Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-18

peaked cap on his head, it didn't
follow that he could step into the
breach in moments of stress, drive an
unwilling crew to work they had no
wish to do and bring them and his
ship out of tight corner. No.
The secret of holding command a
man could tell but it was only after
years of sweat and blood that it soak
ed under the skin and became more
of the man than his very soul. There
were those, of course, who never
learned. And they were the ones who
sat in the foc'sle and talked of luck
and opportunity.
He steered through the night, his
body something he appeared not to
own, though his thoughts and his
spirit fioated free. The men were ut
terly worn out, at the limit of en-
durance. Before they had been kept
in a half-awake state by the cold. by
the undermining knowledge of dan
ger. Now she ran free. and the grim
man at her tiller would care for her.
SO they slept. All of them slept, even
the little apprentice. The captain
wanted to sleep. too. But he couldn't;
didn't dare. He was in command.
More stars began to show in the
blackness above. The captain noticed
them as in dream. He felt the vast
reaches of Inconsistencies closing
over him, and he fought his way back
to full wakefulness. time after time.
He had to see them through, bring
those tired men home. When the dawn
came, he would wake one and let him
steer. 1t would be safe then, and the
man would be rested.
He was draining his last reserves of
energy. He was doing far more than
he need to. He could have taken it
easy from the start, from the very
day the ship had run into the storm
and the later fog. But that was the
penalty of command. The very power
that rendered it possible to take things
easy demanded that a man work hard.
err than before. The accolade touched
mans shoulder, lifted him above
such things as watch-andwatch, rem.
dered him free of all masters when
at sea and yet made him a slave to
a thing called Duty.
There were men. 1t was true, who
denied the trust. Sooner or later they
took one gold band from their cuffs
and stepped into watch-and-watcn
again. or their men laughed and would
not follow. or their bones whitened un-
der the coral. When the sea and the
wind walked high, there was justice
abroad. 1t was known. The secret
of command was that one must work
harder, think quicker and endure
more than the men commanded.
THE sky went pallid. low upon the
horizon. The pallidness faded to
blackness and stars again. then reap
peared after certain time. The pal
lidness whitened, was tinged with red,
smoky dim red. The sea ran slaty
blue and crinkled with little foams.
In the hOllOws the shadows We're inky
and then purple. Then they changed
to deep blue. The sun sat on the edge
OF the world, as if begrudging his
presence.
The captain laughed as the smoki-
ness died from the sky and showed the
clarity behind. There was land to
starboard, low. rocky coast, with
trees on the uplands, covered with
snow, and the heights wrapped in
mists. He stirred the apprentice, woke
him with difficulty. for the boy seemed
drugged with sleep. Eventually. lie
got him to crawl along the bottom
boards and awaken the men.
They reused stupidity. blinking, sick,
thirsty. They hunched over and
stared at the captain. He looked grim
ly back at them. his eyes steady, his
face blackened with frost above his
beard. He slowly and painfully lifted
a hand and gestured. They turned
and looked. saw the land bathed in
the sun. seemed abruptly aware that
there was sun and then croaked at
each other. They removed sodden
blankets. They chafed their hands.
They began to talk excitedly. The
course was changed and held for the
mutton and beef. They tried to dip
water from the breakers, but it was
frozen
What place is it, sir?" said the
apprentice, wondering. The captain
shook his head. He didn't know.
Whatever place it was, it would have
to serve. Another day like the last,
and they would all be dead The vague
roar of breakers came up wind. A
man stood by the mast and shaded his
eyes with an unsteady hand. He
pointed. The captain shifted the
tiller. The boat passed white water |
to port. Sail was shortened.
The boat crept in toward a beach |
that seemed of hard yellow sand.
blotched with rocks and punches of
weed. In the shadows the boat
checked. turned. and was capsized
quite unexpectedly by large comber.
The men struggled through the water. |
One or two were knocked down by |
the swinging boat.
Presently they were on the beach |
that was already growing warm with |,
the sun. They lay inert. here and !.
there. their soaked garments begin |
ming to steam a little. They painted. |
dug fingers into the sand, as il they !,
were afraid something would suck !
them back into the terrible sea.
The captain was the last to crawl |
from the water, because he was the ;
weakest and was doubled up queerly. |
The apprentice helped him. They
were both half-drowned when they
drew clear.
The captain remained on his side |
with closed eyes. breathing stentor.
ously. In his right hand he still held |
the tiller. He had tried to drop II |
twice, but found his fingers would not i
obey him. !
A man groaned with pain, and the |
captain opened his eyes. He was |
deathly sick and weak and he had an
longing for Inconsistencies.
He forced himself on one elbow and
looked around. The beach sloped up
to aturted trees. with hills beyond.
The hills We're white with snow. A |
man groaned again, and the captain