The making of a man

by W. D. Flatt

But with the passage of time had come somewhat changed conditions, particularly among members of the crew. After a little time Sandy was influenced to hunt up his Bible, deep among the worn-out clothing in his seaman’s chest, and when he brought it forth to the light it was seen that the blue ribbon which had been tied around the precious book by his own mother, forty-five years before, still retained its place. The Bible had not been opened. The mother’s message inside had not been read. Tenderly and with tears in his eyes in spite of the hardness which had come with his years of rough living, Sandy loosened the knot and opened the book. Inside he found a one-pound note, with the message, “Sandy, my boy, take this. It is all I have. As you go through life do not forget that you should always do God’s will and help others. If you can only help boys to be men, Sandy, I will be proud of you.” The note was signed “Your affectionate, loving mother.”

The influence of the two lads had been made apparent in other ways. Sandy now said his prayers at nights, and a few of the crew followed his example. Some of the men held aloof, but there was no more carousing at bedtime. Men who had not learned to bow the knee to their heavenly Father in each others’ presence at least had learned to respect those who did.

No member of the crew dared to speak badly of Robert and Will in Sandy’s presence. They knew it would mean a fight to a finish. The two lads had no truer friend on board than Sandy. The members of the crew well understood this, and for this reason, if not for their own sake, were always respectful to the two young men; and in addition to this they admired them for their pluck and courage. They realized that almost any lad could fall in and drift with the crowd, but that it required backbone and unusual courage to stand alone for what was right when they were surrounded by men such as made up the ship’s crew.

For many years Sandy had been associated with men of a lower type, and he consequently understood that they as well as himself respected the young man who, possessing backbone and nerve, fought at all times for the principles he believed to be right. These men were rough and uncouth and had forgotten a good deal of their early training, but at heart they still had considerable of inherent goodness. In consequence, they learned to love Robert and Will because the lads played the game of life fairly and squarely and under well-defined and well-recognized rules. The young men carried the matter of right straight into the enemy’s camp and had won the first round of the game, as we have seen, the first night they were on board the ship. As a baseball writer would put it, “Robert had put the first ball straight over home plate and had registered a strike.” Following this he kept on with his good pitching. Sandy, in his turn, played the game also like a man and tried to instil the same spirit into his friends of the crew.

As days passed it was noticed that the air became more chill. The thermometer showed a much lower temperature. To the seamen this was indicative of a peril which did not evidence itself to the young men who were making their first voyage. What this was will perhaps be guessed when it is known that the lookouts were doubled and that the captain and mate spent considerably more of their time on the bridge. Then one day, just as the sun was setting, the lookout sang out:

“Berg two points to sta’board, sir.”

And in a few minutes the golden glow of the sinking ball of fire could be seen reflected on the peak of a huge iceberg a little to the right. As can be imagined, the young men revelled in this unusual sight, and when the vessel passed within a mile of the berg it gave the appearance of a frozen mountain of diamonds. After some inquiries Robert and Will learned the reason for the care on the part of the ship’s officers. It appeared to them that the danger was over so soon as the berg was passed, but when they were told that the danger was not so great from the visible ice mountains as from those which lay closer to the sea and which were not so much in evidence, they understood the situation better.

Other dangers added their quota to the excitement. Heretofore exceedingly good weather had been enjoyed on the voyage, but now it seemed that the gods of the storm had settled their efforts on the destruction of the little craft. For several days a hurricane of wind, snow and sleet prevailed. Sails were blown to bits. Ice fields were numerous, thus causing a great deal of anxiety to the officers and crew. Attempts were made to escape the larger bergs, but, time after time, in spite of all efforts, it did appear that some of these numerous ice mountains would carry the ship downwards into the deep. When lulls in the gale appeared the ship was hove to and new sails were bent on to take the place of those destroyed. Every man on board was doing his full duty and with a determination to keep the good ship afloat.

On the eighth day of the storm, when its fury seemed to be increasing a shout was suddenly heard, even above the roar of the sea: “Man overboard!” came from half a dozen throats. Looking quickly over the side, Robert noted a man in the grip of the cold, angry sea, and a moment later identified him as his friend Sandy, whom a huge wave had carried some distance from the vessel. Robert’s early training and native courage at once came to the fore. Waiting only to throw off his coat and boots, he leaped from the deck into the foaming sea and started with strong strokes for the drowning man. Fortunate it was that Robert had practised the art of swimming from boyhood and that over and over he had swam through the mountainous waves which at times surrounded his island home. Many and many a time, for the pure love of it, he and his brothers had made their way through the howling surf of the rocky coast and had gloried in thus defeating the strength of nature. All this stood him in good stead now. While Sandy was able to keep afloat, he was a much older man, and in the maelstrom which surrounded him it was impossible for him to make headway. All on board watched the struggle of the young hero. Some suggested that a boat should be launched, but the captain knew that this was impossible. A boat would not have lived a minute in such a sea. The captain followed the best plan he knew, however, and ordered the lowering of the main sails, so that the ship’s way was checked until only steerage-way remained. As the vessel tossed it was difficult to follow the two imperilled men. Now and then their heads could be seen above the storm-lashed sea. It was evident that Robert was making headway and that Sandy had seen Robert and was doing his best to reach his rescuer, though he disappeared and rose again at intervals. Then a huge wave picked him up and carried him speedily toward the goal he was striving for.