Evening star., 1940-11-10

heavy list of Ship OIL chap, cant launch star
board boats" He clung to Henry Riggs, who
tried urgently to shake him yet was COM
PEELED to listen Women an children first.
said Tuppy. Ancient an hon able tradition
of the sea. Often read of it, never saw it
before Amusin, isn't it? Only way could go
with the kid wouldve been masquerade as
lady. You'd make nice one. Riggs. Didn't
mean to insult you. Riggs. just struck me -
damn amusin'"
Henry Riggs pushed the fellow aside, racing
for the boat deck. stumbling through darkness
again. Emmy" he shouted, Emmy"
The sound of the sea and the tumult of
voices made the name meaningless on his lips
Sorry" young officer told him, but we
had to hustle all the women into the available
boats. Couldn't make any exceptions. There's
the last one ready to launch now. Steerage
mostly Your wifell be in one of the others.
CROUCHED low in Number Six lifeboat when
she hit the water, Henry Riggs. dry-throated,
told himself it was for Emmys sake he did it.
Tuppys kid wife might well get along with
out Tuppy. but Emmy - what would Emmy
do without him? Emmy. who was so helpless
in all practical matters. and 50 embarrassingly
in love with him after quarter century
of married life Plump. soft, bridge playing
Emmy, with her fondness for chocolates, her
baby stare. her occasional vacuities, her need
of constant little batteries now that her
golden youth had faded. He couldn't abandon
her to world that might be more than little
cruel in its laughter.
There was space now between the lifeboat
and the doomed ship. High above them the
stars rocked in an unstable dome. Lucky the
sea was relatively smooth.
For the first time he began to take stock
of the crowded human freightage of Number
Six boat The only other men were members
of the crew. barely sufficient to handle the
craft
His eyes, now grown accustomed could
make out the young seaman who had shouted
at the moment of launching, Ullo, 'ere's an
other one. 'Uny up, ma am, nearly missed
the boat that time You'll ave to crowd one
more in. boys" Made good woman. did
Henry Riggs, with his smooth, sallow face,
voluminous woman's coat a shawl drawn -
as these women from the steerage had them
closely about his head. Once at neighbor-
hood movie, Emmy eating chocolates beside
him, he'd seen thing like this. Perhaps in
moment he'd wake and find himself in a
cushioned seat Emmy laughing because, as he
sometimes did, he'd dropped off in the middle
of the picture
Some spray came over to dsabuse his mind.
The boat was dangerously low in the water.
The women about him we're patient, re-
signed - rather wonderful in their fortitude
They hushed and soothed the whimpering
children One woman with soft sweet voice
began to sing he fancied it was folk song of
her own land. He wondered what Emmy was
doing in her boat. He had sudden, uncom-
Portable feeling that Emmy might be making
scene having mild Mysteries or something.
Emmy had never come up against the
sterner side of life before. Emmy takes things
hard" he acknowledged, remembering hun
dred little crises hed smoothed out for her.
Some of these women about him probably had
husbands on board that dark hulk adrift under
the stars, her last SOS weakly penetrating
the ether. Men who were obeying Tuppy's
ancient an hon able tradition Of the sea-"
Men who, uncomplainingly were facing dark
alternative. Even Tuppy himself 80.