The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-12
~APTER XXXIV.
R, w MARSKE ARRIVES

r. M MARsKE ARRIVES
Herzog showed good Judgment in
selecting the wheel house as last
refuge from the fury of the break
ers. In taking the ground the
steamer had partly slip over an
outlying spur of the Single bank,
and had there become fixed with
the result that her stern was con-
siderably higher out of the water
than the bows. The forecastle, in
deed, was actually submerged,
while we were correspondingly ele-
waited above the level of the
tumultuous seas.
The noise of the wind and the
waves, and the still more horrible
crunch" of the huge mass of shift
ing pebbles in which we we're jam
med, made sustained conversation
impossible, but partly in words and
partly by gestures Herzog man.
aged to convey to me that our one
hope was the lifeboat, II the YES
sci could resist the tremendous
buffeting of the breakers long
enough. 1t seemed more likely
that she would part in the middle,
the forepart dropping of into deep
water to sink like stone, and the
stern breaking into splinters.
The crew swarmed into the rig
ging of the foremost except Bel
cher and the mate, who remained
in a violent alteration. For some
minutes this lasted, and then the
mate came down and, staggering
to the deck house, behind which I
had stood all the morning, brought
out flag, which he hoisted on the
main mast. climbing into the rig
ging Immediately afterwards.
Seeing himself deserted by
O'Brien, Belcher stood at the
bridge rail apparently hurting UNI
, heard curses after the retreating
fgure Of hts mate. Then he. too,
descended to the deck. trailing his
wounded leg down the bridge lad
der. and clinging to the foot of 1t
while he gazed apprehensively at
Herzog, who stood in the door OF
the wheel house at my side. My
companion made a sign to the
wretched man, at which he showed
his teeth in CHASTITY grin and lit
orally hurled himself through the
clouds of flying foam into the HOOD
over the cuddy stairs. Herzog
laughed grimly.
1.-The liquor!" he shouted in ex-
PLANTATION. "Belcher was asking my
leave to come aft Of the bridge ana
get it. Wanted the mate to bring
1t to him. That was what the row
was about"
| shuddered, for it was evident
that the captain of the Nightshade,
in his mad craving for drink, had
abandoned all chance for life and
had gone Ns3face a master more
awful even man Sir Gideon Marske
the master whom Sir Gideon
himself served SO we'll. The cud-
dy must have been two feet, deep
in water when Belcher reached
the bottom of the stairs, but had
he been able to stand up 1t would
have been equally all over with
him a minute later. A giant break
er surged over the side, sweeping
the decks from stem to stern, and
hurting Herzog back onto me,
clutching wildly for foothold. By
Gods grace, we both chung to the
doorway till the food sagged out
again, but down below the cuddy
must have been full of water. The
captain had been drowned like a
rat in a trap in the foul den
which two nights ago, when he had
forced me to sup with him. he had
called his firstclass saloon.
Thenceonward all our concern
was for the shore, when alone
could come our help. On each
side of the wheel house was a
round glazed portfolio, and at the
landward one, clinging. for dear life
to a spoke of the wheel, station
ed myself. Herzog stood in the
doorway, and our eyes strained to-
ward the low cliffs of Totland,
where we could make out people
running to and fro like black
ants.
1t was too far to distinguish in
dividuals without the aid of glass
es. but already we could make out
signs Of activity round the build
ing where the brave blue and white
boat was housed.
Herzog came close to me and
made a speaking trumpet Of his
hands. IF Roger Marske has got
over the clout | gave him last
night, and has returned to Tot
land, he must be having bad
time" he shouted. "The flag the
mate ran up will have told the
coastguard the name of the
steamer"
"If he is there he is praying for
Al .l.,,, l.nnI, I ~AnltAA