier by it's fragment of a meal.
Waffies had been barking at the shark
whenever the port swung open and
allowed him to poke out his head
Where is he?" the mate called up
to the second when he noticed where
that young officer was. wafies gave
the answer in a ferocious volume of
noise as the second mate pointed The
captain suddenly noticed the dog and
scowled, but said nothing. waf1es
was too far away from him to kick.
He turned his attention to the men
who were finishing the rigging of the
fishing apparatus.
The cook came from the storeroom
with side of fat pork that smelled
like the brinetub whence 1t had come.
On the end of a fathom of chain a
great baYbed iron hook was fastened.
The chain was bent to a stout MANILA
strop that was hooked to the tackle
from the yardarm. The cook stabbed
the pork on to the hook.
Lower away" sang out the mate
A couple of seamen overhauled the
tackle, and one man, who stood on the
main deck, Stacked the strop between
his hands till the pork and hook had
struck the water
|nVERSIDE leaned all hands and
watched, hardly daring to breathe
Even Waffles ceased barking, struck
dumb with the tension, though he still
growled deep in his throat. The shark
swan up to the pork with a rush,
backed off and edged around the bait
sigh went up from the seamen.
The captain climbed onto the rail
and balanced there, ono hand clutch
ing at backstay. Showing consider
able excitement, he reached for his
revolver, with the evident intention
of taking another shot at the fish be-
low. In some way the hammer of the
gun caught in his pocket and he
wrenched savagely at the butt to get
the weapon clear. He let go the back
stay. And at that moment the Hemro
rolled in trough
1t all happened very suddenly.
There was an oath, a few startled
shouts, a splash, and the captain was
IN the water. Dressed as he was he
started to sink at first struRxlinr