Evening journal., 1905-01-18
WHEN THE FOG
SHUT DOW N

past nalI nOur udu petu iuOLheuldIliJ
growing upon him. Yet he dared not
stop rowing lest the girl should sus-
pect the truth. He shut his teeth hard
as he bent over the oars.
The gray, dreary mist which had
hut down like a pail seemed growing
aore dense, and by this he knew that
darkness was coming on. Somehow In
the fog he had missed the yachts at
the moorings, and now the motion of
the tender as she slid over the long in
coming swells told him they were well
out in the bay.
1t was a serious predicameAt. The
fog gave no sign of lifting, and, with
darkness coming on. the chances of
spending a night in the open boat were
somewhat more than McCusker cared
to contemplate.
"Sorry, Miss Carey, but we've over
shot the mark and pulled past the
yachts in the fog. Hard port, please.
Wen make them in a trice."
The girl smiled as she brought the
boat about.
Il wonder you can get your bearings
at all in this wretchedfog, she said.
Something in her tone made McCus-
ker look up quickly.
"And have my own suspicious as
to our present plight Honestly, now.
do you know where we areT
"Oh, there's not the slightest dan
ger" McCusker began reassuringly.
$50 we are not lost, then" she said
lightly. This is great fun"
McCusker looked at her with undis-
guised admiration.
'Yes." said he; were really lost.
And, by George. it makes It lot cas-
fer to have some one along you can
tell the truth to without sending her
into Mysteries"
'The worst-tell it allr' the girl de-
manded.
well" said he. we're out in the
bay somewhere. that's evident. and
heaven only knows where we can find
the yachts. We may drift round all
night, but not If / can help it," he end
ed, with determination.
He put his hands to his mouth and
shouted again and again at the top Of
his voice, but got no answer.
"Humphw he commented. Just as
thought Nothing 10 do but pull for
It. It's rather uncertain, but it's better
than drifting anyway"
He took up the oars, and the tender
shot ahead under his powerful strokes
There was no sound save the creaking
Of the oars in their oarlocks and the
wash Of the boat as she rode over the
swells
Darkness was fast coming on. The
mist walls which hemmed them in
changed from CHASTITY white to dull
gray. McCusker could scarcely make
out the face of the girl in the stern
sheets. Then slowly the gray deep
ened into black, and night was upon
them. Every few minutes the man
ceased rowing and shouted through
the mist, but the sound OF his voice
seemed TO die out in hollow emptiness.
Here's a fixw he said at length.
~We don't seem TO be getting any
where. Are you coldr'
Not a bit" she said cheerfully
YOU'D best stop rowing and trust to
the tide It must be making in now.
You're firing yourself out and all to no
purpose"
Look here" said he. 1--WE simply
must find the yachts"
'Impossibilities admit Of no 'musts,' {"
she observed philosophically.
Il know" he said. "but the whole
future hangs ON it, II we drift round
all night--yOu see-that is''-
"Oh." she said quickly, you'd better
row, think"
There was a hint Of coldness in her
voice. McCusker dug the oar wage
" into the water.
I'm afraid you don't und Itand."
he said finally.
The girl said nothing.
TITS This way" he said desperately.
''if-le we drift round all night you'll
think when ask you TO marry me, as
I've been trying to get up the courage
TO do for weeks. that I'm prompted to
do so by a sense of obligation. II will
be no such thing, but you'll think So
Just the same Therefore want to
make the yachts and prove to you 1
would have asked you anyway"
The girl was silent McCusker fan
cied he heard a low chuckle from the
vicinity OF the stern sheets. but pro
tracted listening on his part failed to
verify this.
He pulled away with all bis might
Presently he noticed that the tender
no longer rose and fell. They were I'm
the quiet waters Of the harbor. He
could have shouted for Joy. He bent
over the oars with a new energy born
OF hope.
Ont OF the fog there suddenly ap-
peared a light. There was a shock Of
collision that nearly threw them from
the thwarts.
We've found the yachts" said Nc
Cusker laconically, and then to a voice
that hailed them from the dark. 'T
say, where's the Yesta, old man? Sec
Ond boat TO starboard? Thanksg'
A few moments Inter they stood on
the Vesta's deck. Tom Patterson and
krs. Patterson and the rest OF the par
ty clamoring for an account Of their
adventUra.
'"Fhe women folks have been lust
wild. Mac" said Patterson, but I
thought you'd turn Up al. right You're
a lucky sort Of q chap"