THE SKIPPER OF THE PUFFIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2921, 9 March 1910, Page 77

THE SKIPPER OF THE PUFFIN.

[Axx Rights Rkssrtid.]

By Harold Bindloss

(Author of Uver the Harbour Bar, "Through Niger Laud"). It was a dismal afternoon when, the little steam trawler Puffin lurched with wet decks and whitened funnel into the rockbound harbour of Scorton Quay. Rolling up behind her out of the mist and rain the long white-topped combers burst with a hollow boom on the reefs outside, and a confused swell followed her half a mile from, the sheltering crags of Scorton Head to the end of the granite quay. Low-flying vapour veiled the bare sweep of hillside above, and a few damp and shivering visitors sought shelter among the fishermen under the parapet, abusing the weather and wondering whether the expected gale would provide them with an interesting spectacle. "You'll keep a head of steam up, Jim," said Thomas Stevens, master of the Puffin, to his engineer when the warps were made fast. ''There's more, wind comin-' from the eou'-vvest, an' if any of the company's smacks run for shelter on the flood we might be wanted to give them, a snatch in."

The engineer nodded, and, turning to a man iiPoilskins, Stevens said: "Flood tide sets strong past the entrance over the Tongue Reef, sir, but they couldn't be here for some hours yet, an' if you're ready we'll go ashore." "All right!" said the other, springing cautiously on to the weedy steps; "but why can't you drop that 'sir'; I'm plain Henry Brown on board the Puffin. That's Garner on the pierhead, isn't it? Why don't you "strike him for a pound or two for towing his expected schooner in?" "I'm goin' to," said Stevens. "Because I'm the company's servant and not that 1 want to. ' He's a main close-fisted old heathen, and doesn't like me."" Brown smiled softly, being aware of the latter fact already. He was a young man of- good education, a keen yachtsman, and son of the founder of the Guillemot Steam Navigation and Fishing Company, which owned a fleet of small coasters and trawlers. Oh the said founder's retirement he had lately been appointed director of the company, and having a weakness for maritime adventure spent a fortnight's holiday on board their smallest vessel on a distant station —"to acquire a practical acquaintance with business details," he said; and except Stevens no one guessed his identity. He also met with more adventure than he bargained for. because the work on board a steam trawler whose crew are paid on shares is no child's play. Meantime Stevens said something to a grim old man in oilskins, and Brown heard part v of their colloquy. "Tow the Jessy in ; do 'e© think I'm. made o' money ? What the mischief does she want towiii' for I just spent forty pounds on new canvas for her ? '. 'lt oughter b?en sixty," said Stevens incautiously. "There's a heap more wind on the way, an' considerin' the quarter it's blowin' from,- a pluck of a. good hawser would come in main handy to hold her clear of .the Tongue." Some of the bystanders nodded approval as they glanced at the black horn of reef which rose dimly out of the spouting spray at the leeward side of the narrow entrance. Once past it there was shelter from wind and sea under the dark wall of splintered crags. "Gammon!" said Garner contemptuously. "Stick to the fishin', Tom Stevens, an' dunnot waste good time tryin' to get money out o' me. Shan't have it, either, with Jessy; it's hands off, I tell 'ee." . "Seems an unpleasant eld gentleman!'said Brown to the Puffin's mate, who grinned as he answered : "A plaguey old flintetun, sir; been scrapin' an' schemin' all his life, until what with lendin' the drift-netters money, batin' down their fish, an' supplyin' the Trawlin' Company, he's set up shop-owner hisself. Bought the schooner Je,?sy, and loads her, too; called her after his daughter' the skipper's sweet Upon. She's a good maid,'Jessy, an' they say main fond o' Tom, but the old man never misses a chance of insultin' him." "Then what made him. offer to tow the schooner: his share wouldn't be worth facing that curmudgeon's tongue for?" said Brown; and the mate answered: "Tom's cot to do his best for the rest of us and the Trawlin Company." "I see," said the director of that company, .noting how, because the taunt was made in public, the colour darkened in the skipper's" open face. Next he sought a quaint old hostelry, and after living plainly on sugarless tea in basins, somewhat mouldy bread, and the backs of fish broiled whole, which was the usual bill of fare on board the Puffin, enjoyed his dinner. Then, as the rain had ceased, he strolled leisurely into a winding glen which. lost itself in trfe waste of heather above, w,here. he followed an ambercoloured stream that frothed among the boulders until the sound of voices reached him. .;•-■■

One was a woman's, clear and almost free of local accent, and it said: "You'll have- patience still, poor Tom; father's hard and short of temper, but I'm all that's left to him, and he'll give in in the end if you're careful not to anger him." - -

"Patience!" —it was a man who an-' swered. "Haven't I been main v>atient — spoke to and sneered at as if I was a dog? But - it's not. him,-:'. Jessy, I'm most savage at. It's the/ grocery navies, : old a« him:almost; an' if he'd been younger when he grinned 'at me oh the quay I'd ha' broke his bald; head for him." There was a ripple of silvery laughter, and the moan of .the wind in the. spruce firs, almost drowned -the answer: "Tom, don't Vf foolish : who'd look at old Da vies *~T all his money?" - •• r >4 Brown, who had no desire to in-

trade upon a lovers' conference, rattled the shingle. Then turning the comer of a slate outcrop he saw what he expected—the master of the Puffin standing suspiciously far apart from a fair-haired damsel, whose colour seemed heightened by what was possibly a guilty blush. Henry Brown, who raised his hat, passed on, and finding a snug shelter from the wind, under the edge of the moor, sat down to ponder on what he had seen. He was a young man of somewhat extensive sympathies, and interested in the blunt, fearless commander of the Puffin, while something in the girl's bashful face excited his admiration. Also, holding the power in his hands, the temptation was a strong one, and he determined to intervene if it could be done without evil resulting from injudicious meddling. The moor grew dim and mournful, wild blasts raced across it, and 4he eerie shrilling of curlews came out of the thickening mist, so Brown retraced his steps to the trawler, where the surroundings were not much more cheerful. Her decks were wet and sloppy, the thin grey smoke from her funnel blew flat down, and she rolled uneasily against the quay, while, louder than the wail of wire rigging, the wind was filled with the dull boom of breakers on the reefs outside. It had' freshened into a moderate gale. Suddenly there was a cry from the watchers on the pier-head, and, scrambling up with his glasses, Brown could see an inclined strip of canvas driving through the greyness that obscured the .sea. It. grew plainer presently, taking the shape of a schooner running in with one topsail and short fore-and-aft canvas set, slanting to each fiercer blast until one side of her hull was high above the frothy brine, while spray-clouds whirled up Avhen her bows went down. Then all that was visible was a black arch of sailcloth above the back of a sea.

"Take these glasses, and tell me what's wrong with her canvas aft," he said to a burly fisher; and the man made answer: "It's old Garner's Jessy; she's split her mainsail with three reefs in it. Might hold a bit, an' she'll want it when she close-hauls to clear the Tongue. Hardily do it without the after canvas, sir, an' the sea's breakin' bad out there." j.

Brown mopped the spi'ay out of his eyes, and stood still staring out to sea. Creaming white on the weedy ledges a long swell surged into the rock-girt inlet, while the tide from the Western Ocean swept past and over the Tongue Reef on one side of the entrance. This Mas hidden now in a welter of froth and foam, while the crash of the ground sea., rattle of shingle, and scream of wind, mingled into one confused and almost bewildering din. And, reeling until it seemed that her lower yard-arm almost raked the brine, the schooner was driving with a black strip of jib hove up above the skying bowsprit pointed towards the gap between thundering reef and the blurred outline of the great reck head. If the mainsail held until she passed it all would be well, but if Brown had doubts as to what would happen otherwise those about him had none, for somebody said: "Bob will be watching his canvas now. If that goes she'll blow down on to the Tongue, ~an' by morning' there'll be nothin' worth liftin' of either him or the Jessy." Garner and his daughter stood not far away, gazing seaward with perfectly natural anxiety. As the Puffin't mate had said, scheming and scraping with rigid self-denial and tireless industry, he_ had made a business out of nothing until he was general purveyor of coal and lime and cattle foods to that district, while the Jessv with her cargo represented a considerable portion of twenty years' savings. Also, because insurance on wooden coasters is heavy, he took his own risks, and his throat grew dry with suspense ■ns" he watched the vessel lurch down wind towards the reef.

"One „ hundred and fifty tons of phosphates and oilcak aboard her, besides the hull," he-said. ." Lass, there s all thy mother an' I starved' ourselves for hangin' on the split luff of a mainsail!"

"It's a pity, father," Jessy began, but checked herself, for this was not the time to remind him he had rebuked the skipper, who desired a new mainsail, and added instead — "A pitv you didn't ask the Puffin to stand by and help her in. Tom Stevens would steam out now if I Jtold him."

But Garner, who was hard and stubborn; answered grimly: "I'll isk. 110 favours of Tom Stevens, an' no livin' man could get a rope aboard her in that sea." Jessy glanced longingly down at the trawler's- rusty hull, knowing that one word from her would send the staunch craft forth to battle with even a more furious sea,, but the eld man's hand held her arm like a vice, and because the light was now waning, for a few minutes flying scud blotted out headland and schooner alike. Then, as it thinned, there was a growl of voices along the quay, a detonation from the coastguards' station near the reef, and the vessel became visible again with' a fluttering mass of ribands where her mainsail had been.

"That's stand by for the rocket gang. God help them aboard the Jessy if she goes ashore," said ■somebody. Other men who could render no assistance, for the schooner's fate would be decided before amy could scramble round to the outer head, growled to one another, but Garner stood silent and still as a statue with the spray beating on his set fact until his daughter, whose pulses throbbed more fiercely,' said, with an exultant ring in her voice: "The Puffin's going out to help her; and if any man can do it Tom Stevens will." ■ ■■ There was a. blast from the trawler's whistle, amid some clamour her routes were cast off, and Brown, acting under impulse, slid down one of her shrouds, while the propeller was beating when he reached her bridge, and Stevens, whose face was- intent, grasped the engine room telecrrapb. •. . ' • "You're lairing; a big risk with the company's property, skippex," ka Jf^gan.

"Can you do anything if you get out at all?"

"We'll try, anyway," Stevens answered stolidly. "I've done my best for my owners, sir, but there's other duties for a skipper besides serving his employer, an' I'm going to snatch them poor devils from the Tongue or sink her." He glanced at his companion almost defiantly, but Brown, who forgot he was a director having financial interests at stake, answered with an excited laugh as an adventurous Englishman who had heard the ancient challenge of the sea: "Then go on, and confound the dividends! Good luck to you!"

The bows, sank to the knightheads when rolling one rusty side high out of the troubled swell the Puffin cleared the quayhead. Five minutes later her propeller was whirring in free air, and the narrow hull trembled to the clatter of runaway machinery ;. but the telegraph still called fo: "Full speed ahead," nail red flume streaked the smoke from her slanted funnel, while an unheard cheer followed her. Then the fore-deck was flooded level with the rail. Streaky brine smote the engine room skylights, and rolled out astern when, streaming cataracts, the bows swung clear. But the steamer drew out further from shelter at every revolution of the throbbing screw, until, when she climbed the slope of a comber, Brown could see the swayed-down hull of the schooner and iron-hard curves of canvas looming nearer through the spray as she stood close-hauled for the entrance. She had no mainsail to hold her to windward, the white tide race was on her broadside, and for every fathom she made ahead she drove down to leeward towards the spouting barrier two.

"She'll never .weather it," said Stevens. "Take a good hold, and hang on fast; there won't be much of this craft above water when I round her up. We're clear of the head, an' there's a ter'ble hollow sea runnin' in the strength of the tide."

' The telegraph tinkled "Stand by!" and in spite of the blinding spray Brown never forgot Avhat he saw during the next few minutes. They were uoav crossing the schooner's bows, which lurched up, dripping like a black rock under the stream, ingfoot of the jib; then, as she rushed by them in the hollow between two seas, the bulwarks on that side were washing in the brine, and the straining gaff sail hid the slanting deck, until, as the stern went up and up, ,he- made put an oil-skinned object clinging to her wheel. The .man raised an arm for a/moment when. Stevens roared, "Stand by for the heavin' lines; we'll give you a rope!" She passed, apparently driving into sure destruction, while the Puffin's telegraph tinkled, and her mate bent double over the steering wheel as she came round across the run of sea and tide. At first Brown saw nothing but water flying in sheets everywhere ; then he perceived that the decks were full fore and aft until, with a roll that threatened to lay. her bridge level with the sea and hove her thudding propeller clear, the Puffin emptied them. She rolled back with mastheads reeling downward towards the horizontal, and Brown, who held on fot •. his life, when everything below was lost fn the rush of a white-toppec 1 sea, drew a deep gasp of relief as, the harrow hull reappearing, commenced to plunge forward in chase of the schooner. They came up alongside, Stevens, whose teeth were clenched/gripping the teiegraph, and the mate wrenching on the wheel, while two half-drowned men. stood one in each set of shrouds holding a thin coil of line. Piling up the brine between them, the two rushing hulls converged, half-heard voices bi'oke through the tumult of the sea, until, uncoiling in the air, the lines sped down wind, and, while one splashed into the water, the other was clutched by a dripping object on the schooner's bulwarks ... -

Next a snaky steel hawser stretched out from the trawler's stern, surged in a great loop between-the separating vessels, and tightened when Stevens pressed the handle of his telegraph down, until it was drawn out rigid as an iron- bar, and schooner and steamer together commenced to drift sideways towards-the reef. Brown felt his fingers tremble on the rails of the reeling bridge as he watched the grey, filmy fountains hurl themselves high against the greyness that settled down on the sea and prevented him guessing the. distance oetween himself and them. Neither could he judge anything froim Stevens's demeanour, for the resolute face under the sou'-wester was turned ahead immovably. The steel hawser twanged and slackened alternately, rasping over the arched towing-horsa ; the black curve of the schooner's foretopsail was now on this quarter and now on that ; while the mate hissed something between his teeth as he pulled over the wheelwhen at times she came flying ahead until it seemed that her skyward pointed bowsprit hung over the trawler's stern. Then sight and hearing would be overwhelmed alike by flyingwater and the clamour of the reef.

How long- this lasted Brown could not remember, though it was probably not very long, but he felt hops "evive within him when 'Stevens beckoned and the mate hauled the wheel spokes over, while after a wild lurch which buried the trawler's bead to the foremast the rolling lessened and the skipper shouted something exultantly as he pointed astern. The ghostly spray-clouds were already growing fainter over the schooner's quarter. Soon after a blaze of crimson radiance broke out ahead, showing for a few moments a crowd of men waving arms or oilskin caps on the quay-head; then it vanished, leaving black darkness, and when the sound of' a cheer came faintly up wind Brown -was surprised to find himself shouting foolishly as lie thumped Stevens's shoulder on the Puffin's bridge.

Another flare was lighted, and lasted long enough for someone en board the Jesdy to catch the end of a line; then the strain on the tow-rope slackened, the engines stopped, and when suddenly a wall of granite rose between them- and the

following heave of eea the deck steadied as if by magic beneath them. Then, while men above shouted, and stout t ropes creaked and groaned, the schooner surged past them. Ter minutes later Brown thankfully climbed the weedy steps, and leaving .Stevens in the rent-re of an applauding group sought quarters in the hostelry. He had. seen quite enough for one day of the sea. . He had, however, an : ntervie\\ before he slept with the skipper, who in reply to a somewhat personal question said: "No, sir; it won't make no difference to Jessy and me. The old man's hard as millstones, an' I didn't bring in the schooner to please him, but for the sake of her crew. Nothin' would move him' as didn't touch his socket." "Then I think I can move him that way/' said Brown, drily. "It's also my business.. You say nothing, and leave the whole thing to me." So next morning he cailed on the Jessy's owner in his office -by the lime store, and glancing contemptuously at his card, which merely stated, "Henry S. Brown," the old man, who 'ooked grimmer than ever, said: "I'm busy this morning—what do 'e"e want with me?"

Brown considered the question—foi though he knew what he wanted he was a little uncertain how "to ask i<fl§ it—before he answered: "I'm a man of business, and Captain Stevens is a friend of mine. So I've called partly on his behalf about what happened last evening." "Then you're wastin' your time," was the answer. "If Tom Stevens will walk round I'll pay him usual rates for the tow. I've no call to stand meddlin' from no tourists, an' I've nothin' to do with you."

"I think you're wrong in two points," said Brown, smiling. "It was not a case of towing. In the presence of several witnesses you refused to engage him, and therefore the service was salvage. I've some knowledge of the subject, and under the circumstances the court would, I fancy, allow a tolerable percentage on ship and cargo*- Don't you think you have rather over-reached yourself?" Garner thumped the desk with his fist. "Get out of my store, you shauking lawyer," he commenced; but Brown, who scribbled something on another- card, handed it him as he continued: "That's one advantage of having a common name, but you'll probably recognise the second one—it's my father's, too, and I understood you valued the sugplv contract for this station with my firm." Garner staredi at him. speechless for a moment or two after reading "H. Shallcross Brown, Guillemot Steam Navigation, etc.. Company," then said sullenly: "I don't know if it's square dealin' springin' things like this on me, but I'd like to hold on to that contract. What do you want "me to do?"

"Well," said Brown, leaning forward. "it's somewhat difficult to sneak plainly, but legal expenses are usually heavy in a salvage case, and I'm. -ot over-found of going to law myself, so we would probably consider a fair compromise offer from you. A good share of it would go as usual to the Puffin's crew; and they deserve it, you see. Then I may say I've a very high of/laion of Thomas Stevens, and as he noids a certificate it's quite possible he may command One of our best coasters some day. We have two new. ones building, and good servants are not paid badly in this company. I might—though it's quite apart from business —recommend that fact to your consideration." He went out, leaving Garner, \«ho. had a wholesome fear of salvage claims, in a confused state of mind, and decided to spend a few days shooting as a change from the sea.; while, when he next met the Puffin's master, he was walking arm in arm with Jessy Garner, whom he left for. a moment to greet him. "Old man's comin''round, sir," he explained in answer to Brown's inciuirini, glance. "Been most amazing civil—-%r him"; and the latter smiled as he said : "Then you won't mind me suggesting yon had better at once make terms with him—and—there'll be a little salva.q-e divide which will help your furnishing." What Garner thought when he paid up the latter is not material, and at least. lie did not snv a'nvthing unusually disagreeable, while when not long afterwards his daughter was married there was a flittering' piece of silver among her wedding presents- which she regarded with especial oride. for the. card accompanying it expressed the pood wishes of her husband's employer, Fenry Shnllcrac-s Rrown. ' It w?," partly fellow-feeling Tor the stnrdv skipper which led- the latter to intervene : and when recounting his adventures on board the Puffin nnd "'hat followed to his. fiancee he aid: "There are some uncommonly fine fellows on our coastwise vessels, and I don't think an enrnlover loses anvthincr by showing a Jitt'e human interest in his men. "Resides. T like to make sure oi a good skipper—-becau-'n there are the othe 1 - kind —when I see him. and Tom Stevens is one • while when I thought «f you T couldn't helv> Irving to make tilings easier for him and the girl." , .