The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-10-26
foonsinued.,

.-plavlei Yardley!" he shrieked, s.where gre you? Oh Heaven. what has happenedT
 over the stern, saw the twinkle of the Black Spit Buoy. Far ahead, in the distance, he saw other lights, and one. though he knew it not, was streaming from the window of Dowsetts cottage. He noticed that both wind and sea were behind him, and. recalling the scraps of conversation he had hearo, ue pucssed that the boat had roundeo tne T;lcck Spit and was now in the Dark Va ter. He remembered how Yardley bod reckoned the trip to the buoy as tbe only serious part of the voyage. After that it was to be plain sailing, more child's play-and yet-where wore the two men? Had they desertea him? Had they been swept overboardF Esthar Alternative seemed impossible. They had yet to be paid for their work; ard how could they be swept overboaro when it was all plain sailing!
 Tankerlane was no coward, but the situation was well calculated to strike terror in the heart of q man ,s Wno Knew nothing whatever about saihns. Tie darkness. the fury of the wind, tne violence of the sea, and the knowieoge fin at he and John Shil were the only two men left on the smack, made a eoynbination of difficulties that the bravest man might well fear 10 con template.
 hour of fear and peril, proved himself worthy of the great name that he pore. TJa realized that John Shil was blind ard helpless, and that the task ot say ing both their lives rested entirely on his own shoulders He was ignorant oI everything connected with boat ne d.A not even know where he was, or wbere he had to make for; he was half- dead with sickness, and could hardly stand. He did not know what had nap ,,anaA to the boat, or why Playle ana Yardley had disappeared And all round f m the wind and sea roared tnrough inc darkness, and the smack iurcneo to and fro like a drunken man. vet he knew that he must act' ana .rv fo bring the Hope and Glory to Con-
 He let 20 the tiller. and, stumbling across the deck, crawled down Into tpe rahin- and nhooked the lamp wnicn hung from the ceiling.
 sWhat's up?" cried Shii, as ne hearu the sound of his entry.
 ssrt he all right, sir" Tankeriane re- ,.,,sS aJust you lie still. There amt ~athin9 to be afeard of. We.m m I1arkwater now, with wind end tioe oe- hind us.' .s a..L .na examined it by the light or tne lantern. He saw the wrecK oi snS mainsail. and though he dlo not rsaI. derstand what had happened ne reat s~aS that 1t had some connection Wl.h fhe disappearance of Piayle and aaro- ley: a. h. mutterod to himself. What can I doI what can do7 Perhaps they are stili strugsLns for life in that sea He went stl Se x.uSrf@r of the dinghy. Tnan' aa the boat came close up to the 9rnack he remembered that he could moi row. and that if he left the smacK he would probably never be able 10 get back to it. u.,,.
 'sPlayle! Yardleyi Piayie! faroiey! he shrieked leaning over the cage os the smack, and crying into the roa. Oa the waters. Then he stumbled TOT ara with the lantern, clingtng on to any @birr that came within his reach. Tie saw that the jib was bellying peIore the wind, and he presumed that It was moving sthe boat along. But as ne looked at it the canvas Tapped and then filled on the other side, ana the smack began to turn round.
 1T Ynust try and steer her" he said 4o hfnseIf, and he went aft to the filler. Just as he reached 1t a huge wave broke over the stern and poured along the deck. Gallons or water the open hatch, and John Shil not knowing what had happened. cried out to be led up on deck.
 @You'n all right, sir" said Tank arIane: 'Tll put cover on hatch. You'm safe as in your own house. We'll be at Con'sea in half an hour"
 He put on the cover of the hatch, and took his place at the tiller. He could see nothing in the darkness, but he tried to keep the Black Spit Buoy behind him. He had an idea that he was taking a straight course up the Darkwater, but, as a matter of fact. he was going from side to side.and even, at times. round and round in circle. He knew nothing of steering, save that if he moved the tiller one way the boat went the other.
 But in the darkness he could not even perform the simple task of keep