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diff --git a/76263-h/76263-h.htm b/76263-h/76263-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8a9a3d2 --- /dev/null +++ b/76263-h/76263-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,564 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <title> + Heritage of the Sea | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; visibility: hidden;} } +hr.full {width: 95%; margin-left: 2.5%; margin-right: 2.5%;} +div.chapter {page-break-before: always;} +h2.nobreak {page-break-before: avoid;} + +x-ebookmaker-drop {display: none;} + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap { font-variant:small-caps; } + +/* Images */ +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + +.caption p +{ + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0; + margin: 0.25em 0; + font-weight: bold; +} + +div.titlepage { + text-align: center; + page-break-before: always; + page-break-after: always; +} + +div.titlepage p { + text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + font-weight: bold; + line-height: 1.5; + margin-top: 3em; +} + +.ph1 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph1 { font-size: x-large; margin: .83em auto; } + +.ph2 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; } +.ph2 { font-size: medium; margin: .83em auto; } + + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76263 ***</div> + +<div class="titlepage"> + +<h1>Heritage of the Sea</h1> + +<p class="ph1">By CAPT. W. R. BETHEL</p> + +<p><i>Fog blinded the captains of the<br> +vessels on Long Island Sound—blinded<br> +them to everything but honor.</i></p> + +<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br> +Argosy All-Story Weekly March 2 1929.<br> +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br> +the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p>In the exact center of the bridge of the lightless vessel, the lanky +captain leaned far out over the dripping weather apron and listened +tensely into the murky darkness of Long Island Sound. Astern and to the +starboard, the Montauk bell buoy tolled faintly as it was left behind. +Far off to the right the distant clanging of other buoys came from the +Connecticut shore.</p> + +<p>"<i>Gr-r-r-r-r-unh!</i>" a bass whistle grunted up ahead. That would be the +Fall River boat.</p> + +<p>"<i>Gr-r-r-r-unh!</i>" again she grunted, dead ahead.</p> + +<p>The captain whirled his head and spoke in a hoarse whisper to the man +at the wheel.</p> + +<p>"Port a bit, Sims!"</p> + +<p>"Aye, sir!"</p> + +<p>The slowly moving rum-runner veered slightly as she answered the +suppressed rattle of the steering engine in the bowels of the ship.</p> + +<p>The harsh chuffing of the Fall River boat began to cough closer, and in +a moment her fog-veiled lights hove into view to the starboard.</p> + +<p>"<i>Gr-r-r-r-r-unh!</i>" her fog horn blared as she churned eastward at +half speed toward the open Atlantic. From along the black side of the +rum-runner came the slosh and sucking of the wave the big steamer had +raised, and the smaller vessel rose and fell softly upon it for an +instant as it crept along.</p> + +<p>"<i>Hoo-o-o-o-ooh!</i>" That would be the Boston turbine.</p> + +<p>"Starboard a hair, Sims!"</p> + +<p>"Starboard, sir!"</p> + +<p>"<i>Hoo-o-o-o-ooh!</i>"</p> + +<p>A dripping gray shape with phosphorescent rows of dim lights along her +decks forged by, high over the port rail.</p> + +<p>"<i>Wh-a-a-a-h!</i>" a seagoing tug spoke astern, and in a moment she +wallowed by out of sight on the port side.</p> + +<p>Here and there all over the Sound, vessels were blaring and tooting +their warnings and giving their answers as they forged up and down the +channel and crossed between Connecticut and the Long Island shore.</p> + +<p>The rum-runner's captain craned farther out and strained his ears as he +exactly placed the nearest of them. The dank fog was congealing on his +oilskins and dripping from his face. He straightened up and groped for +the speaking tube. Thrusting it to his lips he growled a terse order to +the man deep below in the engine room.</p> + +<p>"Give me half speed, chief, until I change it!"</p> + +<p>He clanked the tube back on its hook and as he craned out again the +ship began to vibrate gently to the increased throttle.</p> + +<p>A man who had been standing silently in the starboard wing clutched the +bridge rail and groped over beside the captain.</p> + +<p>"You no thinka you go too fast now, cap, hey?"</p> + +<p>His hand tugged at the captain's oilskin sleeve as he voiced the +question.</p> + +<p>The captain whirled his head and peered back over his shoulder at the +unseen speaker.</p> + +<p>"What the hell's biting you now, Joe?" he growled.</p> + +<p>The questioner prefaced his words with a chuckle, but there was panic +and hysteria in it.</p> + +<p>"I no lika this fog too moch. Too moch traffic in dam Sound thisa +night. You no thinka we run too fast, cap?"</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The captain shoved himself erect.</p> + +<p>"Feet gettin' cold, huh? Well, this is just our sort of weather, Joe. +We'll slide to Oldfield Point under cover of the fog, slip the stuff +to your men at the landing, and then we'll turn tail and hop out +again. The chasers 'll be wondering whatinell happened this time. This +is our eighth trip in together. I'm another thousand to the good and +you're another hundred thousand. I never see you get scared before. +What are you kicking about?"</p> + +<p>"I no feela right, cap! I have hoonch this time not so good! Listen, +cap, you no think we better back up and get back out for less foggy +time?"</p> + +<p>Up ahead two big fog horns blared. A long, lean tanker loomed out of +the murk and grazed by.</p> + +<p>"Aw, damn it, Joe, shut up! Get to hell away from me! How can I con +this ship with your bazoo going? Scat! Get over where you was and make +a noise like a mouse!"</p> + +<p>"Leesten, cap!" Hysteria was making the Italian's voice tremble +reedily. "You better swing round and put back out! I got two hunderd +t'ousand dollars' wort' on board here. I lose that an' my guarantee on +thisa vessel, see?"</p> + +<p>"Aw! Go back where you was, I told ye!"</p> + +<p>He gave the scared Italian a shove away from him.</p> + +<p>Joe Parento shuffled back along the rail and whined his woes to himself +as he peered, listening desperately, into murk from the starboard wing. +The fog had constantly thickened, and he dodged back as a huge black +tramp wallowed by so close he could almost have reached out and touched +it.</p> + +<p>"For Heaven's sake, cap!" He scrambled over and again tugged at the +captain's sleeve.</p> + +<p>"Get to hell away, Joe! You're yellow as a Chink! I haven't lost a dime +yet for you and I've made you a million while I was makin' seven grand +for myself. What's got you scared of a little hatful of fog?"</p> + +<p>He groped for the speaking tube.</p> + +<p>"Give her another twenty revolutions, chief," his tense growl spoke +down the tube.</p> + +<p>"<i>Per Dio!</i>" swore the Italian. "You get crazy lika the hell!"</p> + +<p>"Sh! Listen!"</p> + +<p>The captain craned out again.</p> + +<p>"<i>Wh-a-a-a-h! Whuh! Whuh! Whuh!</i>"</p> + +<p>The captain chuckled.</p> + +<p>"That's the Bridgeport-Port Jeff ferry! He's divin' over, and he's +makin' it! Bully for him, and I'm glad he's out of our way!"</p> + +<p>Two big fog horns began booming, in question and answer, off to the +port quarter ahead.</p> + +<p>"Them big fellows are gettin' worried," he growled half to himself, +"gettin' close together and neither one knows just where t'other one is +exactly!"</p> + +<p>"<i>Hoo-o-o-o-ooh! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!</i>"</p> + +<p>"<i>Gr-r-r-r-r-unh! Grr! Grr!</i>"</p> + +<p>In a moment came a long blast followed at an interval by two short +grunts.</p> + +<p>"By Godfrey, that was a close shave for 'em!" enthused the captain of +the rum-runner, <i>sotto voce</i>.</p> + +<p>He spoke into the speaking tube.</p> + +<p>"Cut her to half throttle, chief!" he murmured.</p> + +<p>He felt the Italian's hand trembling on his sleeve.</p> + +<p>"You no thinka we better turna back, cap? I have hoonch thisa time we +have trooble, hey, what you theenk?"</p> + +<p>The captain grabbed the quivering hand on his sleeve and with his +calloused clutch he firmly tore the hand away.</p> + +<p>"You give me the heebie-jeebies, Joe! Whyn't you be reasonable? What're +you askeard of?"</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Something up ahead caught his ear and he half crawled out on the +weather apron.</p> + +<p>"There's some damned thing up ahead of us goin' our way with no lights +either! She ain't a hundred fathoms ahead of us!" he blurted as he +crawled back. He put the mouth-piece of the tube to his lips.</p> + +<p>"Hey, chief! Cut her to about forty revolutions and stand by! May need +full speed astern any moment!"</p> + +<p>He spoke in a tense whisper to the man at the wheel.</p> + +<p>"Port a bit, Sims! Steady as you go!"</p> + +<p>"Steady, sir!"</p> + +<p>The captain started to stretch out over the apron again and a rasping +sound from up ahead caused him to pause, tensely listening. A big siren +and a hoarse whistle blared at the same instant. A terrific smashing, +grinding crash leaped to a crescendo of harsh noise. Excited voices +shrilled across the water.</p> + +<p>The rum boat captain's voice rose to an excited snarl.</p> + +<p>"They've met head on! It's this feller ahead of us and somepin. It's +one of them big fellers that's got him! He's either a booze boat like +us or he's a chaser!"</p> + +<p>The Italian was sniveling.</p> + +<p>"Cap, you turn back, cap, you hear me?"</p> + +<p>The captain gave him a shove that sent him scurrying to the end of the +bridge. From up ahead came the jangle of ship's bells and the sharp +coughs of the exhausts.</p> + +<p>"Hell's bells! The big fellow's rammed 'em and he's runnin' off to +leave 'em drown!"</p> + +<p>The lights of the oncoming steamer loomed out of the fog and bore down +on them, scraped along the side and moved by. The bootleg captain +snatched up a flash light and snapped it on as he dashed to the wing, +and he roughly elbowed the Italian aside as he thrust it upward to peer +at the vessel. Scared yellow faces blinked down at him from along the +rail.</p> + +<p>"You yellow devils!" the captain shrilled up at them. "What you runnin' +off for after ramming a vessel?"</p> + +<p>He glimpsed the word "<i>Maru</i>" on the stern of the tramp as she surged +by with engines pounding full speed ahead.</p> + +<p>He leaped to the speaking tube.</p> + +<p>"Shut her down, chief, and let her drift! Somebody rammed up ahead. +Don't want to smash into one of their boats or run down anybody +swimmin'. Stand tight by the tube, too! I may want to use the engine +quick at any time!"</p> + +<p>His words leaped down the tube like pistol shots. He snatched the +megaphone down and whirling, shouted down to the deck.</p> + +<p>"Snap on the lights, mister!"</p> + +<p>"Aye, aye, sir!"</p> + +<p>The metal switch-box door clanged open as the thudding feet of the mate +reached it and his hand clawed it open. Globes of light sprang out +along the foggy deck and up in the wheelhouse.</p> + +<p>The captain bawled down the tube: "All right, chief! Hold her there! +Watch the indicator!"</p> + +<p>A bell clanged harshly as he rammed the telltale over to "Stop."</p> + +<p>"Man the boats! Get them hooks and life-rings out! Snap to it, mister! +Snap them carrions into it!" His voice was bawling through the short +megaphone. He sprawled out upon the weather apron and bawled ahead.</p> + +<p>"Ahoy, out there! Ahoy!" his voice roared and quavered.</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>Faintly through the fog came: "Ahoy! Ahoy! This way!"</p> + +<p>He sprang back into the bridge and grabbed wildly for the whistle +cord and the black steamer's hoarse whistle began to roar staccato +blasts which echoed and reëchoed into the night. Men were racing about +the deck to the sharp commands of the mate, which were punctuated by +thudding fists and heavy boot toes.</p> + +<p>Port and starboard davits creaked outward, and the ropes whined in the +sheaves as the lifeboats raced down and crashed into the water. The +gangplank clattered to the water's edge. The mate ran down it and began +to bawl through his megaphone. Up overhead the big whistle was still +booming.</p> + +<p>Up on the bridge Joe Parento, the bootleg king, was gaping open-mouthed +at the lanky captain, whose long arm was still yanking the whistle cord.</p> + +<p>"You stoppa that! You heara me? You quit it? You gone <i>lunatico</i>? +What's matter you, cap? Cut it out, now!"</p> + +<p>He leaped forward and seized the captain's arm with both his own and +dragged it down.</p> + +<p>"I'm goin' to stand by, Joe! They's men drowndin' out thar ef we don't +help 'em!"</p> + +<p>"Stand by lika the hell!" the Italian jabbered. "You crazy! Swing +'round! Head back out! You hear me, hey?"</p> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<div class="figcenter"> + <img src="images/illus.jpg" alt=""> + <div class="caption"> + <p><i>"You crazy!" the Italian jabbered. "Head back out!"</i></p> + </div> +</div> + +<hr class="chap"> + +<p>He groped in the pocket of his coat and came out with a snub-nosed +automatic.</p> + +<p>"Turn her 'round, cap, and don't waste no time, or I blow you to hell!" +His voice was a yelping scream.</p> + +<p>The captain sprang toward him with clenched fist and arm doubled back, +ready to strike. A lurid flame burst forth from the blunt muzzle of the +pistol and searing pain jabbed at the left shoulder of the seaman.</p> + +<p>"Drop the gun, wop!"</p> + +<p>His clenched fist smashed down and the gun exploded in mid-air as it +dropped toward the floor. The sturdy sea-muscled arm lashed upward and +the blocky fist crunched under Parento's chin, lifting him upward from +the floor and propelling him backward. He fell on his back with a thud. +The captain snatched up the fallen pistol and thrust it into the pocket +of his sou'-wester.</p> + +<p>The lifeboats were thumping against the vessel's side and grating along +as the riffraff crew returned with the swimmers they had rescued. The +captain picked up the unconscious body of the Italian bootleg king and +strode down the bridge stairs with it under his right arm. A patch +of blood was already oozing out from the burning hole in his left +shoulder, painting the yellow oilskin crimson.</p> + +<p>He deposited his unconscious burden upon the deck underneath an +electric light. Walking to the head of the gangplank, he bent to peer +downward, where dripping figures were climbing from the boats upon the +landing platform of the gangplank and starting up toward the deck.</p> + +<p>At the head of the line was a man in a blue uniform, and as he stepped +upon the deck he snorted with astonishment, for the menacing figure of +the captain shot out a long arm with a stubby automatic gripped in his +huge fist.</p> + +<p>"I'm grabbing for the sky, skipper!" the uniformed man chuckled, +stretching both his hands high overhead.</p> + +<p>"What vessel?" snarled the oilskin-clad figure.</p> + +<p>"Coast Guard cutter Quadras. We were laying without lights for the +rum-runner Bear, from St. John, when we got rammed by a Jap tramp who +went on and left us."</p> + +<hr class="tb"> + +<p>The blunt nose of the automatic whipped toward the face of the next +gaping man who stepped on the deck.</p> + +<p>"Hands up! Get 'em up, I said, damn you!"</p> + +<p>The gaunt skipper stepped to the side of the Coast Guard commander and +tapped the back of his coat with the back of his left hand. Finding +no hidden weapons, he thrust the pistol muzzle into the face of the +dumfounded seaman, who had frozen in his tracks at the top of the +gangplank.</p> + +<p>"I ain't got no gun, cap!" the man blurted.</p> + +<p>"Step ahead, then, you're blocking traffic!"</p> + +<p>One by one the others filed up and ranged along the deck, grinning +sheepishly, their hands uplifted.</p> + +<p>The Coast Guard commander turned to confront him.</p> + +<p>"I give you my word, sir, neither my men nor myself will commit an +overt act. We're too glad to be picked up, no matter who you may be."</p> + +<p>The skipper smiled grimly as he thrust the automatic into his pocket.</p> + +<p>"At your ease, men. Your arms might get stiff from keepin' 'em up so +long. I hate to do it, but I'm in honor bound to protect my cargo. This +is the rum-runner Bear, with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars' +worth of Canadian Club."</p> + +<p>The Coast Guard commander slapped his wet thigh and laughed heartily.</p> + +<p>"That's pretty rich!"</p> + +<p>A roar went up from the line of men, glad to enjoy a joke on themselves.</p> + +<p>Several of the rum vessel's crew came stalking up the gangplank, with +guns and knives gleaming in their hands, only to thrust them out of +sight and join in the laughter. Down on the landing platform the mate +was bawling to the men he had sent to scull the boats to the davit +falls.</p> + +<p>In a moment he came up, scowling, only to grin as he saw the good +nature of all hands. With a wave of his arm he sent men to the davits, +and in a few minutes the boats came bobbing up and were swung onto the +deck and made fast.</p> + +<p>Joe Parento crawled to his feet and came stumbling toward the group on +the deck with his hand nursing his bruised jaw. He gaped dazedly about +into the grinning faces. He gasped with fright as his eyes rested on +the blotch of blood which had oozed from the captain's left shoulder +and stained his oilskins.</p> + +<p>"I no go for to shoot you, cap, honest!" he denied.</p> + +<p>"Shut up!" the skipper roared. "Here's your gun! Better toss it over +the side, or you'll get into real trouble with it."</p> + +<p>He flung the gun to the Italian, who caught it and threw it over the +rail into the water.</p> + +<p>"Is everything snug, mister?" the skipper bawled to the mate.</p> + +<p>"Shipshape and Bristol fashion, sir!" the mate answered as he came to +the skipper's side.</p> + +<p>"Break out dry clothes for these sailors and find places for 'em to +sleep. Break out a half dozen quarts of whisky and give 'em a nip. +They've been wet and might catch cold."</p> + +<p>He spoke kindly to the captured commander.</p> + +<p>"If you'll come with me, sir, I'll show you your quarters up alongside +my own, and some dry clothes, and some real stuff, if you'll have it. +We'll be back at the twelve-mile line in an hour or so, and you can +wireless from one of the boats in the row for a cutter to come after +you and your men."</p> + +<p>As they walked by the switch-box he reached in and snapped off the +lights. His flash light glowed for a moment as he opened the door of +a cabin and ushered the rescued officer inside. Walking to his own +room, he came out with an armful of clothing and handed them to the +commander, telling him to don them in the dark. Then he lurched to the +ladder and climbed the bridge.</p> + +<p>"Half speed, chief, stand by for full!" he growled down the tube. +He swayed back and forth dizzily as his head swam from weakness and +gnawing pain in his left shoulder. The scuff of the Coast Guard +commander's shoes sounded as he climbed the steps and groped along the +bridge. His arm ran around the sagging waist of the skipper.</p> + +<p>"Better come on down and rest awhile yourself, sir," he suggested. "I'm +fresh, and I know this Sound as well as you do. I'll con the old tub +out and deliver her in Rum Row."</p> + +<p>He supported the faltering steps of the old man down the steps and +along to his stateroom, and then raced back to the bridge. Half +crawling out on the weather apron, he peered and listened into the +impenetrable murk. The black ship swung slowly around to his orders and +began to forge up the Sound out toward the open sea.</p> + + +<p class="ph2">THE END</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76263 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |