“Murdy! Leona has fallen off!” Margaret yelled while rushing in panic toward the rear of the boat.
“Maggie, don’t!” Murdock yelled.
But without thinking, Margaret dived headfirst into the cold water after her daughter, and without hesitation Murdock dived in after the both of them.
“Man overboard!” the Captain yelled.
And almost immediately, seven hardy sailors from the Scandinavian ship dived into the water. Murdock saw that Margaret had been stunned by the frigid water and appeared to be losing consciousness, so he swam as fast as he could toward his wife. He got there barely in time to grab her before her head went under.
“Where’s Leona?” Murdock yelled frantically to the captain as he swam back to the stern of the boat, pulling Margaret with him.
“She’s on the other side of the boat, Murdy. But don’t worry, she’s safe; the Scandies have her.”
Captain Jacobs and the two women passengers gave Murdock a hand, and they managed to pull a soaked and shivering Margaret safely into the boat. Murdock then climbed aboard the small boat, on the starboard side, and immediately rushed to the port side, in time to reach down and take Leona from the sailors’ outstretched arms. As soon as Murdock laid his little girl on the deck, she began spitting up water.
“Is she going to be okay?” Margaret managed to ask her husband in a quivering voice.
“She’s fine, Maggie. She’s breathing normal and her color looks good. She’s just shivering from being in the icy cold water.”
When Murdock looked over the side of the boat, he saw the sailors swimming back to their ship. That’s when he realized just how many of the foreigners had jumped into the icy water to help. He counted seven.
“That’ll be my lucky number from now on,” he told himself.
“Thank you for saving my daughter,” he shouted to the brave men in the water. “I’ll never forget what you did. I owe you so much, I’ll never be able to pay you back properly.”
“You don’t owe us anything, Murdy. We didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. Just went for a nice refreshing swim with your daughter, that’s all,” one of them yelled back as he was grabbing the bottom rung of a white rope ladder hanging from the Sea Turtle’s starboard side.
“Yeah, I’ll take a nice cool swim over rushing into a burning building any day,” someone else yelled.
The quick reaction by Murdock and the sailors not only saved Leona and Margaret from drowning, but it prevented serious injuries to both of them, since neither was under water for more than a few seconds. When Margaret realized that Leona was going to be okay, she relaxed and yelled to the sailors, who were now in the process of climbing aboard the Sea Turtle.
“Bless all of you for saving my little girl. You’re each invited to a home-cooked meal tonight.”
“You sure are,” Murdock yelled. “When I get to shore, I’ll talk to your captain to see if he’ll give you leave. Since he’s a good friend of mine, I’m sure he will.”
“Thanks, Murdy,” an older sailor yelled. “And you too, Mrs. Haley. I don’t know about the rest of these derelicts, but here’s one sailor that’ll take you up on your offer.”
“Good, we’ll see you at seven. I hope all of you can make it.”
Chapter 15
Hans
It was a little past 7:00 when Margaret answered a knock at the door.
“Come on in,” she said cheerfully. “I hope you boys are hungry, and crave steak and potatoes.”
“You betcha, Mrs. Haley. After weeks on the high seas, I can’t think of anything that would taste better,” a handsome young sailor said.
“Did everyone come?” Murdock asked.
One sailor, who had lagged behind, made his way to the front through the others, all the while saying: “Yeah, we’re all here, Murdy; all seven of us. No one wanted to miss out on one of your wife’s home-cooked meals, especially after the way you bragged up her cooking. We’ve all been hankering some home-cooking since we set sail.”
“Hans! I didn’t know you were one of our heroes,” Murdock said.
“Maggie, this handsome fellow is Hans Andersen. We’ve known each other for over ten years now. He probably spends more time in Bangor than he does in his own hometown.”
“And where might that be, Hans?” Margaret asked.
“Oslo, Norway, Mrs. Haley.”
“Oh, you don’t have to be so formal, Hans. Please call me Maggie.”
“Sure thing, Mrs—Maggie. It feels like I know you already anyway. Murdy’s told me so much about you. It’s a real pleasure to finally meet you in person.”
“Well, I’m pleased to meet you too, Hans. Thank you again for saving my little girl.”
“Think nothin’ of it, Maggie. Most of us have children of our own. In fact, I have a daughter around Leona’s age. By the way, the last time I was in Bangor, Murdy told me you were pregnant, and I see you’re getting close. I hope you’re feeling okay after what happened. That water was awful cold for a pregnant women to be taking a swim.”
“Well, thanks for your concern, Hans, but I’m fine. Although, I must say, it was quite a jolt when I hit the water. It was so cold it practically knocked the breath right out of me. If Murdy hadn’t gotten to me as fast as he did, I’d of gone under for sure.
“Now, Hans, before we get too lost in conversation, would you please introduce your six friends.”
“Be happy to, Maggie.”
“Don’t you kids be so shy. Come on over here and meet the heroic men who pulled Leona out of the river,” Murdock instructed his children.
Hans began by introducing a young sailor.
“This handsome lad here is Marcus.”
The handsome lad had already caught the eye of Lillian, and she knew right away who she planned to entertain that night. After the other sailors were introduced, everyone went into the dining room for supper.
—1—
“I’ve never seen anyone eat potatoes quite like that, Murdy,” Hans commented during the meal.
Leona smiled because she knew just what the sailor meant. Her father never mashed his potato; instead, he had a habit of cutting it into one-inch squares. Then he would carefully stick a fork into one piece, dip it into a cup of melted butter, and delicately dip the buttered potato into a thin layer of black pepper sprinkled on his plate, until it was covered with just the right amount. After Hans spoke, Leona tried to impress the tall Norwegian by emulating her father’s eating technique, but each time she did the potato broke apart when she stuck the fork into it, and finally the red-faced girl became so frustrated that she just gave up. Murdock and Hans looked at each other and smiled after seeing the little girl’s frustration.
When the meal was over, everyone gathered in the living room for coffee and to talk about the day’s events. To Leona’s great satisfaction it wasn’t long before the sailors began telling stories about the many adventures they had experienced during their travels. As might be expected, the Haley children were fascinated by the unusual-speaking foreigners, in particular Lillian who was infatuated with 15-year-old Marcus from the start and made a point of sitting next to the young sailor at the dinner table. The smitten 13-year-old had engaged him in polite conversation during the meal and boldly flirted with him after they went into the living room; and much to her delight he playfully flirted with her.
Leona was also fascinated with the sailors, but not because of the way they looked, or even the odd way they spoke, but because of the stories they told. Hans was the one she was most drawn to, likely because he was much like her father: about the same age, with a strong confident voice, and projecting a warm fatherly demeanor.
“I’ve seen so many wonderful people and places that I wouldn’t give up sailing for anything,” Hans told the little girl sitting on his lap.
“Where’s your favorite place to vis
it?” Leona asked.
“I guess I’d have to say Japan, or maybe Hong Kong. The way the women dress is so beautiful,” he told the wide-eyed girl. “And India was fascinating too. I’d have ta say: the most unusual thing I’ve ever seen has to be the snake charmers in Bombay and Calcutta.”
“What’s a snake charmer?” Leona asked.
“They’re men who sit on the ground with their legs crossed, playing a flute to entrance snakes.”
“Huh?”
“Seems funny doesn’t it, Leona. But take my word, it’s common practice in India. There are men who actually carry large snakes around in wicker baskets, and use music from a flute to hypnotize ‘em and make ‘em dance.”
“Why do they do that, Mr. Andersen?”
“To make money. When the music plays, the snakes rise out of the baskets and wriggle their bodies, and you’d swear they’re dancing. People often leave coins for the snake charmers when they’re done putting on their show.”
“What kind of snakes do they charm? Are they poisonous?”
“Indeed they are, young lady. They use King Cobras, and their bite is one of the most deadly of any snake around.”
“Why are they called King Cobras?”
“Well, when they sense danger, the Cobras warn their enemies that they’re about to strike by enlarging a hood around their heads. And when they do that, it looks a lot like the head of an Egyptian king.”
“You mean a Pharaoh?” Leona asked.
“That’s right, Leona. Aren’t you the smart one.”
“Yup. My Mama and Papa read to me a lot, and show me pictures in magazines and in the brand new encyclopedia Grandma Eunice gave us. I remember seeing a picture of a Pharaoh; and I saw a few pictures of Egyptian sphinx-es; and huge pyramids too.”
“That’s wonderful, Leona. That reminds me of the time I visited the Great Pyramids of Giza.”
—2—
Leona listened for a good thirty minutes to the fascinating stories that Hans told, until Murdock finally interrupted them.
“You should give Hans a little rest, Leona. You’re talking his ears off with all your questions and he’s gonna be all talked out, if not all tuckered out, if you keep asking him so many questions.”
“Papa, Mr. Andersen says he’s been to almost every country in Europe and North Africa. He’s even sailed around Cape Horn and the Cape of Good Hope to Japan, China, and other parts of the Orient. Can we travel around the world like he does? I want to go to Europe. And Asia too.”
“Well, who knows, Leona? Maybe someday you will. If fate has that in store for you.”
“What do you mean, Papa?”
“I’ll explain that another time, sweetheart. Now, why don’t you run along to the kitchen and help your Mama fetch dessert for your new friends.
“Would you all like to try some of Margaret’s chocolate cake?” Murdock asked his guests.
“We sure would, Murdy,” Hans said, with the other sailors nodding in agreement. “Then we’ve got to be getting back to the ship. The Captain wants us back by 9:30. We’ve got a full day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“I know,” Murdock said. “I’ll be at work bright-and-early helping to load your boat. It’s gonna take most of the day just loading the stuff that we have onto it. I’m sorry you didn’t get into Bangor earlier, Hans, so you could have enjoyed the weekend here.”
“You and me too, Murdy. We were all looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend on dry land, but there was a bad storm in the Atlantic and it put us two days behind schedule. Maybe next time we can have more time to enjoy ourselves. But we’ve certainly enjoyed your hospitality, and, most especially, Maggie’s cooking.”
“Well, thank you, Hans,” Margaret said, as she walked into the living room carrying a large chocolate cake covered with soft, shiny, chocolate frosting, and placed it on the coffee table. Hans noticed that Margaret had elegantly written in white frosting the phrase: OUR HEROES FROM THE SEA TURTLE. She carefully cut into the cake and handed the first piece to Hans. Then she beamed with joy as his eyes lit up and a pleasurable expression appeared on his face when he tasted it.
“Boy, this cake tastes amazing!” he said. “Your mother sure is a good cook, isn’t she, Leona?”
“My Mama’s the best cook in the world, Mr. Andersen.”
“Well, thank you, dear, but I think you may be exaggerating just a little.”
“No, I think she has it about right, Maggie,” Hans said.
“You keep up that flattery and I’ll have to invite you boys over every time you’re in Bangor,” Margaret joked.
“If you do, you won’t get any argument from me.”
“Us either,” one of the younger sailors said.
“Leona, would you like to go swimming with me the next time I come back to Bangor,” Hans joked.
“No thank you, Mr. Andersen. I’m never going into the water again. And if I have to ride on the Bon Ton again, I’m gonna make darn sure Papa ties me to the seat, so I won’t fall off.”
Upon hearing the seriousness in the little girl’s voice, everyone broke into laughter. Then Margaret looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 9:00.
“It’s time for bed, girls. Say goodnight to your new friends.”
The three of them said goodnight in unison, and then Lillian said a special goodnight to her young sailor. And as they were walking away Leona turned and said:
“Goodnight, Mr. Andersen. Come back soon.”
He waved to the little girl and watched as the three of them went off to bed. Then he turned to his hosts.
“Well, I guess we’d better be on our way. Thanks again for the meal, Maggie; and for your hospitality, Murdy. You’re a lucky man. You have a very nice family. But I suspect you know that already.”
“You’ve got that right, Hans. But thanks for saying it. And thanks again for what you did. We’ll never forget it.”
“Think nothing of it. You’d have done the same in that situation. By the way, I forgot to tell you something. You have someone else to thank for helping in the rescue of your little girl. Although I’m not sure that was his intention.”
“What do you mean, Hans? Who?”
“You’re not gonna believe this,” he said. “I’ve certainly not seen anything quite like it. When the seven of us first jumped into the water we lost sight of Leona. Fortunately, a Bald Eagle was flying overhead and tried to snatch her from the water; must’ah thought she was a fish. Anyway, if it hadn’t done that, we may not have found her so quick and got to her in time. It was just by the skin of her teeth that we did.”
“I guess God works in mysterious ways, Hans,” Murdock said after a thoughtful pause. “Maggie, I don’t think we should tell Leona about that part. Being afraid of the water now is bad enough; we don’t want her being afraid of eagles too.”
Margaret couldn’t speak. Her heart was pounding and she was short of breath when she heard the new account of her daughter’s rescue.
“Oh, I almost forgot,” Hans said, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold, oval-shaped locket and chain. “This is for Leona. I picked it up in Bangor this afternoon, at Greene’s Gift Shop, on Front Street. Would you give it to her, Murdy?”
“Sure will. That’s real nice of you, Hans, but what possessed you to do it?”
“To take the edge off what happened to Leona today. And I figured she might want something to remember this day by. I put a picture of an eagle inside the locket for her. I actually bought the picture at the Eagle’s Nest a while back, on one of my first trips to Bangor.”
“Thanks, Hans. I’ll give it to her, first thing in the morning. But I’m sure you’ll understand if we don’t tell her about the significance of the eagle.”
“No problem. Just tell Leona that the eagle has been all over the world with me and that I gave the locket to her to ke
ep as a lucky charm. Maybe that eagle will take her all over the world too.”
“Speaking of luck, you tell your captain to keep an eye out for those Germans,” Murdock said. “I read where they’re sinking freighters now and might even attack passenger liners.”
“Don’t you worry, Murdy; Germany’s at war with the Brits, not us.”
“I know, but be careful anyway. Sometimes it’s hard telling one ship from another.”
With World War I well underway, Murdock was right to worry. Less than two weeks later, on May 7th, 1915, the British passenger liner Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic by a German submarine, killing over a thousand passengers, including 128 U.S. citizens. That tragedy would be a turning point in U.S. public opinion, and two years later be instrumental in forcing President Woodrow Wilson and the U.S. Congress to declare war on Germany.
—3—
It was a little past 9:00 when the sailors headed back to the Sea Turtle. By then Margaret had recovered her wits.
“They were such nice boys, Murdy. Lillian sure thinks so anyway.”
“I noticed,” he said. “I’ve never seen her talk to anyone as much as she did with those sailors tonight; she certainly was taken with young Marcus. Lillian seems to be getting interested in boys at a very young age, don’t you think?”
“Maybe? But I’m sure she’s just infatuated with their foreign accents. Nonetheless, I’m glad that she seems to be finally coming out of her shell. I was beginning to worry about her.”
“Me too, Maggie. I was beginning to think she’d never overcome her shyness. But she sure did today; and I don’t just mean talking to those boys. She seemed to relish the attention she was getting onboard the Bon Ton II. Her laugh is rather unusual, to say the least, but I swear she exaggerated it even more when she saw the effect it was having on everyone else.”
“I got that same impression, Murdy. Let’s hope she keeps it up. She’s been too shy for far too long.”
Journey With the Comet Page 12
