Evening star., 1926-12-27
THE GIRL IN THE SECOND CABIN
BY E. j. RATH.
Copyright. 1885. bv g. HosCord wssf.J

/ Aboard the Guif stream Cnere was
! an agony of waiting.
/ He stopped and groped for some.
| thing on the deck. An instant later
he began to retrace his steps. Fall
/ teringly he made his way back to the
shrouds by which he had descended.
He began to climb. Another figure
separated itself from the group and
crawled down to meet him.
The line had reached!
/ The Gulf Stream was still bearing
down upon the hulk that menaced
| her. 1t seemed that only a miracle
could save her from collision. What
was Capt. Blodgett trying to do?
| Suddenly the steady throb of the re-
naming screw ceased. Trask and the
girl exchanged anxious glances. This
meant the end, perhaps. Then the
ship shivered as the engines started
again. Imperceptibly at first, then
with on1inous slowness, the Gulf
Stream began to edge crabwise out of
the course which was bringing her
down upon the wreck. Blodgett was
giving her full speed astern, but 1t
was a puny and crippled effort.
The men on the derelict hauled on
the line as the vessels steadily neared
each other. A heavy hawser attached
to it went over the side and into the
sea.
There was amaZement and conster
nation among the watching passen-
gers. 1t seemed that the master of
the Gulf Stream was deliberately try
ing to lash his vessel to the very peril
that threatened her! Yet the ship
backed steadily, crawling farther and
farther out of the line of her former
drift.
They had the end of the hawser
aboard the wreck now, and several
l.
deck and seized 1t. Although the
ships were close, it was almost impos.
sible to see what they did with 1t. for
the seas buried them from sight for
more than half of the anxious min
utes.
And now came the final moment,
which would tell whethe& the steamer
was to live or die. If the remaining
screw failed. her collision was certain,
for she was not yet out Of the deadly
path along which the hurricane drove
her.
Pray for that engine" Trask called
into the girls ear. TITS our only
chances"
Her lips were moving silently, but
her steady eyes never ceased to watch
the struggle.
There was shout, followed by
cheer and weeping and hysterical
laughter. The Gulf Stream was clear!
Not all the power of the hurricane
could drive her upon the hulk now.
They were abreast, drifting in parallel
paths, and although not more than
100 feet separated the bow of the
steamer from the stern of the dis
masted wreck, they would never be
nearer. Then the distances began to
widen. The engine stopped again,
then was driven full speed forward,
and the steamer edged her way into
the lee of her companion in peril.
We're leaving themn' cried Sid
ney her face white with pity
But Capt. Blodgett was not leaving
them. The gun on the forward deck
doomed again and another line cleared
the short space of water between the
vessels. 1t was seized and hauled
upon, and presently another hawser
went out through the bow chock of
the Gulf Stream.
Minutes passed, and new motion
was apparent to the ship. With her
single screw threshing the sea at top
speed, the bow began to head slowly
into the gale. Something more than
the power of her engines was moving
her now. 1t was the pull of the two
hawSers that linked her to the drifting
hulk. A third time the gun sent
line, and still another hawser began
to pay out. Capt. Blodgett was MAX
ing sure.
There was furious pitching as the
steamers head slowly, yet with GER
tafnty, swung to face the terrific seas.
Now directly over the point of her
bow lay the dark form of the derelict,
almost hidden again by the flying
froth. Three great hawsers, drawn
taut by the drift, went out from the
Gulf Stream and disappeared ito the
sea. There was the Jangle of the bell
and the throbbing Of the engines
ceased.
Capt. Blodgett's ship was riding to
a sea anchor
"But-aboard the other ship-what
becomes of them" asked the girl, as
the Gulf Stream steadied down to a
rhythmic plunging, her prov pointed
into the teeth of the hurricane.
Trask shook his head He was not
seaman. He knew, as did everybody
aboard the steamer, that Capt Blod-
gett had achieved something, but the
significance of it he did not under
stand. It was apparent that the Gulf
Stream was safe, even safer than be-
fore, after half an hour Of hazard.
Some wizardry of seamanship had
been wrought. But Just what 1t meant
neither Trask nor any OF his fellow
passengers knew.
An officer entered the saloon and
hurrying group gathered about him.
mo cause for ALARM he said, rails
Ing his voice so that it could be heard
above the roar of the storm. 1.-THE
ship is as safe as a bank. Wen ride
this out now, and when the blow is
over We'll make Galveston with no
trouble at ALL
And those-on the wreck?" some.
body asked.
The officer waved his hand with a
gesture almost of Indifference.
That's just a detail" he said.
"We'H get them off with a breeches
buoy. The main thing was to take
care of this ship. That's been done"
There was q murmured prayer of
relief in the cabin. Even though the
steamers passengers needed no assur.
ance that a change had come, the an.
nouncement furnished occasion for a
thanksgiving that found no expression
in words
Trask got hold of the officer and
drew him aside.
Tell us what really happened" he
said.