Cogswell Polytechnical College - Cogswell Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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55 THE COGSWELL You knew what he was when I first went after the Society Bufs1Hf?,' No! lNhen did you last see him P Three years ago. He must go! Come on. - nlack, jack, dear, you can't! Youill break my heart! My brother in a prison! Oh, it would be terrible! And look how it would hurt dad. He wouldn't be elected. People would say he was crooked. And think of me! A sister to a burglarli' and she threw her arms around IaCk'S 116614 21115 looked eagerly into his eyes. His arm went around her waist. jack was puzzled. Wfhat should he do? As he looked into her beautiful eyes he tightened his grip. She fascinated him. He loved her beyond everything. Should he give her up after he had been working for three years to win her, or should he do his duty? His mind was in a whirl. Sud- denly he released his arm from her waist. He had decided. 'fCome onf' he said sternly, and he marched the Society Burglar out of the room amidst the cries and pleas of his sweetheart. CARLETON BRYAN, 'l4. il 4 211 er 1511111 Glzmfmr Ihr Glhinga Zflhat Arr Glzizaarli' UI contend that position amounts to everything, whether it is in a game of billiards, sailing a ship or being a herof' I looked up to discover the reason of the rather sudden announcement of this philosophy on the part of my uncle, otherwise known as Captain R. F. Harding, formerly with the Inter-Oceanic Steamship Company, but now retired. Discovering him in the act of clipping the end of one of his choice I-Iavanas, I calmly laid aside my book and proceeded to make myself com- fortable during the story which I knew was forthcoming. 'fD1d I ever tell you about the heroism of First Officer Campbell of the Neptune? asked my uncle. As a matter of routine I answered negatively. IfVell, I'll tell you about it. You may think that it should be stated differently. If you do, just set it equal to my first statement and you will have a perfectly balanced equation. if -S l Q . . A few yeais before you were born I was in command of the Good ship 1 . 6 Neptune, which plied between San Francisco and the Orient In those days she was one of the largest and finest steam vessels afloat. She was equipped with watertight bulkheads and many other improvements, which most vessels didnot have at that time. Naturally, I was very proud of my

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THE COGSWELL 55 I haven't time to talk about that now. Oh, they're breaking the door in, and he shook lrightlully. Tell me. XYell, he faltered, l have been burglarizing for the last two or three months, trying to get enough money for my wifes doctor bill. I ani known as the Society llurglar. Uh, what a fool lfve been. If I get-- Oh, you'll save me. wou't you? I think you had better leave. Oh, no! You wouldn't do that. and he grabbed her tiny hand plead- ingly. You have heard! I Here they come! For lJad's sake, hide me! No! I If my wife should know and my baby boy grow up and found that his father was a- Go into that room until I call yon, and she drew the curtains behind him. NYhere is he? Eleanor. where did he go? My, how pale you look. He must have frightened you, but we'll get him. Perhaps he is in there, and -lack moved toward the room where Lord Norfolk was hiding. Eleanor, trying to act calm and unconcerned, said: Hxxvllilll is the matter with you, -Tack? XX'hat are you looking for? lYhy-er-haven't you seen him? The burglar? The Society Burglar ! IYhy, of course not, and she laughed merrily. But he came in here not more than live minutes ago, and I've been trying to get in ever since. Yes, I notice that the door is broken, and I think you have a nerve breaking into my house at such an hour looking for a burglar. But I thought-I- You didn't see any one come here. No one has been heref, .Tack started down the stairs. I-Ie wheeled suddenly and yelled: XYho is in that room ? Lord Norfolk had incautiously stepped on the hardwood floor and it had squeaked slightly. . IVhy-why-th-that's-th-Iohn, our butler, and Eleanor turned pale as death. IN'hoever it may be, said Jack sternly, 'KI give him just Hve seconds to come out- I thought so. Put up your hands. You're quite a man, coming to play on a woman's sympathy, and jack slipped the handcuffs on roughly. And as for you, Eleanor, well, I won't say itg it would choke me. Colne on, you coward, follow me ! Don't Jack, don't take him awayf, Eleanor sobbed bitterly, he's-he's my brotherf' jack released his gripg then he tightened it again. You lied to me oneef' I swear it! Oh, God, believe me, and have mercy upon us!',

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THE cooswELL 57 command. I had made several trips with her and had experienced no inci- dents more exciting than the happenings that usually occur. g On my fifth voyage, in addition to the usual shipments of silk, tea, etc., I was consigned a shipment of Chinese pyrotechnics. I had always had a dislike of shipments of explosives, but a captain cannot choose his cargo, so I reluctantly accepted the consignment and set sail for San Fran- cisco with none too light a heart. Everything went well until the fifth day out. 'lfhen things com- menced to happen, and quickly at that. .-X typhoon broke upon us. llefore everything could be made ship- shape halt of the cargo was shifted out of place. 'l'heu the ship refused to steer right, because of a decided list to the starboard. While the boatswain was restoring the cargo a crate slipped and broke his leg. The ship pitched about so much that some of the Chinese crew mutinied because they were afraid of the shifting cargo. Some of the plates on the starboard were sprung and all the pumps had to be run full force to keep the ship out of danger. The crew was left short-handed after the mutineers were put in irons and the oliicers had to do double duty. The Neptune was a good ship, otherwise she would never have weath- ered, that storm, but finally the waves subsided and gave us an opportunity to recover. IVe must have been a nautical joke. All of the rigging was gone and the ship listed more than is considered proper for a self-respecting vessel. On the whole I think the ship looked more like a derelict than the Neptune which had left I-Iongkong. After seeing that everything was in good running order, I lay down to get a few hours' rest-the first in over sixty hours. I had just gone to sleep when a steward came to my cabin and said that the first officer desired my presence on deck. I went on deck to see what could be the cause of my being disturbed. As I stepped on deck I saw a sight that for a second made my heart stop beating-from one of the hatches a thin spiral of smoke was issuing, I then knew that I had to battle against that which nautical men fear so much-a tire at sea. 0fHcer Campbell came forward to make his report: 'Fire has been discovered in coal bunker No. 7, sir. I have ordered all hatches closed and water is being played on bunker No. 9, so as to prevent the fire from spreading. I-Iave you any further commands, sir? I ordered him to take command and to call a hre drill to instruct the crew in case the condition of the tire should become dangerous and to keep me informed as to the condition of affairs. An hour later Officer Campbell reported that the intake valve of the high pressure pumps had been clogged, thus rendering our fire apparatus useless. I commanded him to see that the damage was repaired as quickly as possible and in the meantime to make the hold airtight. A few minutes later the chief engineer reported that it would take at least twelve hours to repair the pump. Then I knew that my ship was in serious danger. When I' went on deck I found that the ire had gained so much strength