, 1909-07-01

for it."
caught my breath. feeling a shivri
shake ME.
Il am unable TO make ont who are
on board" | said at last. Name your
selves, beginning at the bow"
"Jem Cole. sir" 1t was the Voice o:
the negro.
Next. Speak up. men!"
johnson"
Kelly"
Mcknight"
"Dade."
Sanchez"
There was a pause. the last voic4
sounding just abaft the mast-butt.
is that all?"
That's all. sir"
With De Nova. myself, and the
two II makes the count IA.
Well. we sha'n't be crowded for roc u
This is going to be a hard cruise, lads
hui well make a stiff fight for II
We're sailors. with a stanch beat IN
der us. and a chance to win OUT
There was a faint cheer. rumblinG
as If 1t had caugh, in their throa,s,
and the negro asked:
How much OF a run is It. boss?"
Il am unable to tell you Cole J
answered. endeavoring to make nay
voice sound hopeful, because I have
not had any observation for three
days. There is no use lying 10 ycu
fellows. There is a mighty long
stretch between us and any land worta'
trying after. We are out of the track
of ships, and our only hope is to kee
the long-boat right side up. and get oui
of her all the speed possible. Two y.
you stand by to watch the runnine
gear; he others had better lie down
and get some sleep while h vim is
light. Turn in with them, De Nova.
you will ave to relieve me at the til
Ter later"
The breeze ~perceptibly freshennd.
but not sufficiently to require any reef
ing of canvas and the fog BEGAN drift,
ing away like u s,eLt Waite cioU'
leaving revealed tha vista Of cod gr..'
sea stretching about us. I.ocd bat it
did look barren and desola g. thasi
ceaselessly heavine expanse of waie..
amid vAich we wee but he ue"eft
speck. scarcely more imrortart thrT'
these floating cakes of ice, tossed By,
the waves through which we sought
passage. -
AT six O'Clock we vol careful stock
of our supply Of provisions, and served
out a small ration all around, after
ward arranging the several watches
for the night and distributing, as equal
ly as possible, the blankets and extra
clothing. The wind felt colder. the
sea coming up a bit. and Dade and
Kelly fixed up a piece of spare can
vas at the stern TO protect h steers-f
man from the dash of icy spray. De
Nova took the tiller. and seeing no
signs of a bad night | lay down amid
ships, though not until / had com
PEELED Lady Darlington to e rest
also. Whether she found 1t or not |
can not say, but l was asleep instant
ly, and Knew nothing until Johnson
called me at midnight.
There was no great change in con
ditions as I stumbled sleepily aft to
take the tiller. The boat was sailing
free, but with a reef in the mainsaif.
owing 10 a marked %stiffening OF the
wind. The intense loneliness of the
scene cast an even stronger spell q
me now.-those awful wastes Of soil
tude above and below; the far-of
steely glitter of stars; the nearby
White crested waves; the little. insigi
nificant dot of a boat in which we
tossed. thought upon those leagues
upon leagues of ~barrenness stretching
away to the north. east. west. south.
the vast fields Of ice. the extent OF;
storm-lashed seas. the seeming hope
l~essness of our efforts at escape, and
choked in my throat. my lips pressed
tight. my eyes staring blindly out in
to the smother. .
Suddenly the blanket at my feet
stirred. and Lady Darling ton sat up.
her back against the gunwale n face
upturned TO mine. The cold CLEAN
Of the moon revealed her features.
clear cut as a cameo, framed by the
darkness OF her hood. | could dis
tie guish the delicate tracery of her
lashes. and. beneath that light. the
gray of her eyes appeared black.
IL have been studying your tace. MIR.
Stephens" she said quietly. "and have
read there the helplessness of our sit
uation." AE
rallied instantly. endeavoring TO
speak lightly.
"YC. translate wrongly, That was
only the depression of the scene yoip
der; the awful loneliness of sea an
sky affected my spirits. You sheu.d
not draw hasty conclusions"
Nor have |. Even such a sea aid
sky never gave you that look OF d
spair. | know you too well to b"lies
hat. You consider our situation d9s1
rerate."
looked at her closely, but it was
not fear saw In the uplifted face.
1T is certainly serious enough !
admitted, believing It useless TO at
t.mpt anv deceit. but not bo1elesS