The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-02
ARTHUR D. HOWDEN SMITH
CspynsAl By Arthur D. Hswdea Smith WNU Ser

Cspyigh By Arthur D. Hswdea Smith WNU Service
He was q dozen strokes ahead Of
me at the end. 1 found him hanging
on to the heel of the rudder and
calmly treading water. For'ard the
capstan was clanking to a steady yo-
hoing and trampling of feet. Yards
were banging, sails were Stating, men
were shouting and calling.
locked up at the stern windows
so high above us. From our precari-
Gus perch on the rudder the James
lowered like Spyglass mountain,
touchable but unattainable. Almost
i could have cried cut to my great
uncle and hailed him to have US
hauled aboard. But common sense
warned me he would certainly seize
upon the opportunity to send us back
to the Walrus as clinching evidence
of his good faith. And l had no de-
sire to face Flint with those two dead
men, to account for. =
whats to do?" I whispered to
Peter, whose eyes were rowing over
the lofty stern. 1--WE cannot bide
here. Once she has way on her, we'll
be tossed off,"
ga" agreed Peter "You see dot
shiny picture oop there?'
He indicated a golden sunburst.
carved across the stern beneath the
cabin windows.
''Yes," 1 answered, puzzled.
81 climb oop on der rudder, andt
I holdt me on to der roundness In
der middle. Andt you climb oop on
my shoulders andt into der cabin win
dows, ja."
'But you? How will you"
you t'row me a rope
He scrambled on to the rudder and
slowly spread-eagled himself upward
against the scrollwork which covered
the stern. His hands, feeling blindly
above his head, sought for and found
a deep indentation in the rays be-
low the center of the sunburst, and
with this to cling to, he climbed a
foot or two higher on to shallow
ridge which ran across the stern, a
shelf scarce wide enough to give him
toehold.
"Now you climb, Bob" he grunted
The rudder / surmounted with ease,
standing erect with a hand on one of
Peters legs to steady me. 1 stepped
up to the ridge upon which the Dutch
i:
holding to his leather belt. Then l
changed my hand-hold to a ridge in
the carving, and by his direction
braced the toes Of one foot in the
slack of his belt as 1 heaved myself
upward. Peter grunted That was
ALL
found a new hand-hold and
brought my other foot up on to Peters
shoulder and stood erect there Reach
ing upward now, better than two tall
mems height above the waterline, my
cropping finger-tips were still below
the level Of the stern windows. Peter
sensed my difficulty.
"On my headt," he grunted.
carefully lifted one foot, selected
another hand-grip and mount d
Peters few locks. Again 1 explored
upward with one arm stretched to
the limit Of safety, but failed by
inches to clutch the sill, Of the stern
windows.
"Jump," sobbed Peter.
"But you"
Jump"
The rudder clacked as It was put
over. and the James heeled slightly to
the breeze.
1 jumped Peter sagged beneath
me, but the fingers Of my right hand
fastened upon the ledge Of the win
dow. 1 heard splash, and caught
hold with my left hand.
"Ooop!" spluttered Peter from the
water.
The rest was child's play compared
to what had preceded 1t. The carv-
ing afforded toe-holds in plenty, and
soon l had leg over the windowsill
and looked down at Peter trailing in
the James wake as he chung to the
shelf which crossed the stern perhaps
foot above the water. He dared
no longer hold to the rudder
His big face was so white that 1t
frightened me, and / tumbled inboard
without stopping to make sure the
cabin was empty. But my luck was
with me, and scurried around to find
a rope. This was hopeless quest
In that luxurious apartment, so / ran
up the companionway and just inside
the door to the deck came upon a lead
line, coiled and hung to hook, which
1 appropriated.
Altogether these movements con-
sumed less time than Is required to
describe them; but when / returned
to the stern windows Peter was gone.
/ leaned out and stared back at the
James dreaming wake-and a white
arm flashed in a gesture of appeal
twenty feet astern. / cast the lead
behind him, and he caught the line
as 1t settled into the water, cut the
lead free with the dead mans knife
at his belt, looped the slack under his
shoulders, and with my feverish help
hauled himself back to the shelf above
the water line.
lacked the strength to draw him
up; but I fastened nay end of the
line to the cabin table, which was
bolted TO the floor, and then, foot by
foot, Peter toiled upward. He was
so weary at the last that must pull
him through the window, and he fell
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