The Light Keepers: A Story of the United States Light-house Service

by Roy J. Snell

  CHAPTER XV.

  STORM-BOUND.

  Sidney made up a bed for himself in the kitchen, that he might be nearat hand in case either of the invalids should need attention, and it wasnearly three o'clock in the morning when Mr. Peters awakened him.

  "Why didn't you call me sooner?" the lad asked in a whisper, when he sawwhat time it was. "You had no right to do more than your share of thework."

  "Yes I had, Sonny. I'm tryin' to make up for my meanness, an' I'd bemighty glad if it was possible for me to get along without sleep tillCap'n Eph an' Uncle Zenas are in shape once more."

  Sidney could make no further protest, understanding as he did all thatwas in the first assistant's mind, and crept softly up-stairs to thewatch-room, while Mr. Peters lay down on the bed he had just vacated.

  The lad, eager to show his willingness to perform a full share of thework, remained on watch even after sunrise, and was busily engagedcleaning the lens when Mr. Peters came into the lantern, having beenawakened by Captain Eph.

  "I want you to understand, Sonny, that this 'ere thing won't go downwith me," he said sharply. "There's good reason why I ought'er do thebiggest part of this work, an' no call for you to strain yourself."

  "There's little chance of my doing anything of the kind," Sidney repliedlaughingly. "I thought it would be a good plan to let you get as muchsleep as possible; but so long as you're awake, I'll go down and seewhat kind of a breakfast I can fix up. How are they feeling thismorning?"

  "Uncle Zenas has still got a power of pain, an' I don't reckon there'smuch show of his bein' any easier for quite a spell. Cap'n Eph's leg issurely a sight. It's swelled twice the reg'lar size; but he won't givein that it hurts him so very bad, though I know it must."

  When Sidney entered the kitchen he found the old keeper sitting boltupright in bed, gently rubbing his injured limb, and the lad suggestedthat he be allowed to aid him.

  "There's no need, Sonny, not a little bit; I'm only doin' this becauseI've got nothin' else on hand. Why didn't you call Sammy on time?"

  "Because he didn't waken me until nearly three o'clock, and I wanted himto have something near a night's rest, sir."

  "Wa'al, don't slip up in that way agin, for I've got no notion ofhavin' you sick on our hands. After this, rout him out at sunrise, nomatter what time he turned in. I reckon, Sonny, that you'll have to tryyour hand at cookin' agin."

  "That's what I counted on, sir, and if Uncle Zenas can tell me what todo, I'll get along first rate."

  The second assistant not only explained to Sidney how he should performthe necessary work; but, despite the pain with which he was suffering,watched his every movement until a really appetizing meal was on thetable.

  Then Sidney, after calling Mr. Peters, fed the two invalids as if theywere babies, although Captain Eph protested against it, and when thefirst assistant came down-stairs, asked if he couldn't make something inthe way of a short-legged table on which food might be placed while theysat up in bed to eat.

  "I'll 'tend to that right off, sir," Mr. Peters replied, evidentlypleased at the idea of having additional work to perform, and, afterbreakfast, while Sidney was putting the kitchen-hospital to rights, heset about the task.

  The storm appeared to be increasing, and Captain Eph predicted that itwould be a long one, giving his reasons for such an opinion, and adding:

  "It'll suit me way down to the ground, for I'd be ashamed to haveanybody land here while Uncle Zenas an' I are stretched out on thefloor."

  "Does it often happen that a landing can't be made for some time?"Sidney asked, as, his work having been done, he sat by the side of thekeeper.

  "At this season of the year we count on bein' storm-bound a good part ofthe time, Sonny. Least-ways, the heavy seas shut us in, because theweather must be fairly good for a boat to make a landin' on this 'ereledge; but we ain't any worse off as to that, than the keepers of alight not sich a dreadful ways from here."

  "Meanin' Matinicus," Uncle Zenas said, as if he hoped by taking part inthe conversation to forget some portion of his pain.

  "Ay, that's the light, Sonny, an' by the charts in my room you can seewhere it stands. Now give me the book you was readin' last night, an'I'll show you somethin' that tells how much of sufferin' is neededsometimes to keep the lights on our coast burnin'."

  Captain Eph found the article on Matinicus Rock Light, and Sidney readaloud the entire chapter; but it is not well to set down here more thana few extracts:

  "Matinicus Rock is twenty-five miles out in the ocean from the mainland,directly in the pathway of the ocean-steamers plying from Boston andPortland to Eastport, St. John, Yarmouth, and Halifax, and of theimmense fleet of coasting and fishing vessels trading between the UnitedStates and the British Provinces. This barren and jagged rock, coveringan area of thirty-nine acres at low tide, is inaccessible except duringfavorable weather....

  "In the spring of 1853, Samuel Burgess obtained the position of lightkeeper; his family consisted of an invalid wife, four small daughters,and a son, who, though making his home on the rock, was absent much ofthe time fishing in Bay Chaleur and else-where. The eldest daughter,Abbie, fourteen years old, was the keeper's only assistant; she aided incaring for the light as well as attending to the principal householdduties. In the occasional absence of her father, the whole care of thelight devolved upon her....

  "On the morning of January 19, 1856, Abbie being then seventeen years ofage, the Atlantic was visited by one of those terrible gales to which itis subject. Her father was away."

  It was Abbie herself who wrote the following concerning the storm:

  "Early in the day, as the tide rose, the sea made a complete breach overthe rock, washing every movable thing away, and of the old dwelling notone stone was left upon another. The new dwelling was flooded, and thewindows had to be secured to prevent the violence of the spray frombreaking them in. As the tide came, the sea rose higher and higher, tillthe only endurable places were the light-towers. If they stood we weresaved, otherwise our fate was only too certain. But for some reason, Iknow not why, I had no misgivings, and went on with my work as usual.For four weeks, owing to rough weather, no landing could be effected onthis rock."

  "In the spring of 1857, Mr. Burgess left the rock to obtain his salaryand secure some provisions and fuel. The weather prevented his return,and the family ran short of food. Waiting until famine stared them inthe face, the son started in a little skiff equipped with a sail, madeby the aid of his sister, to obtain succor. Pushing from the rock in hisfrail craft, he was at first lost sight of in the trough of the sea; hereappeared on the top of the waves for a short distance, and was seen nomore for twenty-one days, during which time the mother and the fourgirls were reduced to a cup of corn-meal and one egg each per day. Addedto risk of perishing of famine in mid-ocean, was the torturing suspenseas to the fate of father and son.

  ISLE OF SHOALS.]

  "During all this time Abbie attended to the light, cared for her sickmother, and, by her spirit and example, cheered the little familyclustered together on this wave-beaten rock in the Atlantic.Fortunately, father and son finally safely returned to their oceanhome."

  "I reckon, after thinkin' of all that, there ain't any one of this 'erecrew as feels like complainin', eh?" and Captain Eph looked aroundsternly, much as though believing his assistants were on the verge ofinsubordination. "If a seventeen-year-old girl, with the same asnothin' to eat, can take care of a whole family an' a light fortwenty-one days durin' heavy weather, we deserve to be kicked if there'sany show of gettin' down at the heel."

  "We're mighty lucky to be no worse off," Uncle Zenas said as heunfastened the bandages in order to look at his injuries, and thisreminded Captain Eph that it was time to apply more scraped potato.

  When the forenoon came to an end both the invalids were cared for, andSidney had the noon-day meal ready.

  Mr. Peters had made what served as tables, but which were really roughstools, and from these Captain Eph and Uncle Zenas ate their dinn
er withvery little of discomfort.

  Because there was nothing he could do in behalf of the invalids, Mr.Peters spent the greater portion of the afternoon in bed, and Sidneyread to or talked with the keepers until it was time to get supper.

  The record of this day would serve fairly well for the five succeedingdays. The storm had cleared away after raging with mild violenceforty-eight hours; but the wind seemed to have increased rather thansubsided, and the waves were so boisterous that it would have beenimpossible, save at the cost of life, to descend from the kitchen to theledge.

  The keepers were storm-bound even though the sun was shining, and wouldbe until the wind subsided. During all this time but few vessels were tobe seen far down on the horizon, and never one near enough to besignaled.

  Both the disabled keepers were recovering even more rapidly than couldhave been reasonably expected. Captain Eph's sprained leg no longercaused him very great pain; but he, as well as his companions,understood that very many days must elapse before he should venture tostand upon it.

  Uncle Zenas was able to hobble around fairly well, and, with a certainamount of assistance from Sidney, attended to the greater portion of thecook's duties; but neither of the men had attempted to ascend thestairs.

  Never for a moment had Mr. Peters faltered in his efforts to atone forhis deceit. It was as if each day he tried the harder to perform morework, or minister to the comfort of his comrades, until Captain Ephsaid privately to Sidney that "Sammy's trip on the raft had worked awonderful change."

  On the morning of the sixth day after the combination of accidents,there was a break in the monotony, which excited the invalids greatly.

  Mr. Peters, who had been in the lantern attending to some trifling duty,came down-stairs at a rapid pace as he cried:

  "The light-house tender is headin' this way, not more'n two miles away,an' makin' heavy weather of it!"

  In a twinkling the room was a scene of the greatest excitement. CaptainEph, forgetting his injured limb, attempted to spring to his feet, butsank back quickly with a groan, and Uncle Zenas, thinking only that theinspector might not be pleased at seeing beds in the kitchen, bent overto gather up the clothing, when the partially healed burns caused him tostraighten up again as a cry of pain escaped his lips.

  "What is the matter?" Sidney asked in surprise, not understanding whythe announcement that the tender was coming toward the ledge should haveso startled the two men.

  "Matter, Sonny!" Captain Eph cried. "Why most likely the inspector iscomin' on one of his reg'lar visits, an' what'll he say if he findsUncle Zenas an' me off duty, so to speak?"

  "I don't see why you need bother about him," Sidney began; but before hecould finish the statement, Mr. Peters cried:

  "Of course you don't, Sonny, 'cause you never was here when heoverhauled everything on the ledge as if he expected we allers left 'emat sixes an' sevens."

  "But he won't see anything to-day," Sidney continued. "Didn't you say wewere storm-bound? If other people can't make a landing here, isn't he injust as bad a fix?"

  Captain Eph leaned back in his chair and looked at the lad inastonishment, as he gasped:

  "Wa'al, who'd thought that little shaver had more sense than all therest of us put together? Of course the inspector can't make a landin',an' I don't understand why he has come out here, for he must have knownwhat the weather was!"

  "It's given me the worst scare I've had since I upset the kettle oflard!" Uncle Zenas exclaimed, leaning back on the bed as if after severeexertions.

  "She's comin' out here jest the same," Mr. Peters said as he stood bythe window which opened toward the mainland, "an' what is it they want?"

  "You an' Sonny better show yourselves on the lantern gallery," CaptainEph suggested. "It won't take 'em long to find out that they can't stepfoot on Carys' Ledge this day; but it behooves us to make some signs oflife."

  Mr. Peters and Sidney ran up-stairs to obey this command. The lad hadnever been on the narrow gallery which ran around on the outside of whatis known as the lantern-deck, and he experienced a decided sense ofinsecurity as he stepped on the narrow platform through one of theswinging windows of the lantern.

  "You needn't walk so gingerly," Mr. Peters said with a laugh. "This 'erewould hold a hundred men as big as Uncle Zenas, an' I reckon your weightwon't set it adrift. There's the steamer, an' it looks as if she wasstandin' on end 'bout half the time."

  The little craft was indeed laboring in the heavy seas. More than onceSidney fancied that the tops of the waves were flung completely over hersmoke-stack, and when she sank into the trough of the sea, it was as ifshe were bent on going to the bottom.

  "I've yet got to guess why she's out here in this weather," Mr. Peterssaid half to himself, as he watched the steamer plunge and toss wildlywhen she was brought around parallel with the westerly side of theledge. "They seem to know that there's no chance of makin' a landin,'an' it looks as if they wanted to speak to us."

  Then the first assistant waved his arms wildly, and shouted at the fullstrength of his lungs:

  "Ahoy! What's the matter?"

  It was probable that the wind carried his words down to the steamer; butwhen a man emerged from the wheel-house with a megaphone, and evidentlymade some reply, it was as if he were indulging in a pantomime, for nota sound came to the ears of those on the tower.

  "I can't hear you," Mr. Peters shouted, repeating the words again andagain until he was literally red in the face, and the man on the steamerevidently replied again; but it was as if he had not spoken.

  "I'm gettin' tired of this fool business," Mr. Peters said irritably."Why didn't they stay at home?"

  "Perhaps some one saw the smoke of the fire, and sent word that thetower was burned," Sidney suggested, and then Mr. Peters shouted, usinghis hands as a trumpet:

  "We're all right here! Nothin' the matter with us!" and he added in alower tone, "It's no use to try an' make 'em understand that Cap'n Ephan' Uncle Zenas are off duty, for they couldn't hear me."

  Once more the man with the megaphone shouted, and then the bow of thelittle steamer was headed landward, the steam which escaped from thewhistle-valve telling that she had saluted.

  "If that ain't a leetle the biggest wild goose chase I ever heard of,then my name's Benjamin, which it ain't!" Mr. Peters exclaimed as he ledthe way inside the lantern, and when the window had been carefullyclosed, he asked sharply:

  "What sent 'em out here on a day like this?"

  "I can't tell you," Sidney replied with a laugh, and at that moment thevoice of Captain Eph could be heard from below:

  "Ahoy, Sammy! Are you goin' to stay there all day?"

  It seemed as if the first assistant was about to make an impatientreply, as in the days before he had deceived his comrades; but hechecked himself ere the first word was uttered, and replied:

  "We're comin', Captain Eph. I only wanted to make certain everythin' wasship-shape up here."

  Then the two descended the stairs, and they were yet on the floor abovethe kitchen when Captain Eph shouted again:

  "What did they say to you?"

  "That's what I wish I knew," the first assistant said emphatically, ashe entered the kitchen. "Somebody danced 'round a good bit; but withthis wind blowin' dead in his teeth, we couldn't hear so much as asingle yip from him."

  "But what did he want?" Uncle Zenas asked impatiently. "He must havebeen after something to come out here when he knew he couldn't land."

  Again Mr. Peters was about to make an impatient reply, and again hechecked himself in time, replying mildly:

  "There was no show for me to find out what he wanted so long as Icouldn't hear a word he said. He's gone now, though, an' I wish hehadn't come, for it's mixed us all up."

  "Wa'al, if it was important business, an' I reckon it must have beenelse the steamer wouldn't have come out in this wind, they'll haveanother try at it in better weather, an' perhaps by that time, UncleZenas, we'll be able to toddle 'round a little."

  "I'm countin' on be
in' as spry as ever in a couple of days more," thesecond assistant said proudly, "an' it looks now as if this 'ere blowwould last that long."

  During the remainder of this day the only conversation indulged in wasconcerning the coming of the tender. Each of the keepers in turn hadsome theory, more or less plausible, to account for the visit, butnothing was presented that satisfied all, until Sidney said timidly:

  "Perhaps some word has come from my father, and whoever was in the boatcame out to see if I was still here."

  "Sonny is right!" Captain Eph cried emphatically. "We're nothin'better'n three old fools, to be guessin' this an' that unlikely thing,while he, with more brains in his little finger than the whole of us canmuster, comes up an' tells the facts. Of course that was why the tendercame out here, an' we'll see her again before many days. Sammy, I'mgoin' to make a try at gettin' up-stairs, so's there will be one bedless in this kitchen, an' we'll see if things can't be pulled 'round asthey ought'er be 'cordin' to the rules an' regerlations."

  "I can't make out why everything ain't that way now," Mr. Petersinterrupted. "The lantern couldn't be any cleaner, an' I'm sure there'snothin' wrong with havin' beds down here when we've got to have ahospital somewhere."

  "I'm not sayin', Sammy, that you an' Sonny haven't done wonders; but yetyou know that the light isn't run as it should be, when the keeper an'his second assistant take up their quarters in the kitchen. We'll haveall that changed, though, before this time to-morrow, even if you haveto rig up a block an' tackle to send me into my room."

  Sidney was almost sorry because he had guessed so nearly to whatCaptain Eph believed was the truth. Until that moment he had been wellcontent so long as the invalids continued to improve; but now he wasfeverishly eager to know if his father had sent any message, and, if so,what it was.

  Restlessly the lad wandered from one window to another, looking out inthe hope of seeing some indication that the wind was subsiding, untilCaptain Eph said:

  "Come here, Sonny, an' make yourself contented. I can give a guess as tohow you're fussin', an' it's all wrong. You ought'er be feelin' mightygood because we've reason to believe your father knows where you are,an' there'll be no harm done if you don't hear what he's got to say fortwo weeks to come. S'posen he's sent a message, which I don't believe hehas, for you to come to Porto Rico, what good would it do you to knowit, seein's how you can't get off this 'ere ledge till the sea goesdown? It's foolish to fret over what can't be helped. Tell me, did youever hear of a light called Barnegat?"

  "Indeed I have," the lad replied, surprised at this sudden turn in theconversation.

  "Wa'al, did you ever hear why it had that name?"

  "I suppose because it is near the New Jersey town of Barnegat."

  "That may be, Sonny; but in the book you've been readin' lately are someverses tellin' how it got the name. Of course they ain't true; butthere's a good deal of fun in 'em. Bring me the book an' I'll show youwhere they are."

  Sidney now began to understand that the old keeper was simply trying todivert his mind from thoughts of the message which those on the tenderhad possibly tried to deliver; but nevertheless he hastened to obey whathad sounded very like a command, and Captain Eph opened the volume tothe alleged poetry, which is copied below, with the name "Adam Clark"appended as the author:

  "In the Bay of Barnegat sailed a jolly, jolly tar, And he watched like a cat o'er the water, Till he spied from the main-top-gallant-forward-mizzen-spar The pretty little light-keeper's daughter.

  Then he landed on the land, did this jolly, jolly tar, And he chased her o'er the sand till he caught her, Says he, 'My pretty miss, I've got to have a kiss From the pretty little light-keeper's daughter.'

  But she squealed a little squeal at the jolly, jolly tar, And said she didn't feel as if she'd oughter; Then she scooted up the bar and hollered for her ma,-- Oh, the pretty little light-keeper's daughter!

  'Sure my name is Barney Flynn,' said the jolly, jolly tar, 'And at drinking Holland gin I'm a snorter.' Then a tub of washing-blue-soap suddenly she threw-- Did the mother of the light-keeper's daughter.

  'Now, Barney, git!' she spat, at the jolly, jolly tar; And you bet Barney gat for the water. Thus the place from near and far was named by the ma Of the pretty little light-keeper's daughter."

  If Captain Eph had thought that reading the jingle would turn Sidney'sthoughts from the possibility that those on the tender had tried todeliver a message from his father, he made a decided mistake; but thelad laughed heartily when he had finished the lines, and then did hisbest to hide from the old keeper that which was in his mind.

  Next morning the wind was blowing quite as fresh as ever; but CaptainEph had not forgotten the determination to go into his own room, andwhen the routine work had been performed, Mr. Peters was summoned toassist in what promised to be quite a serious task.

  "You're clean wild to think of sich a thing, Cap'n Eph," the firstassistant said as he stood with folded arms in front of the keeper, andthe latter replied petulantly:

  "Perhaps I am, Sammy Peters; but I ain't so wild as to let you try toargue me out of it. I'm goin' to do what little lays in my power towardputtin' this 'ere tower ship-shape, an' you'll help me without any backtalk."

  "How do you count on doin' it, seein's you can't touch the floor withyour lame foot?"

  "You're allers ready enough to riggin' up schemes that ain't of theleast earthly account, an' now let's see if you can't turn your mind tosomethin' sensible."

  "Then I shouldn't be thinkin' how to help you up them stairs, for thatain't in any way sensible," Mr. Peters said calmly, and Uncle Zenascried pleadingly:

  "Why don't you stay where you are, Ephraim Downs, leastways as long asthis wind blows? When there's a turn in the weather, you'll have timeenough to get up-stairs before the tender comes."

  "I'm goin' now if I have to crawl," Captain Eph cried. "Things have cometo a pretty pass if the keeper of a first-order light can't go where hepleases without both his assistants raisin' a rumpus."

  "I'm thinkin' it'll be you who'll raise the rumpus," Mr. Peters saidgrimly, "but if you're so set that you won't listen to old friends, I'llget to work. Put one arm around my neck, an' I'll do my best at luggin'you up, though in case of a tumble you're likely to be lamed for life."

  Even this possibility did not daunt Captain Eph, and the task was begun,with Sidney to assist so far as might be, and Uncle Zenas alternatelyuttering needless words of caution, and bewailing the keeper's"pig-headedness."

  It was both a long and difficult job, and when, at the expiration of afull half hour from the time the first step had been taken, Captain Ephwas seated in a chair in his own room, waiting until the bed could bebrought up, all who had assisted were confident the keeper regrettedhaving made the attempt.

  "Wa'al, I'm up here," he said grimly, and Uncle Zenas shouted frombelow:

  "Yes, you're there, Ephraim, an' I'd like to know how much better offyou are, except that it'll be more work to wait on you."

  "I declare I hadn't thought of that, Sonny," the old man said as he tookthe lad's hand in his; "but you won't mind a few extry steps if it makesme feel any easier in mind, will you?"

  "I'd be glad to take a great many more than are necessary even now, ifyou'll be any more comfortable or contented, Captain Eph," and Sidneystroked the old keeper's hairy hand.