Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-27
CHAPTER XVI.
COMMANDER BRANTs FURTHER AD-

lE1YEg5l disposition was to be made of the
Sz--s.S robbers, and while the robbers
:: a.. themselves had been in consultation
IN the cabin, the Venture was of course speed
ing on her way along the lake toward the en-
trance to the Straits of Maclzinaw.
:, Under the impetus of both sail and steam,
the m yacht made ptencme al headway. As
tney oowied along, the runaways on the deck
vlcinity, and they felt assured of the interest
ana admiration which their rapid course must
excite among the crews of these vessels.
=, ne nearer the fugitive steamer approached
tne STRAITS the more numerous lie ane the
crafts she, met or overlook One vessel in
particular palatial liner, her decks crowded
with summer voyagers, passed so close that
the mutlneers could see her passengers stand
ing at the rail TO witness the exhiarating
sight which the flying school oat presented.
They could even see the ats and handker-
chiefs that were waved at them by the inteSs
ested spectators and some of the mo
thoughtless among the rebels even swung thd
CAPS and shouted in rcsnonse.
For the more thoughtful and especially
Captain Lofty Rlnlil AMI his "lierlen'
ant, Thaddeus Mcpherson, the intesest
which their presence excited conveyed dis
tinct menace
nearby craft that the rebel officers thought
of, as the crews of those vessels The pc
-euliarity in bui'd and rig and the sti.ing
quailty of the Venture made her sufficiently
Recognizable at all tlGeS.
II spoken by a pursuing yes ell the cap
tains of any of the crafts which the runa,yays
now saw would not fail to report having seen
the fugitive yacht, and would continue 10 be
so until the Venture could gain the open wa
tiers of Lake Huron. ~
The mutineers did not know that. owing to
the psescience of Com mrandcr Brant and his
reve atoms to the superintendent of the acad-
emy, the pursuers stood in no need of informa-
ton from outsiders to enable them to follow
fInc lAnfA .tnDf hal
templated course at that moment even more
accurately marked down on the chart than
had the runaways themselves.
1t was not for long. however, that the Ven
her spread of canvas gave her. The day had
dawned late, owing to the clouded condition
of the armament. These clouds presaecd a
storm, and with every feeting moment the
storm gathered
1t was at the precise moment when the af
ter-hatch was battened down and the engine
room door secured, making prisoners of Rick
etts and his men IN the ward room, Tat the
low rumble of distant thunder came as a
warning to Lofty's ears.
Despite the many distractions under which
he labored, Lofty did not for moment re-
lax his vigilance captain Of the Venture.
He viewed the RAPID approach of the storm
with inward fear and trembling. He was not
at all confident of his ability to handle the
vessel in stress of weather
His fears. however, he disguised to the
best of his ability, for upon the confidence Of
his followers depended the vessels safety and
the success of the runaway expedition.
BY his order Even had the sails taken in
The work was not accomplished without con.
siderable bungling, which made Lofty more
uneasy than ever. He would have given some
thing handsome, he told himself If he could
have been freed from the embarrassment
which the presence of the five prisoners in
the forecastIe and the six in the wardroom
and cabin presented.
at only remains for pursuing vessel to
heave in sight now, to complete nv NInns uneasi.
ness" he said to himself while he stood near
the after-hatch, and watched his crew at work
in the rigging.
But it was yet too early to begin to fear
pursuit. Even if there was vessel in thar
wake. the Venture must have fairly out-dis-
tanced her up to the present moment.
Lofty did not even trouble himself To look
back over the stern to see if anything lie
the smoke of a pursuing steamer was To he
seen, there. His gaze returned to the after.
hatch, and his thoughts to consideration of
Ricketts, instead. VI
Twenty minutes had elapsed since the roh-
bers went below, and as yet they evinced No
sign Of having come to a realization Of fba;.
situation as captves: He was approached bv
Even, who remarked: ~
ITS after eight o'clock. captain, and it
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