THE CAPTAIN KEEPS HIS PROMISE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE CAPTAIN KEEPS HIS PROMISE

ing why the usual routine was being disturbed, the engineer shut off steam. "Astern!" came tlio order. "What on earth is the skipper doing?" muttered the stoker. In that same instant, Captain Fulton dashed from the bridge. "Who is it?" "The hoy ... he must have toppled over," shouted the deck hand. "Cut away the gear, quickly!" In her backward course the Nancy Lee must not be hampered. What was the gear compared with a human life. "I'll bring him back," muttered the skipper, looking into the darkness. "W 7 as that a splash? The lad can't swim, either." Not an instant to lose. Qver the side went the skipper, striking out desperately in the direction of the splash. Would he be able to find the boy? Swimming strongly, he peered in every direction. What was that? Something white — a lace' Hampered though he was by heavy clothing, the skipper swam after the hoy and grabbed him just as he was sinking. Bv this time Holey was unconscious. His sea boots and watersodden clothing made him a ton weight. Jt seemed as if both the lad and his rescuer would be dragged under. "J've got him!"-shouted the skipper. His lungs felt as if they were bursting; his limbs were like lead. Would they hear? Struggling with his heavy .burden, he prayed that they would come quickly. "I can't keep up much longer," thought the exhausted man. The trawler was so close now, but he could make no headway. "Throw —a —- line," he gasped Then with a last frantic effort he caught it and held on for dear life. Almost in a state of collapse, the skipper was. soon dragged on board, still grasping the lad from Yarmouth. "Look after the boy," he muttered. "I promised faithfully to bring him home."

giT""V C) say '.yes,' mother,'- pleaded I .1 Roley Hopkins, of Yarmouth, the famous English iishing port. Foley's heart was set on going to sea. "Its in my blood," he persisted, adding, after a moment's hesitation, "and I'll be backwards and forwards, of ■course.*' His father had been a deepsea fisherman. "If anything happened to you, Roley . . . " "Don't worry, mother, these steam trawlers are as safe as houses," was the confident reply; "very different from the old fishing-smacks, you know." "Well, perhaps . . . " "Oh, mother, I knew you'd let me go!" exclaimed the lad delightedly, "Captain Fulton might give me a chance on the Nancy Lee." Full of excitement, Holey rushed off to see the skipper of the sturdy little trawler. "Yes, I'll take you, my boy," he promised, "since you're so keen on a life on the ocean!wave." Three days later the Nancy Lf>e was ready to put out to sea to join the fishing fleet off the Dogger Bank. Roley was in high spirits. His dre&m had come true at last! Doing her best to hide her anxiety behind a cheery smile, Mrs. Hopkins . went down to see the lad off. "He's only fourteen, captain," she said, quietly, "and 1 hate to let him go." Then, very earnestly,'"You'll hring siig t back. won't you?" "Rather!" exclaimM the skipper. "The Nancy .Lee '•rides' likefa bird «ven in the worst of leather." He looked proudly at' the 'little steamer. "Oh, yes, 1 promise to bring him back," he repeated, smiling kindly. .■ ;- ' ' -\, ■ Parting from his mother was harder than Roley had expected. She looked very forlorn, standing alone on the dock head, waving good-bye. "We'll be home again soon," shouted the boy. " . ' "jPdrhapsl should have stared ashore," he muttered, as the figure Avaving a white handkerchief became . just 'a sjJeck in- the. distance. He looked wistfully toward the disappearing land, "I'll leave him alone tor a while," thought Captain Fulton. Then, later on, he filled bis pipe and walked aft to where the boy was still watching the long, dim coastline. "So this is your first trip?" "Y e s, sir, and I want to be a skipper." "Plenty of time for that," laughed the big man; "perhaps you'd like to be admiral of the fishing fleet!" "I mean to be," was the astounding reply. "By George, it wouldn't surprise me!"' muttered the skipper, under his breath; then, aloud, "We'll make a real fisherman of you." "I've got a muffler and a jersey and a woollen cap .and oilskins and t,high .boots," reeled off Roley,. without stopping, "and I'm going to put.'em all on when it's blowing hard." He was glad to have someone to whom he could talk. "Howi, about turning in now? It's getting dark and you must be tired." The less time the boy had at first to think the better. "Oh, I'd rather stay up, please, sir," he replied eagerly; "I want to be awake when we join, the fleet. I've never seen it before." "Haha! Why, we don't join the fleet until to-morrow night I'll see you don't ooooooooooooooooooooooooooc

miss the fireworks!" In a vague kind of way Roley expected a splendid sight. "Wait until he knows the North Sea a bit better," chuckled the captain to himself,as he packed the iad off to bed. ' Next morning Roley was up bright and early. His duties were to help the cook. The skipper knew that work was the best cure for home-sickness or loneliness. To the boy it was all a thrilling adventure. He asked questions by the score, and could not keep still for excitement the whole day long. "How far are we from the fleet, captain "About oO miles. We should join them to-night." "It'lJ bo a grand sight!" exclaimed Roley. He had lived this experience over in imagination 50 times. Such a romantic picture of the homely fishing

moment now the fleet might:come into view. i i ' ''What; do .ton see, my boy?" "What?" asked Holey, peering into the darkness; "Why the Heet, to be sure!" laughed the skipper, waving his hand toward a sprinkling of scattered lights, for the fleet covered a great area. Holey had thought that they were stars! Swallowing his disappointment, lie waited quietly. The dancing lights grew nearer. 'What cheer? What cheer?" cried the skipper of the Nancy Lee, as he forged quickly ahead past a trawler with her fishing gear down. "We'll have to bustle round now." It was just after midnight. '-There's the admiral's steamboat." With a thrill of excitement, Holey heard the hiss of a rocket. He watched it burst overhead in the blackness. "That's the ord.?r tor hauling up the trawls, isn't it, sir-'' he asked, breathlessly. . "You're right . . and listen to the clank of the steam windlasses. "Look alive, my lads," shouted the skipper from the bridge, "and be ready to shoot the gear smartly when the admiral signals." Half-sliding over the slippery deck, Holey hurried to the of the trawler, determined not to miss anything. . ' "Mind you don't sneeze or cough, sonny!" cautioned the mate, "or it'll bring us bad luck." The next moment, the trawl was sent splashing into the Rea. Bending far over, the boy watched a deck hand sending the messenger—a heavy weight—sliding dpwn the cable to click against a fastening which would allow the trawl to open for the fish. Forgetful of everythihg else, Holey hunched himself up on the taffrail. In

fleet amused the seasoned old skipper. To him it was a very ordinary business —nothing but trawlers, fish, and hardworking men. And the North Sea could be decidedly treacherous and unpleasant. Laden with coal and stores, the Nancy Lee steamed steadily toward the fishing grounds A fresh breeze was blowing from the north, sending "white horses" racing over the blue sea. Iloloy climbed up to the bridge to yarn to the skipper. "1 don't see the Dogger yet, sir." "Why, we're on it'" The boy's face lengthened. "On it?" he repeated, blankly. "Why, yes! It's right beneath us . . quite near enough." Too many good men and ships had been lost on the Dogger Bank. The boy. gazed intently over the weathercloth at the end of the bridge, and the shipper, like some guardian angel in oilskins, stood beside him. At any >OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Answers Next Week, 00000000000000000000000000 a trice he had overbalanced, too surprised even to call out. "How's that, young 'un?" asked'the deck hand. No answer. Why, where was the lad? "Man overboard!" came the cry. On the bridge the skipper heard it. "Stop!" rang the telegraph.'Wonderi 00000000000000000000000000000