Evening star., 1901-05-04

darkness fell over them they saw the
lights along the shore
Then Reardon prepared to execute the
remarkable maneuver which he called "a
sneak in the dark" First, he eXtinguished
every light on deck. Then he closed all
bulkhead doors and ports in the waist for
fear stray CLEAN might somehow get up
from the fire room. Finally, after last
look at the engine, he went up and took the
wheel himself.
1t had clouded over with nightfall and
there seemed to be nothing to interfere
with the plan. He stood at the wheel
gazing at the terraces of light on the other
boat from which the cleaning reflections
Wrlggled like long snakes over the water
toward the Lotus. He was about to turn
the wheel hard over to starboard when he
was shocked by a sudden something when
came upon him like blighting paralysis
and stayed his hand. For moment ne
could not comprehend it fully. Then he
realized The war vessel was using her
searchlght and it fell full glaringiy. Wv
idly. convincingly, on the bridge OF the
Lotus. There was no escaping IL. II was
not to be shaken off. No cloud could over
cast it. 1t wrote its warning in letters OF
fire all over the wall of events.
1t seemed like an accusing finger ready TO
follow him to the end of time, and 1t filled
Mr.. Reardon with wrath-wrath which gath
cred it's force. and insane purpose from the
revulsion that followed the deeds OF the
day. Although he knew instinctively that
the contention could not be granted wlthln
the law. yet somehow he felt that he had
proved himself a man among men by the
days work. He who had been worthless
tramp. very high priest of the unwashed,
constant and consistent sinner against
the code-he who had been these things,
and in spite Of them had shown such gen.
eralship, undergone such terrible exertion,
displayed such intuitive thought-was he to
be denied the fruit Of it. his quiet free
dom? No. no! Not until they had paid Tor
1t thousand fold. AS he thought 1t out
quickly his wrath blazed forth In words
and back along that narrow smart OF uRnl
he roared vengeance.
Lashing the wheel, he ran below and
called his companions from the fire room
In such tones that they came up to the
deck wonderily. They were startled at see
ing the light bearing on them from
distant vessel. but they were yet more
startled at Reardon's manner Andy es-
pecially. to whom his comrades actions
during the day had been revelation. was
puzzled.
'W'ot's the matter, Choky?" he cried.
"Wot's the matter? Wot's yer goin' to
do?'
whats the matter! What's the matter!
Don't you see, and the blasted bullseye
starin you in the face? What am 1 going
to do? Why, I'm goin' ashore over to them
lights. See them? And I'm goin' to take
this bloody boat with me!''
Coin to take the boat with you? Why.
Choky-" But Choky was off to the bridge,
and by the time they had fully compre-
hended his meaning he had the wheel un-
lashed.
The Lotus, while the wheel was dashed,
had turned her nose slightly away from the
shore. but under the feel of the helm, which
Reardon put over, she came around with
magnificent sweep and charged head
down toward an electric light on shore
three miles away.
Lets do something"' cried Morley
"We'n all be drownedr'
But it was not theirs to do. She was
charging blindly to the distant surf-whit-
ended edge Of the water like old plains
bison to the edge Of a canyon and destruc-
tion awaited at the end of the run. Yet In
her soul she seemed to know. and in her
gine had toiled for them under protest
underfed. uncared for, unwashed. All day
from its heart it had pumped the blood of
its great circulatory system through it's
grew weak, till Reardon, looking fearfully
at the diminishing tank, had sought to sus-
tain life In the machine with hypodermic
injections of the hand oilers. All day il
had grown stiffer and sitter in it's Joints,
till 1t groaned and shrieked like a rheu-
matte. And now in the critical moment of
it's career, when the greatest things were
expected Of It, 1t had been left to feed upon
itself 1t fed to the last gasp of it's vitality
and stopped. There was a Kissing Of
steam. labored grinding, a sudden ces-
sation of the throb, and then the momen-
tum of the boat was all that carried 1t for
ward
Chol1y turned from the wheel as she lost
way and roared to the others on the deck
below:
whats the matter2 Who stopped her?"
Nobody" replied Andy. ''She did 1t her
self, Choky. Guess she's broke DOWN.
In the glare of the searchlight Reardon
shook his fists and heaped curses on ships,
engines. governments and all that in them
are. The Lotus slid along to within a mile
and half of the shore and stopped. The
other boat by this time was so near that
they could see the forms of men passing
the open ports. and the arm of the search
light operator showed plainly.
er0f - -
But Morley had his idea, too, and he ran
in the face of orders to put it into practice.
Look here!" he said. Cant we launch
one of these boats and get ashore in 1t be-
fore they get to us?"
Even Choky. in spite Of his recent frame
Of mind, was taken with it, and they
worked at the davits with the fury of
last hope. The falls snarled, Of course, but
at last they We're ready, and the four men
climbed hurriedly in.
What about the Dagoa' asked Archer.
ct ell with him!' replied the Buckeye
They lowered cautiously and when a big
swell went shoreward from under the
steamer they went with 1t. Taking their
bearings from the range light on shore as
their star, they headed the boat toward IL
and pulled away into the night.
BOAT going off from the Lotus" said
the flag lieutenant to the commander of
the Warship.
Rather time for it. should say" re-
sponded the commander. Good chase that
fellow led me. The instructions were pos
itively Sandy Hook. Why he should run
so far down the coast 1 cannot say. Well,
1 suppose it will be explained to the de-
partment. My instructions were to find a
derelict or to capture a filibuster. Brown
son, think the derelict lies yonder Take
the launch over and see. If there's any
contraband Of war board We'll confis-
cate it In the name of the United States"
The launch, leading flotilla of boats.
was gone a long time. and when the lieu
tenant returned to the war vessel he had
with him a French boy very much scared
who jabbered piteously In his native
tongue. The lieutenant spoke French, so
the boy clung to him as to a last friend.
In the cabin Of the gray vessel he told a
tale that greatly amazed his listeners, and
it was put into official writing while the