A STORY OF TWO HOUSE-FLAGS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6132, 19 March 1898, Page 7

A STORY OF TWO HOUSE-FLAGS

£Bt John Author Barry.] (Straujl Magazine.) Chapter I. A SEAMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL. "Yah! Don't talk to me about your new-fangled ships with their new-fangled patents \" exclaimed a stout-set, red-faced, grizzled man as he munched his cheese and biscuit and washed it down with copious draughts of rum and water. "Wood's good enough for me," he continued, in a rumbling, husky tone of voice. " I'm sick o' the sight <t yoiir flash steel clippers, with their doable-barrelled yards and double-barrelled skippers." " Meaning me and my ship, I suppose, Captain Bolger ?' asked a tall, fair, gentle-manly-looking man dressed in a fashionably cut suifovof tweed, tan shoes and straw hat. with broad blue riband. "If you like to take the application to yourself you're welcome, Captain Way-land-Ferrais," retorted the other, with a snort, and a marked pause at the hyphen. "But there's Jots more dandy sailors and dandy ships besides yours. Still, the Turpsansicahurry's a case in point. What is she but a cursed iron tank built out o' plates that a shark could shove his snout through ? An' she's neither wholesome to ! look at nor good to sail, except by a fluke. [ Paint over iron-rust, steel an' iron and soft [ timber. London mixture — neither fish, j fowl nor red herrin' ! Donkey engine amidships, an' monkey poop aft. Sheer like a Chinese junk ; stiff as a bandbox and tender as a rotten tooth : broom-handles for yards, and marlinspike for bowsprit. Yah ! Fair sfcinks, too, o' science all over. An' with it all, a poor thing 1 ; cheap and nasty. Why, I wouldn't swap the Mary John3on for a baker's dozen of such." "You're very insulting, sir," said the i other man, flushing hotly, " and bnt that your age renders you privileged, and the liquor you've drunk has probably affected your brain, I should certainly call you to account for your words." .. " Haw ! haw! " roared the other, turning his fiery face round to. the crowd in the bar. " D'ye hear him ? Coffee an' pistols for two in the Botanic Gardens to-morrow morniug. Five-an'-forty year, boy and man, I've used the sea. And now to be told that I'm drunk by a new-fangled whipper-snapper like that, whose scientific head can't stand nothing stronger than ' Haw, lemon squash, if you please, Sttsan. 1 " " Oh, go on board your old tub, do," said the captain of the Terpsichore, angrily, " and don't come here to pick quarrels with your betters." Flop, as he finished speaking, came the rum and water into his face, whilst the old sea-dog, struggling in the grasp of a- dozen hands, was vainly endeavouring to get at the other, on his part going through the | same performance. And this was how the historic foud commenced between the two ships in the bar of the Custom House Hotel on the Circular Quay of Sydney, New South Wales. Here, as the sun travelled over the foreyard arm, sundry masters of craft lying near were accustomed to meet for a drink and a snack before the one o'clock gun called them to dinner. Men of the new seamanship, mostly, but with a sprinkling of others who, like Bolger, swore by their wooden clippers, had been with difficulty induced to give double topsails a trial, but drew the line at two topgallant yards ; and to whom the sight of a patent log, or a lead, or a Thompson compass, was like that oi a red rag to a bull. And where amongst other places the shoe pinched was in the fact that the Terpsichore had now, for the first time, beaten the Mary Johnson on the outward passage. They were both regular traders to Port Jackson ; and, hitherto, luck had been on the side of the Mary — a fine specimen of the Aber-deen-built clipper, now nearly extinct under the Red Ensign, and as great a contrast to the Terpsichore as could be well imagined. The- former belonged to a line known from the device on its house-flag as the "Red Lion." The steel ship was one of the fleet of cargo-carriers familiar to seafarers for a similar reason by the name of " Blue Star." But Captain Bolger's employers were in a very small way of business compared to their rivals of the Blue Star, who, in addition to sailers, owned a dozen big ocean tramp steamers. Hence they could afford to underbid the Red Lions in the matter of freightsThrough their Sydney agents they had, indeed, just done so; and that fact, added to the slow passage, had been chiefly responsible for old Bolger's outbreak of temper towards WaylandFerrars— a representative of that new school of shipmasters he so thoroughly disliked — apart from all considerations of rivalry between their respective employers. And, into the bargain, he regarded the captain of the Terpsichore as a mere fine weather sailor, one of those products of a training-ship and high-class Board of Trade examinations who know more theoretically about cyclone centres, ocean currents, hydrography and kindred subjects than the practical part of their profession. And something of all this he muttered and growled as friends held him back whilst Wayland-Ferrars got away. The latter, although hurt and indignant at the insult put thus publicly upoh him, knew that nothing was to be gained by fighting the old fellow, either there or at law. And, anyhow, stalwart six-and-twenty cannot with any grace punch the head of sixty, no matter how hot, rash and abusive the latter may be. So, actually, there seemed nothing to be done but grin and bear it, and keep as clear of the captain of the Mary Johnson as possible. Not that Bolger had the reputation of being a quarrelsome man, even in his cups. On the contrary, he was respected and liked by most of those who had relations with him, and whose verdict amounted to "honest and good-hearted— if a bit rough." The fact of the matter was that Bolger was behind his time — a very sad situation for most men to be placed in, and a sailor perhaps more than all. And the old man was bewildered at the changes taking place around him. Visiting another ship, the chances were that things about the deck would catch his eye of whose U6es, and very names even, he was totally ignorant — and preferred to remain bo. Also men were masters now at ages that in his day would have been thought preposterous. Of course, as was to be expected in " Sailor Town," the news of the row iv the bar of the Custom House Hotel spread amongst the sea-folk living in their ships stuck about in the sequestered wharves and jetties that poke out into the harbour from Woolloomooloo Bay to Pyrmont Bridge. But inasmuch as there were very few men of the old order in port just then, the captain of the Terpsichore came in for much of the sympathy he undoubtedly deserved, with the result that old Bolger was practically sent to Coventry by the .other skippers. As it happened, the two vessels were lying at the north-west corner of the quay, and 'no distance apart. Also, mirabUe dictu, j the majority of their crews were British. < And as >vas only natural, these men pre-j sently took sides, showing their partisan- i ship in the only way possible to them, viz., assaulting each other at every decent opportunity. Not very often through the week did such chances offer, but on Saturday nichts when the crews met, coining baokinthe small hours from "uptown," the din of battle woke the whole quay and brought men to see the fun from all the great English, French and German mail steamers lying around. - The captain of the Mary Johnson, one imagines, was rather pleased than otherwise nS i state of affairs. He had a more allowed extra hands. Aa foi ' <y™ n Way-land-Ferrars he seldom slept on board but they refrained from doing »• •*£»» the captain mmdered how >»V™™ "j ,uiet and peaceful chief mj*^» ■** a times with black-eyes ; ana « i the second mate and the boatswain, too^

bore similar pugilistic marks and contusions, he asked no questions. All his spare thoughts and moments were occupied with the courtship he was carrying on at Springwood, in the mountaius. Next trip they were to be married; and there was nothing particularly requiring his presence on board. Presently the two vessels finished discharging, and hauling out into the stream began to preen themselves for the homeward flight. The Terpsichore was a well found ship with no lack of white and red lead, oils turps, and varnish in her paint-lockera. So that, with her pink composition bends running to topsides of a delicate grey, broken by a line of eighteen black and white ports, she soon began to look a fine spot of colour. All her spars, with the exception of topgallant and royal masts, boom and gaff, were painted a deep buff. And landpeople crossing Johnstone's Bay in the ferry-boats invariably exclaimed, "Oh, what a pretty ship !" taking no notice of the Mary Johnson. But seafarers seldom gave the Terpsichore a second glance, keeping their regards on the fine old clipper with her beautiful yacht-like lines, clean run, bright, tapering spars, and spacious poop and topgallant forecastle. By scraping and tarring and scrubbing and polishing, poor old Bolger did all he could. But even then she looked worn and weather-beaten for lack of that paint his employers had not thought themselves able to afford. Unable at length to stand it any longer, the old man bought the stuff out of bis own pocket. And presently, as his vessel swung to her anchors, all dark, glistening green, with just a narrow gilt beading running round it, stem and stern, lower masts and yards of spotless white, her other spars scraped and oiled till the Oregon pine shone like mahogany, he felt easier in his mind. And looking up at the Eed Lion blowing from the main royal pole, and then at the Blue Star yonder, showing black out of its white ground over the shimmering metal gimcraei with the outrageous name, he swore to make such a run home as would let people know the difference between newfangled ships commanded by new-fangled skippers with double-bareelled names and a skipper and ship of the good oldfashioned sort. At last Bolger's agents had got him freight, and it seemed that both vessels wonld be starting for home about the same time. Fortunately they were loading at far apart wharves. But, still, whenever a Lion and a Star met, singly or in company, there would be ructions. Thus amongst the sea-folk along the foreshores the interest was kept alive, and not a few bets were made and taken on the possible race. Bolger, it appeared, had announced his intention to his few cronies at the midday lunch either to beat the Terpsichore-home or lose his spars. As for the latter's captain, he only langhed when told of this, taking no heed. He had other fish to fry up Springwood way. Since the day of the quarrel he had never set eye 3on Bolger. Nor did he wish to. Neither for the Mary Johnson nor her skipper did he mean to bother himself ; and he declined all wagers with respect to a race, saying, what was perfectly true, that he didn't care which ship got home first. All the same, he had privately made up his mind to break the record. But not on account of Bolger and his bragging : only beeanse the quicker he was home and back again the sooner would the Springwood episode find fitting close. Chapter 11. THE CAPTURE OP THE EED LION. " It's the dai-kest night I ever remember seeing in my whole life," remarked Mr Hopkins, the mate of the Mary Johnson. "Same here/ replied Captain Bolger; " it feels that thick one could almost take a knife and cut chunks off it and throw 'em about." The Mary had rounded Cape Horn, and was making good progress northabout, when, all of a sudden, she had, at eight bells that night, run into a windless patch of blackness the calmness and intensity of which were such as none on board remembered experiencing. So thick was the darkness that captain and mate, standing almost touching, were utterly invisible to each other. Nor could any part of the ship be discerned, as she lay motionless without creak of truss or parrel or slightest lift of sail. Even the rndder was still, and the wheel-chains gave never a rattle. The only point of light came from the binnacle, a yellow blot that itself seemed choked by the woolly blackness surrounding it. Presently, a man getting a drink at the scuttle-butt let the tin dipper rattle, and the noiee made men jump and stare aloft, thinking that a yard had carried away. " Phew ! " exclaimed Bolger, " dashed if it don't smell black ! An' you can feel it in your throat, can't you, Hopkins ? " "Aye, sir," replied the latter, his voice sounding muffled and dull, " this beats my time. It's onnarural, to my way of thinking. A regular phenomener, that's what it is." "Umph," grunted the other, crustily, " thaf s what whipper- snapper - double - barrel 'ud call it, no doubt, if he were here. An' he'd put a name to it as long as his ship's. Well, I s'pose," he continued, and you could almost hear the grin of the old chap, " that he's flyia' along somewhere in the nor'-east trades afore this."

He had scarcely spoken when from away abeam came a noise sounding like the bark of a dog. " Eh ? " said Bolger. " Seal ! " said Hopkins. " Your grandmother ! " said the skipper. " What'ud one be doing in twenty degrees south ? It's a dog. There he is again. It's a ship run into this stinkin' patch o' black fog an' pitch." Indistinct and dull though the sounds were, there presently seemed little doubt that they really proceeded from a dog. " Skipper's bow-wow on the Terpsicenrry," hazarded the mate. " That big black-an'-white brute that collared tho bosun the night we had the rumpus- " "Aye, aye, like enough," interrupted Bolger, impatiently. " Anyhow, if s along way off by the sound. If double-barrel's in here, all his dashed science won't get him out of it any faster than us." . " Isn't that a light, or the reflection of one?" asked the mate, sharply. "Why, it's aboard of us! Con ," but he had lime for no more, when, with a dull, grating, rumbling sound, accompanied by one of snapping and crackling aloft, a great mass snugged up, as it were, alongside the Mary Johnson and remained there, whilst arose from many throats a wild chorus of shouts, threats and cursas, mingled with the furious barking of a dog. "What on earth is it?" roared Bolger, dancing frantically along his poop and peering with useless eyes, now aloft, now outboard, at the faint splash of yellow light alone visible. " Ship ahoy !" he hailed. "What the blazes are you doin' runnin' into me like that?" " Ahoy, ahoy !" retorted a muffled voice, f as more dull yellow blotches became visible through tha black mist. "Isn't the sea wide enough for you, but that you must come blundering into people in such a fashion ? Who the deuce are you ?" "Mary Johnson, of London, homeward bound from Sydney. Get your boats over and pull yourself out of our road afore you ! do more mischief. What sort of confounded I soger3 are you, anyhow? Clear off, now ! j What's your name ?" " Don't be in such a hurry," was what the reply sounded like. " Get your own boats out if you want to," followed by something suspiciously resembling laughter from the stranger. "Terpsic-cnrry, or I'm a dago!" exclaimed Mr Hopkin3, as the carpenter came aft and reported a tight ship. "Chips," he continued, " serve out all the tomahawks you can find." Then, turning to the captain, he-continued, " I think, sir, we'd better send some hands aloft to cut away. We're evidently fast up there." "Do as you like," replied Bolger, wrathf nlly. " But they'll only chop their fingers off ! Why, man," he exclaimed, in furious tones, •' we might ha 1 well be born blind, like puppies' an' kittens, for all the use our eyesight is to us ! " However, the mate had his way; and presently in the blackness could be heard voices and the noise of chopping as the men lay out on the yards and cut at intertwisted stays, lifts and braces. Also it soon became evident that the other ship had its crew similarly employed. And in a while it seemed from the sounds of shouting and Bweariug up there in the smother that at several points the two parties had met. The hulls, after the first impact, had separated, some dozen or so feet now lying between them. But their yards and rigging being still foul, gave them a heavy list towards each other. Lights there were in plenty, but so feebly did they show through the thick, woolly darkness, dank now with heavy dew, that they were quite useless. Still, there was no doubt whatever that the vessel was the Terpsichore, thuo strangely hugging her rival in mid-ocean and midnight. And it was passing curious to hear the hailing of the hands for'ard from respective forecastle - heads and yards. "Is that bricky- headed Shetlander aboard ?" "Aye, an' hell be punchin' your heid if he got a chance agen, same as he done afore." : " Where's that farmer with the game leg!" " 'Ere, an' ready to use it on your ugly karkuss, whoever you is." " Lef s 'ear from the Irish soger as I give the father ov a thrashing to that Saturday night on the quay. Or 'as 'c lost 'is voice through fright ?" " Arrah, tliin, me foine bhoy, if Oi had yez aboard here its sinking an entoirelr different kind ay a song yo'd be — so ut wud." Aft, old Bolger hurled defiance with a rough tongue and a vocabulary that never failed. But there was no response from the Terpsichore's poop. Which contemptuous silence made him more furious than ever. And although no verbal answer was returned to his taunts and invective, that somebody appreciated them was evident ; for, presently, ho was hit in the face by a lump of canvas, dipped in tar, and rolled and tied into ball-shape. At this, rushing to his cabin, he seized a gun, but luckily was unable to find any ammunition for it ; so was fain to cool down and let the steward get the tar (which was of the variety known as " coal/ and therefore burnt savagely) off his face. Meanwhile, the night wore on, black, braathless, damp. And inasmuch as nothing is ever perfectly motionless at sea, tlie scrips drifted with

leg!"

their hulls still held apart by interlocking spars and gear. Finding 1 the men alcft could neither see nor feel to do anything hut further mischief, they had been recalled, and both vessels waited impatiently for dawn — if another one there -was to be. For, as to tins last matter, amongst the men was some doubt, none of them having ever in their using of the sea experienced anything like it. But at last the darkness lifted, leaving,, however, a thick fog behind it. At sunrise .that also rose, disclosing an extraordinary" spectacle, at least to a seafarer's eye. Almost exactly abreast, the ships leaned over to each other with a considerable list, whilst all their top - hamper was intertwisted and commingled. The Mary Johnson had been lying with her yards braced well up on to the port tack, when the Terpsichore had floated so gently down and hugged her with her own yards nearly square. The result was almoatindescribable. The Terpsichore's upper fore and main topgallant yards had jammed in the corresponding rigging of the Mary; whilst the latter's lower topsail yardarm was driven through- the Terpsichore's topmast rigging, and ao on, and so on. All the lower yards were free. It was exactly as if the two ships had been a couple of angry fighting women, and had seized each other by the hair, whilst keeping their bodies clear of each other. But so gently had the thing been done that, bar a few backstays, bracepennants, and lifts carried away, no damage of much importance had taken place. Certainly, the least draught of air, a cat's-paw almost, just to fill the light sails, would result in ruin instant and widespread to both ships, all of whose topgallant and royal masts would go — if not some of the greater spars into the bargain. Seeing this, there was little need to issue orders ; and already men were pushing, pulling, and, in unavoidable cases, cutting lanyards and seizings until, at last, and after a work of no little difficulty and danger, the clearing was effected, and with trailing gear each vessel, released, sprang back to an even keel again. And whilst busy ab repairs — rigging preventer backstays, splicing, fitting, and setting vp — the Homeric war of tongues between the crews commenced afresh. Wayland-Ferrars was walking his poop whilst Bolger stumped the Mary's, pausing every now and then to roar out what he thought of the Terpsichore, her officers, crew, and owners. But of these compliments the other skipper took no notice, only anxiously looking up at the sky or overside at the water. The former, however, was cloudless, the latter like paint. And the ships were evidently coming together again. Never perhaps had there been a situation quite like it, even at sea, the home of curious happenings. It would have been simple enough to have got a couple of boats over and towed the ships a fair distance apart. But, apparently, neither of their captains cared about being the first to sta,rt. Instead, fenders were placed in position and yards braced sharp up on opposite tacks, so as to do as little mischief as possible. Bolger had hoisted the Red Lion, the other his Blue Star, and botfi house flags hung from their halliards like dead fish in the stirless air. Presently, having exhausted all the sea taunts he could think of, one of the Mary Johnson's men picked up a piece of coal from a bucket the cook was carrying, and threw it at a group on the Terpsichore's forecastle-head. It hit a man, drawing blood ; and with a roar of anger a storm of missiles were sent hurling aboard the Mary. Now, it is not easy to procure things throwable on board of a ship, but the captain of the Terpsichore had before leaving, as it happened, laid in a big stock of Sydney sandstone to scour his decks with ; and this, being presently broken up, made splendid ammunition. Volleys of those sharp-edged fragments were now poured on the men of the Mary Johnson, who could only retort expensively with lumps of coal, banks, or such odd bits of scrap-iron as they might lay hands on. Nor, as perhaps might have been expected, did Captain Wayland - Ferrars interfere. Although neither allowing himself nor his officers to reply to the abuse lavished on them by Bolger, Hopkins, and the other of the Mary Johnson's afterguard, he was actually very angry. Thus, when he saw his men possessed an immeasurable advantage over their opponents, he tacitly permitted them to go ahead. Which they did; for presently finding that the Mary Johnson's bulwarks afforded her crew too much shelter, they took ammunition into their tops and crosstrees, and thence pelted with effect. As for Bolger, he simply foamed with, impotent rage. Had there been firearms to be tised, he undoubtedly would have used them. But there was neither powder nor shot to be found. A lump of sandstone hit him on the skins ; another bit broke iv pieces against his shoulders. Every moment missiles struck the poop — the binnacle was badly dented, and some of the glass in the skylights cracked. Cursing bitterly, he picked up pieces and hurled them at his enemy standing on the Terpsichore's poop, calm and unconcerned, smoking, with his hands in his pockets. But the rain of stones grew so fierce that he had at length to seek shelter in the companion along with Hopkin9, only emerging now and again to heave an empty bottle at the foe. Superiority in numbers on this occasion availed his crew nothing. And the Terpsichores were simply wild with delight, not only at the fun and excitement of the thing, out the chance that offered cf paying off some old Sydney scores. The Mary Johnson's cook ran aft to protest. There was none too much coal in the forepeak. A ton already must have been hurled on board the other ship. Supplies must be stopped, or there would bo no more cooking done. Nor could the missiles of the enemy be used with any effect by their recipients, as, generally, the sandstone thrown from such a height Bmashed to atoms. And presently the Terpsichore's topmen and those in her cross-trees had the Mary Johnson's decks fairly cleared, so sharp and true were their volleys. " Haul down that rag !" roared the boa.tswain of the Terpsichore, standing on the rail and pointing to the house-flag, "or we'll come aboard and haul it down for ye !" At which insult Bolger rushed from his shelter, and with a deftly-thrown lemonade bottle— the last of a few dozen that the after guard had been using — very neatly knocked the boatswain off his perch. And all the time tho ships had dra*vn closer, until almost in the same position as the night before. Tho Mary Johnson's deck was deserted, and looked like a coal and sandstone quarry. Her galley funnel was bent and twisted, and all the glass bulls-eyes of her deckhouse on one side were starred and fractnred, whilst her paint and brasswork was scratched and bruised. If a man only showed his head now it was a signal for a shower of well-aimed stones; so everyone kept under shelter. Suddenly a man jumped on to her main yardarm from the Terpsichore's — braced round to meet it — and, nnperceived, ran along the spar and into the Mary Johnson's top. From here, ! reaching out, he cut the signal halliards, and hauling down the house-flag, tied it round his waist and regained his own ship, saluted by aburst of cheering that puzzled the others mightily. Hardly had the Bed Lion been hoisted at the Terpsichore's main skysail-pole under the Blue Star, when a faint, air came blowing little ripples along the water. The light sails flapped and filled and fell, then rose and filled again. Growing stronger, the wind next caught the topsails and enabled the Terpsichore to make a stern-board, taking away a couple of the Mary Johnson's backstays as she went. Cheer upon cheer arose as she cleared the Mary, whose men were now on deck gazing stupidly and unbelievingly at their house-flag standing out stiff to the breeze under that of their enemy. Bolger nearly had a fit when he fully realised what had happened, raving about the littered decks like a madman, whilst Wayland-Ferrars waved him aa ironical

salute, and his men sent a last volley rattling about his ears. Chapter 111. Olh TJPON TBOOBJCED WATEifc. It is not putting it too strongly to say that the abduction of his house-flag cast not only a gloom over Captain Bolger's spirits, but over those of the ship's company as well. Any sailor worth his salt believes in his ship, and the Mary Johnson's crowd felt their defeat and disgrace more keenly than the bruises and outs which smarted so sorely on their bodies. "Well never have any luck," said Bolger, despondently, to his mate, "after letting a scowbank of a turnpike-sailor like that get to win'ard of us in such fashion. Why, cuss it, we'll be the laughin'-stock o' the Port o' London if the yarn gets about !" " Well, we licked 'em ashore, anyhow, replied Hopkins, resignedly, " and if we'd only thought of laying in a ton or two o' holystones, we'd have done it again at sea. And, anyhow, sir, perhaps they won't be iDclined to blow about their victory much, seem' as if s a police court matter. Why, damme, it's piracy on the high seas — comin' aboard and stealing the company's flag that way !" But Bolg'or refused to be comforted. Nor did it improve his temper when one day they met a big cargo steamer, with a blue star on her white funnel, whose skipper as she slipped by hailed from her bridge, amidst loud laxighter from the erew — "There's a chap ahead, yonder, who wants an owner for a house-flag he's picked up somewhero. It's got a red lion on it, and they're using ili for a tablecloth in the fok'sle, just at present, till the owner comes along." Very poor wit, doubtless. But Bolger had no heart to retaliate otherwise than by shaking his fist at the steamer's men, grinning over weather cloths aft and rail for'ard. " I'm clone with the sea," he said to his chief mate. " This is my last trip. Thank the Lord, I've been able to put a bit aside, an' I've got a cottage an' an acre or two o' j ground just outside o' Marget. An', any- j how, they were tallrin', last time I was | home, o' sellin' the Mary to the Norwegians. So let 'em. I don't want no more sea. It's got beyond my days an' ways." " Old man's got his lemon down bad," remarked Mr Hopkins to the second mate? "and I didn't want to trouble him by saying so; but if we'd stopped alongside o' the Torp3ic-cnrry much longer she'd ha' curried us properly. When I took a squint, just before the breeze came, I saw 'em getting yip steam in the donkey, and leading hose along the deck. You may bot they meant to try and wash us down with boiling water, or some treat like .that. I couldn't stop to fairly make sure* what their little game was, for I got a clout with a stone that knocked all the wind out of me." After a while, it really seemed as if the captain of the Mary Johnson's presentiment of ill-lnck was only too well founded ; for one night, when running heavily off the Western Islands, she was brought by the lee, taken aback, and all three masts had to be cut away before she righted, a hopeless wreck in the most dreadful accident that can befall a ship. There was a tremendous sea on that constantly swept her decks and gave her crew a terrible night's work to clear the mess of spars .and gear that threatened ©very moment to knock a hole in her sides. By a miracle almost, no one had been killed or carried overboard. But their caseseemed hopeless when morning dawned and showed them the naked hull with only three jagged fangs— the tallest not 6ft high — whereto lately had appeared the stately grove-of spays. Noc a sound boat was left ; and, to make matters worse, the carpenter presently reported three feet of water in, the well. The skipper setting an example, tlioy went to. the pumps, but the big seas that came aboard nearly washed them away from the brakes, rendering their efforts doubly severe and fatiguing. Still they worked on doggedly as only British seamen could have done, and the clank of the pumps sounded incessantly all that long morning watch, whilst the workers' ears eagerly listened for the " suck" that should tell of a dry ship below foot ever she might be above. With her naked bows lifted one moment in streaming protest to the shrieking sky, the next buried fathoms deep, the hull lurched and pitched, and rolled in such a shocking fashion as made the oldest sailor sick, and the hearts of all grow faint within them as they marked the wild straining plunges and frantic wallowings, seemingly enough to divorce any timbers ever put together by human hands. "Three foot ten," said the carpenter, sounding as well as he was able at the end of the last long spell. " I'm afeared she'll never suck no more." And the captain, seeing no use in killing his men for nothing, ordered everybody aft into such shelter as could be fonnd. The saloon was as yet comparatively dry. But nobody cared about staying there, what with the terrific hurly-burly, intensified below, and the knowledge that the ship was sinking. So life-lines being rig-ged fore and aft the poop, all hands secured themselves and stolidly watched the huge combers that burst across the fore-part of the doomed vessel, at times even sweeping over the poop itself and hurling tho men together in half-drowned heaps as the lines slackened under the tremendous pressure. So the gloomy day wore on, the captain and his mates, at the risk of being swept overboard, twice bringing provisions and drink from the saloon and serving them out to the men. "We'll drown better fnll-belliod than fasting," said the old skipper, grimly. The water was over a man's knees in the saloon now ; and the hull no longer tossed and tumbled like a cork, but sagged and floundered heavily and Lifelessly amongst the topping seas that encompassed it, rising with difficulty, and seeming glad to sink wearily down between their green slope 3. Late in the af Lernoon, quite near them, hove up all of a sudden on the awful seamountains, they saw a ship ; saw her for a minute and then lost her again, then saw her again. She was a big, painted-port vessel, running under her two lower topsails and a staysail for'ard. And she evidently saw them, for she kept away three or four points, and came straight towards the wreck. But the castaways rose no cheer, no hope came into their saltincrusted faces. Human help in such a sea could avail naught. The dusk of the evening wa3 at hand, making objects ' indistinct. Bub some sailors know a ship they have even only once seen, as Australian busbmen do a horse ; and a murmur rose from tho crow of the Mary Johnson, lashed to their lifelines, as the stranger, thrown up on the brow of a great combor, lent over held by some invisible hand, as it seemed, a hundred feet above them, and they Tecognised the Terpsichore. For a minute she hung there, then disappeared, hidden on the far side of tho wall of water that rolled on and broke over the wreck in one great mass of spray and foam from stem to stern. Once more they saw her, topping another and a smaller roller, and noted that from her peak the red ensign now blew out rigid as if made of painted steol. Then a rain squall hid her, and when it cleared the darkness had fallen. " A cussed Eooshian or a Turk couldn't ha' done less," growled a sailor. " Blow it man," retorted another, bitterly, " what more cud he do only give us a last look at the old flag ?" " He might have stood by us," remarked Hopkins to the captain, closa to whom he was lashed, "although, come to think of it, there wouldn't be much use in that, for I don't believe the poor old Mary '11 last the night. I wonder if he knew us." "Aye, aye," growled Bolger. "Hod reco'nise us, right enough. But give the devil his due and fair play. This weather takes a man all he can do tolook out for his own ship without actin' hidey-go-seek around a sinkiu' hull. You knows as well as I do that the Channel Squadron an' the Admiral to boot couldn't do us any good by stoppin' to stare at us now. For my part, the sooner it's over the better."

As he spoke, a rocket deft the murky sky astern of them, succeeded quickly by, another and another. A stifled cheer thati was half a groan broke from the men as they saw that, alter all, they were nofci deserted. For although no one had; acknowledged it, the eight of that vessel apparently leaving them had intensified the bitterness of the death they looked upon as inevitable. "Why, damme, if he ain't wearin' ship to ' get to wind'ard of us !" shouted old Bolger. "•Well, who'd ha' thought he'd had grit and nous enough to do that in such a sea ? Come up all I have ever-said agenthechap. See, there goes another rocket ! Well, I don't know~what good he can do us, even if we lasttfll daylight. Still, it's company,; an' pute heart into a man, anyhow. Let's have a drink round — to his health !" They drank, handing the demijohn of rum from oneto the other. And then, with, new life in their souls, they mad© out to find and light a riding-lamp, whioh they, lashed to the stump of the mizzenmast, all' with infinite pain and difficulty. But they were rewarded when they saw red, blue,' 1 and green stars rise dead to windward,, ■ • taking it as assign their signal was understood. And,.oh, the comfort through the dreary, dark hours of those other lofty ; harbingers of hope ascending now here, j now there, as the Terpsichore manoeuvred; so skilfully in tbat terrible Atlantic; weather to keep the weather-gauge. Some-' times she came so close that, but for the| roar of the water and yell of the wind, theyj might have hailed each other; anon sh* would seem miles away. But always she, returned, appearing almost at the same spot — a most noble exhibition of seaman-: ship, that repeatedly brought praise to' the lips of those who watohed— aore though' their plight was. " Damme," Temarked old Bolger, actually , with a note of contrition in his hoarse voice, "the feller's a sailor after all, spit©' o' his haw-haw ways an' dandy togs ! Well, ' who'd ha' thought it? Cuss me, if I ain't' ; sorry that we had that bit of a shine in> Sydney — time I give him free rum ! How-: ever, he's got square for that sinee — an*| boot. Gettin* lower, ain't' she, Hopkins,! this last hour or so ?" > ' ' " Feet," answered the first officer, laconically. " She's like a Thames billyboy 'midships and for*ard." "An* the win's as strong as- ever," added the boatswain. "But hang me if I don't ■think the .sea's gone down a bit '." And, indeed, the groat billows, in place of breaking as formerly, now came in upon them with rounded tops like rolling downs . of darkness, lazily, and as if bereft of all their late spite and vigour. "If she'd bad* full freights' wool she'd 1 ha' floated for days yet, maybe," Baid the mate, thxowing-off his bowline. "But if s that infernal .dead-weight o' copper ore, .an* lead, an' antimony, an' the Lord knows whaVthati;he water's got amongst, and is forcing its way through. However, shy here's one who's going to ha-ve-a swim for it in that smooth stuff. There's juska chance; ' "Not me/ replied old Bolger, "13 , sooner go down all standin'. But please yourself; ifs a free ship now. Halloa, what's the illoomination for?"" Ab he spoke, a huge flare lit up the sea,, showing the Terpsichore so close to thatsomeof the men mechanically shouted at her whilst she hung on top of one of the sluggish rounded billows, a wondrous figure of a ship standing out silhouetted in yellow flame against the black background of inky sky. "Why," shouted a man, "sinfcmeiF'a ain't got his fore-tawpsl to the mast!" "Dunder!" bellowed one of the only l two foreigners of the crew, jumping in excitement. "He yob lower de boat ! Ach Gott, derjprave mans as ye vos fight rait !*" But before- one-could make quite-certain, the ship was hidden again, just a yellow flush in thethick air showing where she lay< When she rose again, however, it could be plainly seen that not one but two boats were in the water, whilst a fresh flare cast ifea light almost acrosß the intervening stretch of sea,.so close had the-Terpsichora approached. "Well, may Ibe drowned !" exclaimed Bolger, as he eyed- with amazement the boats, looking like white flakes on hillß of shining ink as they toiled up one hugs slope, hidden from sight, then shot like arrows adown the next in full view .of the watchers, who 'B wore and cheered in thob excitement. "Heaving lines ready for the oravi hearties:!" shonted the mate; "they'll b« smashed to splinters if they come along' side." " Why, darn my rags!"" exclaimed th« botswain, "if that ain't the skipper o' the Terpsio-ourry hisself at the steer oar o' the first boat." And with that a roaring cheer went up from those on the wrecks Bolger leading, as the skilfully-handled boats swept almost level with the lee poop* rail, and the bow oar in each, catching the lfoea flung to them, lay off from the heaving, crashing roll of the rising stern, to approach which meant instant de* Btrnction. • It was a twenty-foot jump — but then was nothing else for it, as the combers by this time wore marching in procession clean over the vessel amidships, whilst where they lay the boats were in someflort •sheltered. Still burning tar-barrels and ■ oakum soaked in oil, the Terpsichore had drifted so near that one could see, each time she hove up. white faces eagerly gazing over her rail at the weird scene made almost as light as day — the wreck submerged almost to the break of the poop on which a crowd of men were gathered, the boats rising and falling on the smooth-topped billows moaning in sullen, checked ferocity as they rolled away into the .darkness. The first to jump was a little boy, undei whose arms Bolger himself fastened the two lines, one from a boat and the other from the ship, and bade him be of good cheer, for that there- was no-danger. "Aye, aye, sir," replied the lad, boldly, and without pause leapt off the rail into the top of acomber, whilst those on board paid out and the boat's orew hauled in. It was ticklish work ; but for the light it would have been dreadful, and but for the tame seas impossible. Half - smothered, the youngster was dragged safely on board. Then another: forecastle lad jumped. And flien the men went in quick succession as both boats came into use. And most fortunate was it that the captain of the Terpsichore had brought his second life-boat, for, as Bolger, the last man to leave, was hauled in spluttering, gasping and snorting-, the Mary Johnson rose her stern perpendicularly, Btayed in that position a moment,, and then disappeared. "Crumbs and scissors J" growled Bolger, as he found his breath. " Whaf b come to the sea? Ugh! it's turned into a cursed oil tank. " I've swallowed quarts of it." " And.no wonder, after all we've used," replied somebody, laughing. "I expect the ship'll be on Bhort allowance of paint from this to home." "So that* s the wrinkle, is it?" said Hopkins. " I've heard of it, but never saw it used before. Anyhow, it's saved a crowd from feeding the fishes this good night-of our Lord." The getting on board the Terpsichore was a difficult business. But it was over at last ; and, as the davit-falls were made fast, old Bolger, bareheaded and dripping, pushed his way through the men to where her captain was standing,and, catching the other's hand in a great, hard grip, he shook it heartily, saving : " Captain Wayland-Feixars^'ve goMxv&o afore all hands what I neverthought could happen. An' that iB to apologise fully tof ye for everythin' I've done and saad about ye and your ship. You're a gentleman, an', sir, you're whaf s more— an' that'B a sailor— man. Tm only a rough old shellback myself, sir, as has lost his ship an* had Jhis day ; and I'll ask ye toinake allowances. Sir, I'm proud to shake a man's hand whose proved himself able an' willin* to do what you've done this night forme an* mine, an' which thore'sreiyf ewothersailoat, as I believe, could ha' done. Now, then, you Mary's," he continued, "a oheer for the Terspic-curry an' her skippe^-an' alliiands belongin' to her. Crack jrour throafevjny bullies !" And thus ended "the-feudHbefeween the Bod Lion and the Blue Star— not yet by any means an. old. etorj:.rtrpoa.the.4ugh seas. °