Evening star., 1901-05-04

hole he could find, pointed continually to
what he was doing and then drove the
youth around to the other side and set him
to work. The boy was apt and did as well
as his teacher.
Reardon rushed into the fire room again,
swore at Private Morley for stopping to
wipe the sweat from his forehead, abjured
Andy for the love of life not to slacken his
gait, opened door after door to look for
spots, cursed screamingly when he saw
one, ShOveled coal like mailman, and ran
back again to the engine room, to scan the
gauge. to curse the boy, to wipe the joints,
to test the high h-pressure valves, to tighten
rivets, to try the steam oling apparatus,
to do thousand and one necessary, yes.
and unnecessary, things. in the space of
five minutes. When the gauge reached the
hundred mark he ran down and turned on
the blowers, and calling to Private Archer
to follow. ran up to the bridge, where he
eXpOunded all he knew of the steering
gear (Which was not much), and left
Archer with ideas of gong signals which
were decidedly at variance with the CODE
Back in the engine room Reardon made
the boy go down and carry coal to the
feeders, and then after a few preliminary
taps and tightenings, turned cautiously the
wheel Of the starting gear. She came over
slowly, and at the first revolution he
turned the main valve till he could feel
the lurch of the high-pressure cylinder as
the column of vapor expanded in it. She
got down to business splendidly, and he
could tell by her voice that she was doing
well. He listened to her a while, and.
finding everything all right as far as he
knew, he went on deck to see how Archer
was doing. The Lotus was racing like a
liner and heading due south.
Five miles away in the north amazement
was reigning on the war vessel When
smoke belched heavily from the funnel of
the Lotus lieutenant, who had been
watching her since daybreak hurriedlv
told his commander the fact it made the
commander stare. He was in his cabin at
the moment, perusing official documents.
He picked up one Of them and read it in
tently. Finally he said:
''That is curious. And you are sure no
boats left her?
Not since the haze cleared Besides. hew
could she steam away If the boats had
gomez" replied the lieutenant Then he
added. suggestively: There is a schooner
in the ofhng."
All" said the commander. relieved.
THAT. doubtless, Is the reason. Well we
must keep her in sight"
And so, when Choky Reardon. few
minutes later, looked anxiously astern and
saw the smoke trailing after the gray ves-
sci, he was sure in his mind that she was
increasing her speed in the effort to catch
them. This made him rush into the fire
room with intimations that the work going
forward there, far from being what it
ought to be. would have to be increased in
the ratio Indicated when their present ex-
ertions were contrasted with complete idle
ness. He used his own form Of expression,
of course. and they understood him per-
1ectly. HIS Ilraue VI abusive encourage
ment, born in the cool air above, was to-
tally eclipsed by the black blast of pro-
family that came like the breath of the
furnace from the hole below. 1t stopped
his panic and made him think, for in his
day he had helped to drag men from sim
liar black pit to theE deck, where they
might have a chance to recuperate in
much cooler tropical sunlight. It might
come to pass where the toilers below WonId
prefer to be captured, for, as the Buckeye
said, thickly and omfnously. Hell couldn't
be hotter!" Something must be done,
1t was plain to Reardon that watches
must be arranged. and in such manner
that the relieved man would have n
chance between tricks to be menaced vis
IDLY by the nemesis In the north. Again
trusting the engine to Providence. he. Rear.
don, must take q trick at the fires himself
He was sure this plan would act as a spur
on the soldiers, but he was less sure Of
the Buckeye. He determined to relieve him
first. They had then been firing an hour
Morley must be made to last another hour
and in order to impress on him more thor
oughly the need of it, he took him I'm to
the deck and showed him the pursuing
fiend, enlarging greatly on what wouId
were allowed to get nearer. Morley went
back to work properly impressed Andy
was then allowed to come on deck where
he took the wheel from Archer, who went
back to the fires: Andy's knowledge of
steering being limited he was told to xeen
the wheel as it was. until he saw anv
vessel ahead, when he. was to report the
fact down the tube at once. Then after
calling the boy UP to the engine, which he
was made to Oil again. Reardon went into
the fire room. where his experience was
sadly needed.
During that terrible day it seemed to the
mon on the Lotus that the hours which