The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-06-05
CHAPTER III.


veals its pent-up fury. They forget
that safety valves are provided; that
diminished pressure means less risk
The knowledge that restraint, not free
dom, is dangerous comes ever in the
guise of a new discovery.
The mining engineers of course did
not share this delusion.
"There must be something serious
the matter or they would not be vast
ing power like that" murmured the
American to one Of his fellow profess
SIGNALS.
"A smashup in the engine room.
Nothing is more certain" was the an
swer in Spanish.
wonder If any one is hurt"
The Spaniard bent little nearer.
What can you expectT he whispered
alphabetically.
In the unnatural peacefulness of the
ships progress, disturbed only by the
roar of the superheated vapor, the,
all heard the opening Of a door at the
head Of the salon stairway. The third
officer appeared, his wet oilskins gleam-
Ing and dripping.
"Dr. Christobal, the captain wishes
to speak to you," he said.
Christobal rose and crossed the sa-
Ion.
"As you are here, won't you tell the
ladies there is nothing to be afraid Of
In the mere stopping Of the engines"
he suggested.
"Oh, the ship is right enough" was
the hasty response. "There has been
an accident in the stokehold. That is
ALL"
want any helpT demanded the
American.
"Well-Ill ask the captain"
Evidently anxious to avoid further
questioning. he ran up the companion
way. Christobal followed, and the
door was closed and bolted again.
II hate the word accident It COW
ers so many horrid possibilities" said
Isobel.
II am afraid some poor fellows have
been injured and that Is why Captain
Courtenay sent for DR.. Christobal,"
said Elsie.
ooh, of course, / meant that. i was
not thinking of the mere delay, though
it is annoying that breakdown should
occur here"
1T would be equally bad anywhere
else" put in the missionary's wife tim
idly.
"By no MEANS" was the sharp re-
spouse. "If we were in the strait.
for instance, we could signal to San
1sidro or Sandy point, and there would
be other vessels passing. Here We
are in the worst possible place."
To all appearance, Miss Barring alone
among the passengers, now that Chris
tobal was gone, realized vaguely the
perilous plight of the Kansas. In
maritime community like that of Val
paraiso there was every reason to
know and dread the rock bound coast
which fringed the southern path to-
ward civilization. Strange, half forgot
ten stories Of the terrors which await
disabled ship caught in q southwest
erly gale on the Pacific side of TERRA
del Fuego rose dimly in her mind, and
the advancing darkness did not tend
toward cheerfulness.
The curious sense of waiting, they
knew not for what, which duled the
thoughts and stilled the tongues of the
small company at the table soon COM
municated itself to the stewards. The
men stood in little knots, exchanging
few words, and those mostly meaning
less. But the chief steward, whose
trained ear caught the regular beat of
the donkey engine, woke them up with
series of sharp orders.
switch on the lights" he said loud
ly. Clear the table and hurry up
with the coffee. Get a move on those
fellows, Gomez. Have you never be-
fore been in ship when the screw
stopped?"
The Gomez thus appealed to was the
Englshman's second in command He
acted as interpreter when anything
out Of the common was required. He
muttered few words in the Hispano-
Indian patois which his hearers best
understood, and the scene in the sa-
Ion changed with wondrous sudden
ness. The glow of the electric lamps
banished the gathering shadows. The
luxurious comfort of the apartment
soon dispelled the notion of danger.
The noise of the steam exhaust ceas-
ed as abruptly as 1t began. The ship
was riding easily in spite of the heavy
sea. And then, while the occupants
of the salon were endeavoring to per-
suade each other that all'was well, the
loud wall of the siren thrilled them
with increased foreboding. 1t was not
the warning note of a fog or the sharp
course signal for the guidance Of a
passing ship, but sustained trumpet
ing which announced to any steamer
hidden In the darkening waste Of wa
tiers that the Kansas was not under
control. 1t was wild, sinister APP
peal for help, the voice Of the dis
abled vessel proclaiming her need, and
the answer seemed to come IN fiercer
shrek Of the gale, while the added
fury Of the blast brought curling
SEQ over the noon The Kansas stag