Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-09

proceeded with their work methodic. ally. In half an hour they had reached the end. All the injured men--seven nondescript sailors and firemen-were carried to the salon and placed under Christobars care. Walker dlved below to the engine room, where he had al- ready disconnected the rods broken or bent by the fracture of guard ring, which in turn was injured by the blowing out of junk ring, stout ring of forged steel secured to one of the pistons. He could do nothing more on deck Whether he was destined to live fifty seconds or as many years, he was i'll content to hear his beloved en- zines knocking themselves to pieces with eech roll of the ship.
 | Tollemache, who undertook the fir ing of the donkey boiler, which was situated on the main deck aft of the salon-for the Kansas was built chiefly to accommodate cargo-during his wanderings round the world had picked up sufficient knowledge of
 
 furnace and regulate the water level by the feed valve and pump. The small engine. more reliable and quite as pow erful as hundred men, was in perfect order
 The Kansas rolled heavily. The roll was caused by an experimental twist of the wheel. COurtenay, peering into the darkness through the open window of the chart house, saw that the weath- CT was clearing. He had evolved theory, and. for want of q better, he was determined to pursue 1t to a finish. The Kansas was being swiftly carried along in a strong and deep tidal cur rent, Happily the wind followed the set of the sea, else there would be no chance of success for his daring plan. His eXpedient was the desperate one of keeping the vessel in the line of the current, and If day, broke before he reached the coast he would steer for any opening which presented itself In the fringe of reefs which must assur- edly guard the mainland.
 With his hands grasping the taut and in one sense irresponsive mechan- ism of a steering wheel governed by steam a sailor can feel" the move ment of his ship, a seaworthy vessel being living thing, obedient as doc ile horse to the least touch of the rein. But in the unlikely event of fortune favoring Courtenay to the extent of giving him an opportunity to see the coming danger it was essential that the ship should have a certain radius of action apart from the direction and force of the ocean stream. The two sails were helpful, and 1t was to as sure himself of their efficiency that he put the helm to starboard. The Kan sas obeyed with an answering roll to port. showing clearly that she was travelling little faster than the in rushing tide would take her unaided. He brought her head back to nor'east again and glanced over his shoulder at the ships chronometer. It was a quar- ter to l. Two hours must pass before he would discern the first faint streaks of light. At any rate, if he were spared to greet the dawn 1t would be right ahead, and, as a few seconds might then be of utmost value, that was a small point in his favor. Yet. two hours! Could he dare to hope for so long q respitef How could the ship escape the unnumbered fangs which a storm torn land thrust far out into the Pacific for its own protection?
 He was quite sheltered from the wind and spray fin the chart house. and all at once he became aware of a burn ing thirst. There was water fin de canter close at hand so he indulged in long drink. That was wonderfully vivifying. Then his mind turned long ingly to tobacco. For the first time in his life he broke the strict rule of the service In which he had beeh trained and smoked a cigar while on duty.
 Now and again he spoke cheerily to the dog:
 Well. Joey. here we are: still got bark fin us.'' or You and I must have our names on the admiralty chart, Joey-'Channci surveyed by Captain Courtenay and pup; details uncertain How does that sound. old chap" And again: ''I suppose your friend, Miss Maxwell. is asleep by this time If she calls you Joey. do you call her Elsie? rather fancy Elsie as a name. What do you think:" To all of which the dog. who had found a dry corner. would respond with a smile and a tail wag.
 The long wait in the darkness would have broken many a mans nerve, but COurtenay was not cast in mold to be either bent or broken by fear. When bis cigar was not in his mouth he whistled. he hummed snatchea of songs and delivered short lectures to Joey on the absurdity of things in gen eral and the special ridiculousness of such a mighty combination of Circum- stances centerIug on one poor ship as had foregathered to crush the Kansas. Ever since he was aroused from sleep by the stopping of the screw his mind had dwelt on the unprecedented nature of the breakdown. Even before he dis covered Is cause he was wondering what evil chance had contrived tO crip- pie the engine at such n moynent-in the worst possible place on the map.
 Joey he said suddenly. his thoughts revartfug to a chance remark made to him in Valparaiso by Isobel's father. what did Mr. Barring mean by sav avfn- thara vras a dfffirrirfv sho,,t tte