The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-08-13

tiful. Jagged streaks of lightning
flashed forth from its mirky depths.
A tattered fringe of storm-clouds
whipped out ahead of it like the ten
tacles of some monstrous sea-creature.
And 1t advanced at an incredible
speed covering miles Of sea and sky
in the few moments that we watched
1t.
NV great-uncle's jaw squared grimly
"'Tis too late to sacrifice the miz-
zen" he said. WED not have time
to clear the wreckage."
His commands rang through the
ship.
"Aloft, topmen! Strip her to
storm.jib! Hola, Coupeaui Double
lash YOUR chase-guns and be certain
the broadside batteries are secured
and the ports closed. Batten all
matches, Saunders! !"
TWAS as much as I could do to
keep pace with him as he descended
to the poop.
"Fetch coil of light rope, Robert"
he ordered briefly. eve shall all re-
| auire to be dashed fast"
"Shall carry MORA belowY 1
asked.
He hesitated.
mo, she will have better
| chance"
/, He checked himself.
"Let her bide on deck. Here we
can aid her at need. Haste, boyi We
must have the rope before the wind
strikes u.s."
/ slid down stay to the main
deck and dug the rope out of chest
Of spare gear which was bolted to
the cabin bulkhead. My great-uncle's
last words had impressed me even
more than the spectacle of that bale
full curtain across the northern sky
and / was thrilled, too, by the task
of preparing the ship to meet the
tempest. There was almost no noise
la few shouts of command and halls
of acknowledgment! but every man
worked as II his life depended upon
1t. When the jib-sheet fouled Martin
slashed 1t free with his knife and
the sail came down with a run. By
the time 1 had regained the poop the
upper spars already were bare.
Murray was standing with Mora
and Peter beside the helmsman, and
while they stared. fascinated, at the
oncoming storm, his eyes were upon
the Walrus.
"Flint must be SOBER" he said bit
terly. "He is taking in sail. Slap me
what fit end to luckless day! In
the hollow of my hand, and now
Aye, 'twould be all ways fitting die
, | he escape, whilst we"
, A snarling moan, as Of great winds
: tortured and confused, came to III
[ from the belly of the storm. The sky
[ darkened. A gust of air, sulphurou'
: and warm, ruff1ed my hair. The moaI
became a howl, clamor.
My great-uncle snatched the clasp
. knife from the belt Of the helmsman
. a splay-footed Easterling whose fiat
gap-toothed face had remained impas
sive during all the excitement sine
T. Martins warning shout had announces
the storms approach.
"Give me that rope, Robert" he ex
: claimed. II am fool to stand talk
ing. Here, Peter!"
;. He flung the Dutchman a length o
It..
"Bind Mistress Mora to those ring
1 bolts-and best knot her to yoursel
u as well. She'll not be able to stan
alone. Aid me with this fellow herr
e Robert. We must tie him to tn
wheel"
, One of the clouds In advance
y the storm curtain reached out owe
e us with a crackle of lightning-tolt
"a and spatter Of rain, and or finger
u few as we secured first the helmsma
~ and then ourselves. The voice Of tn
- tempest was become a sullen, anim'
Is roar, riven at intervals by the cras
u of the thunder. And the immense GU
y tain of its front overhung the Jane
impenetrably sooty at the bas
n opaquely purple as it toppled forwar
Ia The Walrus was specter ship
he leeward, and disappeared in the gloo
nc as watched.
Oh "Oh, holy MotherV' gasped NOR
'" Twill Dc the Gnu VI Oil ehAhSS.
ST And SO 1t seemed. The Walrus WI
IN gone. The northern coast Of Il
ne island dimmed and vanished. For {
p. instant the peak Of Foremost hill hui
70 In the upper air. Then that, too. WI
40 blotted out. The purple twilight dee
Oh ened. Rain sheeted down from clou
10 scarce higher than our masthead
Nv A lurid glare of lightning fiickered al
~ was quenched in the sea. And t
ss wind smote us with a mad howl
70 exultation, sucking up into Its e
es. brace everything that was not fai
ey ened to the deck.
oi The James shuddered under t
ne blow, bearing down by the head a
lat heeling to starboard. My great-un'
III and l were pushed forward on
us faces. The helmsman was doubl
over the Wheel Peter bent to Gov
~ MORA, crouching above her on han
and knees.
me Presently the ship righted herse
m but as she neared an even keel the
me was a prolonged craa-aa-ackl
me
up rs ~;