F
TTTT ! OMAHA HATT.V TVRT ! SATTTTmAV. ATTOTTST 00. 1808. 1)
THE WRECK Of THE CATTLE BOAT.
By CIITCLIFFE HYNE ,
( Copyright , IMS , by Cutcllffo Hyne. )
There was consldcrablo trouble and risk
In bringing the lifeboat up alongside , but
It must be granted that she was very un
handy.
The gale that had blown them out Into the
Atlantic had moderated , certainly , though
there was still a consldcrablo breeze blow
ing ; but the soi was running an high as
over , and all Captain Kettle's skill was re
quired to prevent the boat from being In
continently swamped. McTodd and the two
Portuguese balled Incessantly , but the boat
was always half water-logged. In fact ,
from constitutional defects , she had made
very wet weather of It all through the
blow.
It was the part of the steamer to have borne
down and given the lifeboat a leo in which
she could have been more readily handled ,
and three times the larger vessel made an
attempt to do this , but without avail. Three
times she worked round In a wallowing cir
cle , got to windward , and distributed a atnolt
of farmyard over the rugged furrows of
ocean , and then lost her place again before
she could drift down and give the smaller
craft shelter. Three times did the crew
of the lifeboat , with maritime point and
fluency , curse the Incompetence of the rust-
streaked steamer and all her complement.
"By James , " said Kettle , savagely , after
the third attempt , "aro they all farmers on
that ship ? I've had a nigger steward that
knew more about handling a vessel. "
"She's an English ship , " said McTodd ,
"and delicate. They're nursing her In the
cnglno room. Look at the way they throt
tle her down when she races. "
"Tho fools on her upper bridge are enough
for me to look at , " Kettle retorted. "Why
didn't they put a satlorman aboard of her
before she was kicked out of port ? By
James , If we'd a week's water and victual
with us In the lifeboat here , I'd beat back
for the Canaries as we are and keep clear of
that tin farmyard for bare safety's sake. "
"Wo haven't a crumb nor a drink loft , "
said the engineer , "and I'd not recommend
this present form of conveyance to the In
surance companies. "
A wave-top came up from the tireless
gray sea and slapped green and cold about
his neck and shoulders. "Gosh ! There comes
moro of the Atlantic to bale back Into place.
Mon , this is no' the kind of navigation I
admire. "
Meanwhile the clumsy tramp steamer had
gone round In a jagged circle of a mile's
diameter and was climbing back to position
again over the hills and dales of ocean.
She rolled and she pitched and she wallowed
amongst the seas , and to the lay mind she
would have seemed helplessness personified.
But to an expert eye she showed defects
In her handling with every sheer she took
amongst the angry waste of waters.
"Old man and the mates must bo staying
down below out of the wet , " said Kettle ,
contemptuously , as ho gazed. "Looks as If
they've left some sort of a cheap Dutch
quartermaster on the upper brldgo to run
her. .Don't tell mo there's an officer holding
an English ticket In command of that
steamer. They aren't going to miss us this
time , though , If wo know it. "
"Looks as If they were going to BOSS down
slap on top of us , " said McTodd , and set
to taking off his coat and boots.
Rut the cattle steamer , If not skillfully
handled , at any rate this tlmo had moro
luck. She worked her way to windward
ngalni and tbpa fell off Into a trough , squat-
'
Turing down'almost out of sight pno minute ,
and , In fact , showing little of hdrself except
a couple of stumpy , untidy masts and a
brine-washed smokestack above the sea
scape , and , being heaved up clear almost the
next second , a picture of rust streaks and
yellow spouting scuppers.
Both craft drifted to leeward before the
wind , but the steamer offered moro surface
and moved the quicker , which was the ob
ject of the maneuver. It seemed to those In
the lifeboat that they were not going to
bo missed this time , and so they lowered
away their sodden canvas , shipped the thole
pins and got out their oars. The two
Portuguese firemen did not assist at first ,
preferring to sit In a semi-dazed condition
on the wet Boor gratings , but McTodd and
Kettle thumped them about the head , after
the time-honored custom , till they turned
to , and so presently the lifeboat , under throe
straining oars , was holding up toward her
would-be deliverer.
A man on the cattle boat's upper bridge
was exhibiting himself 'as a very model of
nervous Incapacity , and two , at any rate , o"
the castaways In the lifeboat were watching
him with grim scorn.
"Keeping them on the dance in the engine
room , Isn't he ? " said McTodd. "He's rung
that telegraph bell fifteen different ways
this last minute. "
"That man Isn't fit to skipper anything
that hasn't got a tow rope made fast ahead , '
aid Kettle contemptuously. "He hain't the
nerve of a pound of putty. "
"I'm thinking nt > thall lose the boot.
They'll never get her aboard in one
piece. "
"If we get amongst their cow pens with
our bare lives we shall bo lucky. They'r
going to heave us a lino. Stand by to
catch It , quick. "
The line was thrown and caught. Thi
cattle steamer surged up over a huge roll
Ing sea , showing her jagged bilge chock
clear , and then she squelched down again ,
dragging the lifeboat close in a murderou
cuddle , which smashed In one of her sides
as though It had been made from egg
shell. Other lines were thrown by the
hands who stood against the rail above , and
the four men In the swamping boat each
seized an end. Halt climbing , half hoisted
from above , they made their way up the
rusted plating , and the greedy waves from
underneath sucked and clamored at the !
heels. It was quite a tossup even then
whether they would be dragged from thcl
hold ; but human muscles can put forth
desperate efforts in these moments o
desperate stress , and they reached th
swaying deck planks , bruised and breath
leas and gasping : , but for the time being
safe.
safe.Tho
The cattle boat's mate , who had bien
listing their arrival , sorted them into ciste
with ready perception. "Now you tw
Dagoea , " be said to 'be Portuguese , "ge
away forrard port side and bid tome o
our firemen to give you a bunk. I'll tel
the steward to bring you along a tot of rum
Ulieclly. " He clapped a friendly band 01
McTodd's shoulder. "Bo'-'n. ' he laid.'Ink
this gentleman down to ide mess room anil
pass the word to one of tb engineers t
come and give him a welcome. " And th <
he turned as to an equal and shook Kettl
by the hand. "Very glad to welcome yoi
aboard , old fellow beg pardon , 'captain , '
should have said ; didn't see the lace o
your sleeve before. Come below with m
captain , and I'll fix you up with some < lr
things outside , and some wet things in , be
fore we have any further chatter. "
"Mr. Mate , " said Kettle , "you're very po
lite , but hadn't I better g ? up on to th
bridge and say 'howdy' to the skipper first ? '
The mate of the cattle boat grinned am
tucked his arm inside Captain Kettle's and
dragged him off with kindly force towarc
tbo companlonwny. "Take a synch from m
captain , and don't. The old man's in suet
mortal fear for the ahlp that he's fal
crying with it. It he'd bad bis way I don'
fancy he'd have seen your boat at all , H
said it was suicide to try and pick you u.
with such a sea running. But the second
mate " and I put In some ugly talk , and so
e just had to do It. Here's the companion.
top Inside , and I'll shut the door. "
"Pretty sort of captain to let his mates
oss him. "
"Quito agree with you , captain ; qulto
greo with you all the way. But that's
hat's done on this ship , and there's no
ottlng over It. It's not to my liking either ;
'm an old Conway boy , and was brought
p to respect discipline. However , I daresay
ou'H see for yourself how things run before
wo dump you back on dry mud again. Now
,010 , we are at my room , and there's a change
f clothes in that drawer beneath the bed ,
nd underwear below the settee here. You
nd I are much of a build and the kit's
lUlte at your service till your own Is dry
.gain. . "
The mate was back again in ten minutes ,
ripping- , cheerful , hospitable. "Holy
tailors ! " said he , "how you do set off
lothes ! Those old duds came out of a
hop chest once , and I've been ashamed of
heir shabblness moro years than I care to
hlnk about , but you've a way of carrying
.hem that makes them look well-fitting and
utto new. Well , I tell you , I'm pleased to
ce a spruce man on this ship. Come into
ho cabin now and peck a bit. I ordered
a meal and I saw the steward as I
arao past , the door trying to hold It down
n the Oddlea. The old girl can roll a bit ,
: an't she ? "
I should say your farm yard's getting
well churned up. "
"You should just go Into those cattle
ccks and see. It's just hades for the poor
brutes. We're out of the Hlvcr Platte , you
know , and we've carried bad weather with
s ever since we got our anchors. The beasts
wcro badly stowed and there were too many
f them put aboard. The old man
grumbled , but the shippers didn't take any
notice of him. They'd signed for the whole
ship , and they just crammed as many sheep
and cows Into her as she'd hold.
'You'll ' have the cruelty to animals people
on board of you before you're docked , and
then your skipper had better look out. "
"Ho knows that , captain , quite as well
as you do , and there Isn't a man moro
sorry for himself in all the western ocean.
Ho'll be fined heavily , and have his name
dirtied , so sure as ever ho sets a foot
ashore. Legally , I suppose , he's responsible ,
but really he's no moro to blame than you.
He is part of the ship , as the tablespoons
are ; and the mates , and the whole bag o'
tricks was let by wire from Liverpool to a
South American dago. It he'd talked , he'd
have got the straight klckout from the
owners , and no further argument You see
they nre little bits of owners. "
"They're the worst sort. "
"It doesn't matter who they are. A
skipper's got to do as he's told. "
"Yes , " said Kettle , with a sigh. "I know
that. "
"Well , " said the- mate , "you may thank
your best little star that you'ro only here
as a passenger. The grub's beastly , the
ship stinks , the cook's a fool , and every
thing's as uncomfortable as can be. But
there's one fine amusement ahead of you ,
and that's try and cheer up the other pas
senger. "
"Stowaway ? "
"No , bona fide passenger , if you can
imagine any one being mug enough to book
a room on a foul , cattle-loaded tramp like
this. But I guess it was because she was
hard up. She was a governess , or some
thing of that sort. In Buenos Ayres , lost
her berth , and wanted to get back again
cheap. I guess we could afford to cut
rates and make a profit there. "
"Poor lady. "
"I'vo not seen much of her1 myself. The
second mate and I ore most of the crew
of this ship , as the old man objects to our
driving the regular deck hands , and when
we're not at work we're asleep. I can't
stop and Introduce you. You must chum
on. Her name's Carnegie. "
"Miss Carnegie ? " Kettle repeated. That
sounds familiar. Does she write poetry ? "
The mate yawned. "Don't know. Neve *
asked her. But perhaps she does. She
looks 111 enough. "
The mate went off to his room then ,
turned in all standing , and was promptly
asleep. Kettle , with memories of the past
refreshed , took paper and a scratchy pen ,
and fell to concocting verse.
He wondered and at the same tlmo he
halt dreaded whiter this was the same Miss
Carncglo whom he bad known before. In
days past she had given him a commission
to liberate her lover from the French penal
settlement of Cayenne. With Infinite dan
ger and difficulty be had wrenched the man
free from his warders , and then , finding him
a worthless fellow , had by force married
him to an old Jamaican negress , and sent
the girl their marriage lines as a token of
her release. He had had no word or sign
from her since , and was in some dread
now lest she might bitterly resent the lib
erty he had taken in meddling so far with
her affairs.
However , like it or not , there was no
a folding the meeting now , and so he
went on ( somewhat feverishly ) with his
writing.
The squalid meal entitled tea came on and
he bad to move bis papers. A grimy stew
ard spread a dirty cloth , wetted It liberally
with water and shipped fiddles to try and
Induce the tabUware to keep in place de
spite the rolling. The steward mentioned
that none of the officers would be down
that the two passengers would meal to
gether and , in fact , did his best to b affable ,
but Kettle listened with cold Inattention and
the steward began to wish him over the
side whence he bad come.
The laying of the table was ended a *
last The steward put on his jacket
clanged a bell in the alleyway and then
came back and stood swaying in the middle
of the cabin , armed with a large tin teapot
all ready to commence business. So heavy
was the roll that at times be bad to pu
his hand ou the floor for support.
Captain Kettle watched the door with i
haggard face. He was beginning to realize
that an emotion was stirred within him
that should have bed no place In his sys
tern. He told himself sternly that he was a
married man with a family ; that he had a
deep affection for both his wife and chll
dren ; that , incold fact , he had seen Mis
Carnegie In the flesh but once before. Bu
there was no getting over the memory tha
she made poetry , a craft that be adored
and bt > could not forget that she bad already
lived In his mind for more month * than h
dared count.
His conscience took him by the ear and
sighed out the word love. On the Instan
all his pride of manhood was up In arm
and ha rejected the imputation with scorn
and then after some thought formulated
his liking for the girl In the term Interest
But he knew full well that bis sentlmen
was something deeper than that. Hit cues
heaved when he thought of her.
Then In the distance he beard her ap
proachlug. He wiped the moisture from
his face with the mate's pocket handker
chief. Above the din of the seas and th' '
noises from the crowded cattle pens outsld
he could make out the faint rustle of drip
ertes and the uncertain footsteps of ionv
ono painfully making a wa'y along hani
over band against the bulkheads. A bunch
of fingers appeared around the Jamb of
door , slender , white fingers , one of them
decked with a queer old ring which be ha <
seen Jutt once before and had pictured i
thousand Um s since. And then the girl
herself stepped out Into the cabin , swaying
to the roll of the ship.
She nodded to him with Instant recogni
tion , "it was you they picked up out of
the boat ? O , I am so glad you arc snfe. "
Kettle strode out toward her on hla sternly
sea legs and stood buforc her , still not ilar-
Ini ? to take her hand. "You have forgiven
me , " ho murmured. "What I did was a
liberty , I know , but If I had not liked you
so well I should not have dared to do It. "
Sli9 cast down her eyes and ( lushed.
"You are the kindest man I ever met , " she
eald. "Tho very kindest. " She took his
hand In both hers and gripped It with
nervous force. " 1 shall never forget what
you did for me , captain. "
The grimy steward behind them coughed
and rattled the teapot lid and so they sat
themselves at the table and the business of
tea began. All of the ship's officers were
either looking after the \\ork entailed by
the heavy weather on deck or sleeping the
secp ] of utter exhaustion In their bunks ,
|
anil so none joined them at the meal. But
the steward Incessantly hovered at their el
bows and it was only during his fitful ab
sence that their talk was anything like un
restrained.
"You said you liked poetry , " the girl
whispered , shyly , 'when the first of these
opportunities came. "I wrote the most
heartfelt verses that ever carao from me
over that noble thing you tried to do for a
poor stranger likeme. . "
Captain Kettle blushed lllco a maid.
"For ono of the mnsazlnes ? " ho asked.
She shcok her head sadly. "It was not
published when I left England , and It had
been sent back to mo from four magazine
offices. That was nothing new. They
never would take any of my stuff. "
Kettle's fingers twitched suggestively.
"I'd like to talk a minute or so with some
of those editors. I'd make them sit up. "
"That wouldn't make them print my
poems , "
"Wouldn't It , miss ? Well , perhaps you
know best there. But I'd guarantee it'd
THE THREE CLU
hinder them from printing anything else for
awhile. The Inky-flngered brutes. The
twaddling stories those editors set up In
type about low-down pirates and detective
bugs are enough to make ono sick. "
It appeared that Miss Carnegie's father
had died since Eho and Kettle had last met ,
and the girl had found herself left almost
destitute. She bad been lured out to
Buenos Ayres by an advertisement , but
without finding employment ; and , sick at
heart , bad bought with the last of her
scanty store of mon y a cheap passage
home In this cattle boat. She would land
In England entirely destitute ; and although
she did not say this , spoke cheerfully of
the future , In fact , Kettle was torn with
pity for her state. But what , he asked
himself , with fierce scorn , could ho do ? Ho
was penniless himself ; he had a wlfo and
family depending ou him ; and who was ho
to take this young unmarried girl under his
charge ?
They talked long on that and other days ,
always avoiding vital questions ; and mean
while the recking cattle boat wallowed
jumping to this slilo nml ttmt for their
llvrs , levered the carcnsg free of obstacles
and nt Inst It cnnio up the hutch , n battered ,
shapeless tag , almost unrecognizable ,
A tuob of men , sulky , sullen find afraid ,
stood round the hatch nnd one of these ,
when the poor remains came up and swung
to the roll of the ship over the sldo , cut the
bo\\ltno with his knife nnd let the carcnes
plop Into the racing sens. The chain
clashed bnck again down between the Iron
combings of the hatch nnd the two mates
below went on with their work. No one
offered to help them. No onr , as Kettle
grimly noted , was made to do so.
"Do your three mates run this ship , cap
tain ? " asked Kettle , at last.
"They nre handy fellows. "
"If you ask me , I should call them poor
drivers. What for do they put In nil the
work themselves when there arc that mob
of deck hands and cattle hands standing
round doing the gentleman as though they
were In the gallery of n theater ? "
"There wns some misunderstanding when
the crew were shipped. They say they
never signed on to handle dead cattle. "
"I've seen those kinds of misunderstand
ings before , captain , and I've started in
to smooth them away. "
"Well ? " said the captain of the cattle
boat.
" 0 , with me , " said Kettle , truculently ,
"they straightened out as soon us ever I
began to hit. If your mates knew their
business they'd soon have that crew In baud
again. "
"I don't allow my mates to knock the
men about. To glvo them their duo they
wanted to ; they were brought up In a school
which would probably suit you , captain , all
three of them ; but I don't permit that sort
of thine. I am n Christian man and I will
not order my fellow men to be struck. If
the fellows refuse their duty , it lies be
tween them and their consciences. "
"As If an old sailor had a consclet'cel"
murmured Kettle to himself. "WelU cap
tain , I'm no small piece of a Chrbttau my-
"WAS IT YOU , THEY SAVED ? " SAID
SHE.
north , carrying with her ( as It seemed ) a
llttlo charmed circle of evil weather as her
constant accompaniment.
Between times , when he was not In at
tendance on Miss Carnegie , Kettle watched
the life of the steamer with professional In
terest and all a strong man's contempt for
a weak commander. The 'tween decks was
an aceldama. In the heavy weather the
cattle pens smashed , the poor beasts broke
their legs , gored one another and were
surged about in horrible melees. The cat
tle men were half Incapable , wholly muti
nous. They dealt out compressed hay and
water when the gangways wore cleansed
and held to It that this was the beginning
and end of their duty. To pass down the
winch chain and haul out the dead and
wounded was a piece of employment that
they flatly refused to tamper with. They
sold the deckhands could do It.
The deckhands , scenting a weak com
mander , said they bad been 'hired as sailor-
men and also declined to meddle , and as a
consequence this necessary scpulcher busi
ness was done by the mates.
In Kettle's first and only interview with
tbo cattle boat's captain ho saw this opera
tion going on through a hatchway before
his very face. The mate and the second I
mate clambered down by the battens and I
went along the filthy gangways below , drag
ging the winch chain after them. The I1
place was cluttered with carcasses and 11
jammed with broken pens , all surging to
gether to tbo roll of the ship. The low-
ings and the groans of the cattle were awful.
But at last a bight of rope was made > fast
around a dead beast's horns and the word
was given to haul. The winch clattered
and the chain drew , The two men below ,
! NO TOGETHER.
self , but I was taught that whatever my
hand findetb. to do1 to do it with all my
might , and I guess bashing a lazy crew
comes under that head. "
"I don't want either your advice or your
theology. "
"If I wasn't a passenger here , " said Ket
tle. , "I'd like to tell you what I thought
of your seamanship , and your notion of
. making a master's ticket respected. But
I I'll hold my tongue on that. As It Is , I
think I ought Just to say I don't consider
' thla ship's safe , run the way she Is. "
The captain of the cattle boot flushed
darkly. Ho Jerked his head towards the
ladder. "Get down off this bridge , " ho
said.
said."What
"What ! "
"You henr me. Get down off my bridge.
If you've learnt
anything about your pro
fession , you must know this ! u private up
here , and no place for blooming passen
gers. "
Kettle glared and hesitated. Ho was not
used to receiving orders of this description
and the innovation did not plcaso him. But
for once In his life ho submitted. Miss Car
negie was sitting under the lee of tbo deck-
bouso oft , watching him , and somehow or
other he did not choose to have a scene be
fore her. It was all part of the strange new
feeling which had come over him.
He gripped bis other Impulses tight and
went and sat beside her. She welcomed
him cordially. She made no secret of her
pleasure at his presence. But her talk Just
uow jarred upon him. Like other people
who see the ocean and Us traffic merely
from the amateur's view , she was able to
detect romance beneath her present dis
comforts , and Eho was pouring Into bis ear
her scheme for making it the foundation of
her most ambitious poem.
In Kettle's mind , to build an epic pn.sucb
a groundwork , was nothing short of pro
fanation. Ho viewed the sea , seamen and
sea duties with an Intimate eye ; to him they
were common and unclean to the furthercst
degree ; no trick of language could elevate
their meannesses. He pointed out bow she
would prostitute her talent by laying hold
of such an unsavory subject , and extolled
the beauty of his own Ideal. "Tackle a
cornfield , miss , " he would say again and
again , "with Its butter-yellow color , and Its
bobs of rod popples , and the green hedges
all round. You wrlto poetry such as I know
you can about a cornfield , and farmers , and
farm buildings with thatched roofs , and
you'll walce one of these mornings ( like all
poets hope to do some day ) and find yourself
famous. And because why , you want to
know ? Well , miss , It's because cornfields
and the country , and all that , are what
people want to hear about and dream they've
got handy to their own back doorstop.
They're so peaceful , so restful. You take it
from me , no one would even want
to read four words about this beastly
cruel sea , and the brutes of men
who make their living by driving ships
across It. No , by Ja . No , miss , you take
It from a man who knows , they'd Just de
splso it. " And co they argued endlessly at
the point , each keeping an unchanged opln
Ion.
Perhaps of all the human freight that
the cattle boat carried , Mr. McTodd was the
only ono person entirely happy. Ho bad no
watch to keep , no work to do ; the messroora
was warm , stuffy and entirely to his taste ;
liquor was plenty and the official engineers
of the ship were Scotch and argumentative.
Ho never came on deck for a whiff of fresh
air , never knew a moment's tedium ; he
lived In a pleasant atmosphere of broad dla
I lect , strong tobacco and toasting oil , and
I thoroughly enjoyed himself ; though when
the moment of trial came , and his thews
and energies were wanted for the saving of
human life , he quickly showed that this
Capua had In no way sapped his efficiency ,
The steamer had , as has been said , carried
foul weather with her all the way across
the Atlantic from the river Platte , as though
It were a curse Inflicted for the cruelty of
her stevedores. The crew forgot what it
was like to wear dry clothes ; the after guard
lived In A stnlo of lone-wrarlntl ) s. A harder
captain would have still contrived to kvep
them up to the mark ; but the mnn who wns
In supreme command wns feeble nnd unde
cided nnd there Is no doubt that vigilance
was dntiRcrounly slackened.
A fog , too , which cnmc down to cover tha
sen , stopped out all view of the sun nnd com
pelled them for thrco days to depend on
dead reckoning , nnd ( nfter the event ) It wns
snld n strong current set the stenmcr unduly
to the westward.
Anyway , be the cnuse whnt It mny , Kettle
was pitched violently out of his bunk In the
deep of one night , just after two bells , nnd
from tbo symptoms which loudly advertised
themselves It required no expert knowledge
to tell that tbo vessel was beating her bottom
tom out on rocks to the accompaniment of
a murderously heavy sea. The engines
stopped , steam began to blow oft noisily
from the escapes , and what with that and
the cries ot men and the clashing of sens
and the beating of Iron and the beast cries
from the cattle decks , the din was almost
enough to split the car. And then thojl
steam siren burst out Into ono vast bellow
of pain , which drowned all the other noises
as though they had been children's whispers.
Kettle did on coat and trousers over his
pajamas , and went and thumped at a door
at the other tide of the alleyway.
'Miss Carnegie ? "
Yes. "
'Dress quickly. "
'I am dressing , captain. "
'Get Hnlshed with It , nnd then wait. I'll
come for you when It's time. "
It Is nil very well to be cool on thcso
occasions , but sometimes the race Is to the
prompt. Captain Kettle made his wny up
ou deck against a green avalanche of water ,
which was cascading down the companion-
way. No shore was In sight , the ship had
backed off after she had struck , and was
now rolling heavily In a deep trough. It
was low In the water , and every second
wave swept IF.
No ono seemed to bo In command. A dim
light showed Kettle one lifeboat wrecked
In davits , and a disorderly mob of men
trying to loner the other. But some one
let go the stern fall so that the boat shot
down perpendicularly , nnd the next wave
smashed the lower half of It Into splinters ,
The frenzied crowd left to try the port
quarter boat , and Kettle raced them across
' .he streaming decks and got just to the
davits. He plucked a greenhcart belaying
pin from the rail and laid about him
Iclously.
"Back , you scum , " he shouted , "get
back or I'll smash In every face amongst
you. Good Lord , Isn't there a mate or a
man left on this stinking farmyard ? Am
to keep off all this two-legged cattle by
myself ? "
They fought on , the black water swirling
waist deep amongst them with every roll ,
.ho siren bellowing for help overhead , and
he ship sinking under their feet , and j i
gradually , with the frenzy of despair , the
men drove Kettle back against the rail
whilst others of them cast off the falls of
ho quarterboat's tackles preparatory to
cttlug her drop. But then out of the dark
ness up came McTodd and the steamer's
mate , both shrewd hitters , and men not
afraid to use their skill , and once moro the
ables were turned.
The other quartcrboat had been lowered
and swamped ; this boat was tbo only ono
remaining.
Now , Mac , " said Kettle , "help the mate
take charge , and murder every one that In
terferes. Get the boat In the water and fend
off. I'll be off below and fetch up Miss Car
negie. We must put some hurry In It. The
old box hasn't much longer to swim. Take
the lady ashore and sco she comes to no
harm. "
" 0 , ay , " said McTodd , "and we'll keep a
scat for ycrsol' , skipper. "
You needn't bother , " said Kettle. "I take
no man's place In this sort of tea party. "
Ho splashed off across the streaming decks
and found the cattle boat's captain shelterIng -
Ing under the lee of the companion wring
Ing his hands. "Out , you bllthercr , " ho
shouted , "and eave your mangy life. Your
ship's gone now ; you can't play hash with
her any more. " After -which pleasant speech
ho worked his way below , half swimming ,
halt wading , and once more beat against
Miss Carnegie's door. Even In this moment
of extremity ho did not dream ot going In
unasked.
She came out to him In the half swamped
alleyway , fully dressed. "Is there any hope ? "
she asked.
"We'll get you ashore , don't you fear. "
He clapped an arm around her waist and
drew her strongly on. through the dark
and swirling water toward the foot of the
companion. "Excuse me , miss , " ho said ,
"this Is not familiarity. But I have got the
firmer sea legs , and we must hurry. "
They pressed up the stair , battling with
great green cascades of water , and gained
the dreadful turmoil on deck. A few weak
stars gleamed out above tbo wind and
showed the black wave tops dimly. Already
some of the cattle had been swept overboard
and were swimming about like the horned
beasts of a nightmare. The. din of surf came
to them among the other noises , but no
shore was visible. The steamer had barl'.ed
off the reef on which she bad struck , and
was foundering in deep water. It was Indeed
a tlmo for hurry. It was plain she had very
few moro minutes to swim.
Each sea now made a clean b.'each over
her and a passage about the decks was a
thing of Infinite danger. But Kettle was
resourceful and strong , and he had a grip
round Miss Carnegie and a hold on some
thing solid when the waters drenched on
him , and he contrived never to be wrested
entirely from his hold.
But when he had worked his wny nft a
disappointment was there ready for him.
The quarter boat was gone. McTodd stood
against ono of the davits , cool and philo
sophical as ever.
"You Infernal Scotchman , you've let them
take away the boat from you , " Kettle
snarled. I should have thought you could
have kept your end up with a mangy crowd
like that. "
"Use your eyes , " said the engineer. "Tho
boat's in the wash below there , at the end
of the tackles with her side stove In. She
drowned the three men that were lowered
in her because they'd no' sense enough to
fend off. "
"That comes of setting a lot of farmers to
work a steamboat. "
"Aweel , " said McTodd , "steamers have
been lost before , and I have It In mind , cap
tain , that you've helped. "
"By James , if you don't carry a civil
tongue , you drunken Gcordlc , lyi knock you
torae teeth down to cover It. "
"O , I owed you that , " s ld McTodd ; "but
now we're quits. I bided here , Captain
Kettle , because I thought you'd maybe like
to swim the teddy off to the shore , and at
that I can bear a useful hand. "
"Mac , " said Kettle , "I take back what I
said about you're being Scotch. You're a
good coul " Ho turned to the Rlrl , still
shouting to mnlto his volco curry nbovo the
clash of the sens , nml the bellow of the
syren , nnit the iiolirs of the dying ship. "It's
our only dinner , miss , swimming. The life
buoys from the bridge nro nil gone. 1 looked.
The hiimlfl will linvo taken them. There'll
lie n Int of timber lloatlng nbout when shn
goes donn ( ntul we'll best clear of that. Will
you trust to us ?
"I trust ) ou In everything , " she snld.
Deeper anil deeper the strainer sank
In her wallow. The lower decks \\cre
swnmprd by this , anil the miserable cnttlo
wcro cither drowned In their stalls or
washed out of her. There wns no need for
the three to Jump. They Just let go their
hold nnd the next Incoming wave swept
them clear of the steamer's ' spardeck and
spurnoil them 100 yiinls from her side.
They found themselves nmongst a herd of
floating cattle , some drowned , some swim
ming frenzledly ; and with the Inspiration
of the moment Inld bold of a couple of
beasts whbh wcro tangled together by a
j halter , nnd BO supported themselves without
I further ( exertion. It was no use swimming
for J the present. They could not tell which
wny the shore lay. And it behooved them to
reserve all their energies for the morning ,
so well as the numbing cold nnd the water
would let them ,
Of n sudden the bellow of the steamer's
syren ceased , r.nd a pang went through
thorn ns though they hml lost n friend.
Then came n dull , muflleil explosion. Aud
then t n huge , ragged shnpo loomed up
through t the night like FOIIIO vast monument ,
and sank swiftly straight downward out of
sight beneath the black , tumbled ecu.
"Poor old girl , " snld McTodd , spitting out
the t scawater , "they'd n flno keg of whisky
down In her mcssroom. "
' "Poor devil of n skipper , " said Kettle ,
"It's to bo hoped he'a drowned out of harm's
wny , or It'll take lying to keep him any rags
of his ticket. "
The talk died out of them nfter that , nnd
j the i miseries of the situation closed In. The
water was cold , but the air wns plerMng ,
nnd BO they kept their bodies submerged ,
each holding on to the bovine raft , and each
man i sparing n few lingers to keep n grip
on ( the girl. Ono of the beasts they clung to
quickly i drowned ; the other , strange to say ,
kept ] Its nostrils above water , swimming
strongly * , and In the end came nllve to the
shore i , the only four-footed occupant of tie
steamer : to be saved.
At the end "Of each minute , It seemed to
them \ that they were too bruised and
numbed j to hang on another sixty seconds ;
and j yet the next minute found them still
allvo nntl dreading Its successor. The sea
moaned around them , mourning the dead ;
the fleet of drowned cattle surged helplessly
to this way and to that , bruising them with
rude collisions ; nnd the chill bit them to
the bono , mercifully numbing their pain nnd
nnxlety. Long before the dawn the girl
had- ; sunk Into n stupor , and wns only held
j ' from sinking by thn nervous fingers of the
men ; nnd then the men themselves were
merely automata , completing their task with
a legacy of will.
When from somewhere out of the morn
ing mists a flsherboat Balled up , manned by
ragged , kindly Irish , nil three were equally
lost to consciousness nnd all three were
hauled over the gunwale In ono continuous
dripping string. The grip of the men's
fingers had endured too long to be loosened
for a sudden call such ns that.
They were taken asLoro and tended with
nil the care poor'homes could give , nnd
the men , usefl to hardships , recovered with
a dose of warmth and sleep.
Miss Carnegie took longer to recover , and
In fnct for n week lay very ncnr to death.
Kettle stayed on in the village , making
almost hourly inquiries for her. Ho ought
to have gone away to seek fresh employ
ment ; ho ought to have gone back to bis
wlfo nnd children , nnd ho unbratded himself
bitterly for his neglect of these duties.
But still ho could not tear himself away.
For the future well , ho dreaded to think
whnt might happen In the future.
But at last the girl was able to sit up
and sco him , nnd lie visited her , showing
all the deference an ambassador might offer
to a queen. I may go ns fnr as to sny
that ho went _ lnto the cottage quite in-
fatuated ; ho came out of it disillusioned.
She listened to his tale of the wreck with
Interest and surprise. She wns almost
startled to hear that others , including the
captain and two of the mates , were saved
from the disaster besides themselves , but
at the same tlmo unfclgncdly pleased. And
she wns pleased also to hear that Kettle
was subpoenaed to give evidence before the
forthcoming Inquiry.
"I am glad of that , " she said , "because I
know you will speak with n ireo mind. You
have told mo so many tlmc how Incompe
tent thn rnptalnns , nnd now you will
bo Jllo to tell It to the proper nuthoilllca. "
Keltic looked at hi-r lilnnkly. "Hut that
wns different , " ho snld. " 1 can't ny to
them what 1 snlil to you , "
"Why not ? Look wh.U misery and suf
fering and loss ot life the man 1ms caused.
Ho isn't 111 to command n ship. "
"But , miss , " snld Kctlle , "It's his living ,
lie's boon brought up to ceafarlng. and ho
Isn't fit for anything else. You wouldn't
have mo send out the mnn to starve ? Be
sides. I'm a shipmaster myself , and you
wouldn't hnvo me try to take away another
muster's ticket ? The cleverest cnptnln
nllont might meet with misfortune , and he's
alwnys got to think ot tlmt when he's put
up to give evidence ngnlnst his fellows. "
"Well , what nro you going to do , thui < "
" 0 , we've got together a tnlo , nnd when
the old man Is put up on his trliil the mates
and I will stick to It through thick and
thin. You can bet thnt wo nre not going to
swear awny his ticket. "
"Ills ticket ? "
"Yes , his master's certificate , his mcani
of livelihood. "
"I think It's wrong , " she said , excitedly ,
"criminally wrong. And , besides , you said
you didn't like the mnn. "
"I don't. I dislike him cordially. But
thnt's nothing to do with the case. I've my
own honor to think of , miss. How'd I feel
If I went about knowing I'd done my best
to ruin a brother cnptnln for good nnd al
ways ? "
"You nro wrong , " she repeated , ve
hemently. "Tho man Is Incompetent by
your own saying , nnd therefore ho should
suffer. "
Kettle's heart chilled.
"Miss Carnczlo , " ho snld , "I nm disap
pointed In you. I thought from your poetry
thnt you had fcoltncs ; I thought you had
charity , but I find that you nro cold. "
"And you , " she retorted , "you thnt I had
set up for myself ns nn Ideal of most of the
manly virtues , do you think I feel no dls-
npppolntmcnt when I henr thnt you are
deliberately proposing to bo a liar ? "
'I nm no llnr , " ho said , sullenly. "I
hnvo most faults , but not that. This is
different ; you do not understand. "U IB
not lying to defend one's fellow-shipmaster
before an Inquiry bonrd.
The clrl turned to the pillow In her
chair and hid her face. "O , go , " she said ,
"go ! I wish I had never met you. I
thought you wcro so coed and so bravo
and so honest , nnd when it comes to the
pinch you nro Just like the rest. Got Go !
1 wish I thought I could ever forget you ! "
"You say you don't understand , " said
Kettle. "I think you deliberately won't
understand , miss. You remember that 1
said I was disappointed In you , and I stick
to that now. You mnke mo remember that
I have got a wlfo and family I am fond
of. You make mo ashamed I have not gene
to them before. "
IIo went to the door and opened it. "But
I do not think I shall ever forget , " ho said ,
"how much I cared for you once. Goodby ,
miss. "
"Goodby , " she sobbed from her pillow. "I
wish I could think you are right , but perhaps
It Is best as It Is. "
In the vlllngo street outside was McTodd.
clothed In rasping serge nnd Inclined to bo
sententious. "They've whisky here , " bo said ,
with a Jerk of the thumb. "Irish whisky
that's got a smoky tnsto that's rather allur
ing when once you've got over the first dis
like. I'm out o' siller mysel' or I'd stand
you a glass , but If y0 be In funds I could
guide ye to the place. "
Kettle was half tempted , but with a
wrench he said "No , " adding that If ho once
started ho might not know when to stop.
"Quito right , " said the engineer , "you'ro
qulto ( hlc ) right , skipper. A man with an
Inclination to level himself with the beasts
that perish should always bo abstemious. "
Ho sat against a wayside fence nnd pre
pared for sleep. "Like me , " he added
solemnly , and shut his eyes.
"No , " snld Kettle to himself , "I won't
forget It that way. I guess I can manage
without. She pretty well cured me herself ,
and a sight of tbo missis will do the rest. "
Vrnllct ill inn Furor Too I.nte.
LANCASTER. O. . Aug. 19. During the
judge's charge to the jury , Jacob Matheujr
today dropped ( lend. Mnthcny Is thought to
have believed hla case against the Natural
Gas company lost , but the jury afterword
brought in a verdict in his favor.
Killed In ( luarri * ! Over Ilario Trade *
PEORIA , III. , Aug. 13. Thomas J. Kline ,
a traveling horse trader , died this morning
of injuries received by being struck with
a club by John Hlnkle of Peorla , with whom
ho had trouble about a horse trade.
" "
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