Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-21
SYNOPSIS.


sas. leaving Valparaiso for England.
are Miss Elsie Maxwell, fleeing from
the unwelcome attentions of Pedro
Nentana, and Miss 1sobel Barring.
Among the other passengers Is Count
Edouard de Poncilit. The two girls be-
the commander of the Kansas, and In
Joey. his fox terrier. Courtenay is COM
PEELED to shoot Chilean who has tried
to knife Chief officer Boyle
CHAPTER 1.-THE Chilean. Frascu-
ella. coal passer. tells of having been
drugged and thrown into the ship 5
hold before her departure from Valpar-
also. His wound which is not serious,
is attended to by DIR. ChriStobal, pas
$ senger. AT night the Kansas runs into
heavy storm, during which an ex-
plosion in the enginee room is heard.
CHAPTER llI.-Courtenay tells the
passengers that the ship is in peril. and
the boats are made ready. The gravest
danger to the vessel and its passengers
is from mutiny by the Chilean crew
and stewards.
CHAPTER sIV--phe explosion has
killed and wounded several firemen and
wrecked the ships engines. Drifting
helplessly, the Kansas strikes reef 20
miles from the perilous Chilean coast
CHAPTER V.-Courtenay, with Gray
and Tollemache. two of the passengers,
overawes a mob of stewards and kitch-
en- hands, but in struggle for the
boats Boyle is badly hurt. lsobel,
crazed with terror OF the storm, mys-
titles Elsie by calling her an emissary
of Ventana. Elsie is left behind by ac-
cident when the other women passen-
gers are taken off the Kansas in one of
CHAPTER VI = Elsie accidentally
sees part of a letter addressed to the
captain. In it the unknown writer re-
fers to "the woman destined to be your
wife" Elsie, Courtenay, Christobal, an
engineer named Walker, and Tolle-
mache. with some wounded men, among
them Boyle and EraScuelo, are compell-
ed n raTnain the Kansas all the
boats being gone or smashed. The
steamer floats clear of the reef.
CHAPTER VII In the dark the
Kansas drifts on to an unknown des-
tination, but Courtenay discovers al
dawn that land is near.
CHAPTER VIII.-After- drifting into
q narrow ford, the Kansas drops
anchor, and Courtenay sets Walker to
repairing the engines. The vessel is
attacked by savages.
CHAPTER IX.-The Indians are beat
en- off and one of their canoes is cap
tured. The Kansas takes aboard a man
from Argentina named Suarez, who had
been a captive among the savages. He
declares that the Alaculols, as the In
dians are called, have guns and will at
tack the ship again.
CHAPTER -Courtenay discovers
that the explosion has been caused by
dynamite placed in the ships coal al
Valparaiso Spectators in copper, OF
which metal the Kansas carries main
tons; would benefit greatly by the loss
of the steamer, and Pedro Ventana is
suspected. ChriStobal tells of a love
affair between Isobel and Ventana
Walker promises to have the Kansas
under way in 10 days. Some Indians ir
canoe row near the ship.
CHAPTER Kiln the canoe Courte-
nay sees a water cask known to havt
been on one of the lifeboats. Christie
bal suspects Elsie of flirting will
Courtenay and tells the girl he believe:
the captain Is in love with her The
doctor has himself fallen in love will
Isl nd Il. a :erh fnd n tna IN
her that she believes Courtenay to bt
engaged. Elsie is Informed by Frans
cuelo that before the Kansas sailed III
had been drugged and flung into tn,
hold by Jose Anacleto believed to b.
in the employ of Ventana. AnacletC
bad then temporarily taken Franscue
los place among the coal passers. FL
sic plans to have the deck of the Kan
sas covered in with canvas in order t.
keep off the expected attack
CHAPTER XII-Tollemache lay:
plans to defend the Kansas by means
of floating dynamite RATS. Elsie ad
mits to herself her love for Courtenay
CHAPTER XIII-The Indians again
became. threatening, and Courtenay, il
love with Elsie, asks Christobal to de
fend her The dynamite, however
saves the ship
CHAPTER XIV.-In the paper wrap
per of a stick of dynamite, found in tn
ships coal bunkerS, Courtenay sees
possible clue to the plotters agains
his vessel. He proposes to Elsie, am
the mysterious letter. The ship i:
again attacked by the Alaculofs.
CHAPTER XV-In the midst of tn
battle two of the Kansas missing boat
reappear with the passengers and som
of the crew, and the Indians are beat
en- Off
CHAPTER XVI-Isobel and De Poin
Gilt are in disgrace having plotted
when the boat was away from the shiJ
to steal the boat and its stores an
leave the others stranded. Elsie an
their m
Isobel faints on hearing 'Ventana an
Anacleto mentioned in connection wit
the plot to blow up the Kansas. Suare
learns from the wounded Alaculofs tina
eleven of the Kansas crew are held b
the savages, and Courtenay decides t
go to their rescue with six of his mel
CHAPTER XVII. = Elsie, forcin
Suarez at the point of a pistol to &C
company her, leaves the Kansas q
night to save Courtenay, whose boa
has been captured by the Indians.