Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-04-09

depend on them.
rs there no other boat?'
Christobal threw out his hands in
his Characteristic gesture. He was so
emphatic that he spilled some of the
wine.
''You take it bravely,. ne said. Il
may as well give you the whole story.
through the mems own bungling. the
captain says. Then there was des-
perate fight for the three remaining
craft Most Of the officers were killed.
Courtenay got few of US together
when Isobel and Mrs. Somerville join
ed you here, and we held off such of
the madmen as tried to seize the jolly
boat. They managed to lower two life
boats, but between murder and panic
not half of the crew escaped In that
way. Four men who were left behind
promised obedience, and Malcolm, the
steward, was placed in charge, with
Mr.. Gray as second in command. One
of the engineers, acting on the cap
tain's orders, brought can of oil
from the engine room and threw it
over the side in handfuls. The result
was magical We lowered the boat
easily, placed M. de Poincilit on board
because he was worse than the wo-
men, and then Courtenay, as you know.
brought Isobel, the minister's wife.
who refused to go without her hus-
band, and the maid There was room
for you and another, SO, at the cap
tain's request, Tollemache and l toss
ed for the vacancy. Meanwhile Courte-
nay had turned to go for you when
we heard a shout from Gray. Two Of
the Chileans had cast off the ropes
which kept the boat alongside. Gray.
who was Tending her from the ship
with the boat hook, jabbed one fel-
low in the face with it, but he was
too late. The boat raced off into the
darkness. And here we are!"
That Christobal left several things
unsaid Elsie knew quite well. 1t
dawned on the girl that both her elder
" friend and she herself We're accept
ing an extraordinary situation with re-
markable nonchalance.
"How many of US remain on the
ship?" she asked.
every few-on the effective list. The
captain, an engineer whose name I do
not know, Mr. Tollemache and our
selves make up the total"
"Yhere is Mr.. Boylew
"Ah, poor Boylel fear he is done
for. He is very badly wounded. |
bandaged him as well as | could, but
the call on deck was imperative.
as he in the salon? Should we not
go to him?"
81 have only just left him. The
hemorrhage has stopped, and ] gave
him some brandy. Believe me, we can
do nothing more for him. / told
Courtenay it was quite useless to place
him on board the boat. You may be
sure he was not forgotten
ST did not imagine that any one
would be forgotten" said Elsie. and
for some reason the light in her eyes
caused Christobal to go on rapidly:
1--WE have whole crowd of injured
men on board, Miss Maxwell. At pres
ent we can render them no aid. /
thought it wisest to obey orders. The
captain told me to bring you some
wine and remain with you here. It
will not be for long"
"Why do you say that?"
ssThe ship appears to be lodged hard
and fast on reef or sand spit am
told the tide is rising. If that is so.
our only hope is in the raft which our
three allies are now constructing. With
falling tide we might have breath
Ing space at low water. AS it is.
well''-
He was interrupted by the opening
Of the door and the consequent roar of
the gale. 1t was Walker, the engi-
neer, lank. swarthy man, with long
black mustache which dropped for
lornly down the sides of his mouth
He shouted with the inimitable accent
Of Tyneside:
"Yo' wanted, Docto' Chwistobal. The
captain thinks Mr.. Boyle is bettaw."
''May / come. too?" asked Elsie.
sNo, missile. You bide he-aw."
stPlease tell me before you go If the
ship is full Of water"
"She's dwy as bone," said Walker.
A sea splashed over him and sent a
shower into the cabin, "a vewy wet
bone," he added, with a broad grin,
for the Northumbrian had a ready wit
though he had such solemn jowl,
and he could not pronounce an "r' to
save his life.
SO Elsie was left with Joey for com
pany once more. A chronometer show
ed that the hour was past midnight.
She knew sufficient of the sea to un-
derstand that the clock was probably
accurate, as the course had practically
followed the same meridian since the
Kansas quilted Valparaiso. So the
ship and those left on board had en-
tered on another day. How little she
had thought that to be possible when
the awful knowledge first came to her