The Argosy — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

328 THE ARGOSY. ‘“Man overboard !”’ It’s acry that, once heard, rings in one’s ears for months. With a gale such as we were experiencing howling across the ocean, and the waves running as they were, it looked sure death to drop over the brig’s rail. I got a brief glimpse of a struggling figure just off our port bow. Sotnebody had fallen from the heel of the bowsprit, and it was a marvel the hull hadn’t struck the man and killed him outright as he went down. Everybody who could rushed to the port rail—men and officers together. Somebody pitched over a life belt and the mate tried to cast a rope to the man ; but both fell short. Just then the Sollowell began to sink by the head asd we coasted down one of those huge waves. We went by the half drowned wretch with a rush and I caught a glimpse of his white, fear stricken face. It was Sam Collins ! I had all I could do to keep the wheel steady, but I was aware that some- body had come out of the forecastle witha coil of rope in his hand and was running aft. When I looked again I recognized Jim Ledward. He held the coil of his horsehair lariat in his left hand, and was swinging the slack around his head preparatory for a cast. The Sollowell faltered a moment at the bottom of the decline, while the long green slope rose before us like a hill. I glanced swiftly over my shoulder. The mountainous wave behind was curled over until its boiling crest seemed fairly to hang over my head, and there, half out of the water, was the body of poor Sam Collins ! I shouted aloud. It looked as though wave, man, and all were about to descend upon the wheel ! Mechanically I clung to the spokes, but I gave the old brig up for lost, and her crew with her. As I turned to look forward again there was a flash before my eyes. Jim had made his cast. Then with a roar as of bursting thunder the wave broke, but the Sollo- _ well, like a steed urged by whip and spur, had bounded forward and was half up the slope of the next one. Asin a dream, I saw Jim run to the rail and the mate follow him. They hauled something in, hand over hand, and Jim and another sailor carried it below. ‘The mate came to me and took the wheel. ‘“A blessed close shave, that, Mark !’’ he bawledinmy ear. ‘‘ You look done up, man; go below.’’ And I went. I found Collins sitting up in his bunk, being dosed with something strong and hot, and looking about as a fellow does who has been snatched from the very jaws of death. Jim was coolly wiping his precious lariat with an old blouse and coiling it down on the mess table. I sat down weakly on the lower step of the forecastle ladder and looked at him. He looked up and saw my white face, and grinned cheerfully. ‘It’s mighty handy to ‘Raye a no-’count cow ies along on shipboard once in a while,’’ he said. But nobody aboard the Sollowell ever guyed Jim about his cow punching experiences again. Marcus D,. Richter. Eomichook (S@)