Voyage of the Dreadnaught: Four Stella Madison Capers by Lilly Maytree

Author:Lilly Maytree
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sailing, family relationships, contemporary christian fiction, survival stories, alaska adventures, lilly maytree, stella madison capers, christian short story collections

4

Stella was picking herself up off the floor before she even realized she had toppled over. There was screaming and hollering (Millie, mostly), and a tumult of running feet clamoring over the decks below. Were they sinking? By the time she pulled herself up enough to look over at Cole, the young man was standing with his back to her, his head sagging down to his chest, and still hanging onto the wheel. But only for a few moments before he gave a great sigh, and shut off the engine.

“Is he alive?” he finally asked without turning to see for himself.

“I...” She was still on her knees, and only had to lean over to look at Stuart. He seemed to be sleeping. She gave his shoulder a gentle shake, but there was no response. “I think so. Yes... he's breathing, anyway. Cole—what on earth possessed you to push him so—”

“Something happened. He was froze to the wheel.”

“Dear Lord...” She patted the Captain's face, trying once more to wake him. “Maybe we better not move him right away. At least not for a while.” She took off her jacket and slipped it under his head, then reached for the army blanket on the nearest chair, to unfold over him.

“I better go check how much damage there is.”

He slipped out the door, and was barely gone when Gerald clamored in from the companionway that led from the galley beneath them. He was wearing a bright orange life-jacket, and carrying the Senator over his shoulder, buckled into a miniature of the same. “Millie's gone over the side,” he panted. “Saw the whole thing from the galley port, when we were getting into our life-jackets. Just—pffft!—popped over like a cork out of a bottle because she was leaning out over the rail too far.”

“For heaven sake! Is she—”

“Pfft! Just like that! Had her lifeline on, though, so they hauled her right up. Didn't even get wet, that's how high up we are. What happened to Stuart?”

“We're not sure. Cole said he was frozen. Just hanging onto the wheel.” She moved over to where she could look down on the forward deck. It was tilted back at a slight angle and looked eerily deserted. Where was everybody? Were they sinking? What if they had to abandon ship out in this—oh, dear God!

All at once, a single shaft of light broke through the dark clouds as the sun was going down between two magnificent mountain peaks. It gave the illusion of resting right on top of the Dreadnaught. In that light, it looked as if their ship had nosed close up into a narrow meadow, nestled between those two pine-covered mountains. And—what was that? A waterfall tumbling down from somewhere high up, over a wall of rock, not too far away.

Stella felt a sudden sense of profound peace, along with the fleeting thought they had landed in the prettiest place they had come to, yet. Then it occurred to her how often their situation could change

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