The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-18

most about them after all.
Ben, stepping across the small
room, took charge of the wheel and
left them to run the engine, to
well, the point nearest Greenville
they could make.
Occasionally their hands came in
contac. in their explanatory research
Of carb.Iretor, sparkling plug sc.
tFinally Ben came to the rescue OF
the seekers after information with
an explanation of gasolene motor
power such as the vernacular re-
CURED. You see," he said, letting go
the wheel to better demonstrate the
subject nearest his heart, "a lump of
gas is sucked into the inside, right
here; the piston comes up and hits
it a whack. the spark Jumps in. and
there you are"
Ben's enthusiasm received a sudden
and permanent cheek. A great wave
OF spray funncling IN through the
engine room door quenched him ut
terry, AS the boat shot her bow into
a chasm In tho waters the shippers
left arm encirclcd the girls neck,
barely saving her head from contact
with the iron cylinder.
ITO your engine. Ben; III take the
wheel"
Brief as had been Ben's exposition.
the boat had rounded the towering
room Hpll CapE Oh lhiI0 ahAhi "AS Ah
the rips" Of the open channel
fwnose tidal waves and cudden Squalls
are phenomenal
The girl turned to the window,
posing herself with the ease of a
seal born child whose earliest home
and best love Is ever unfathomabie
ocean. Headlong plunged the boat,
as lightly scaling the frothing peaks
of brine as any cliff-born bird Its
aerie home. Sheet after sheet OF
spray drove over them. binding win
dow and eye alike, but the engine
throbhed steadily and the cedar hull
rebuffed, jauntily. each succeeding
blow. Overhead the wind tore and
screamed through the awning.
III ought to come down, said the
girl watching the fight 'twixt man
and the elemental. Its shame to
bother her So"
Her eyes laughed, her body was
tense and her nerves stanch as the
launch herself. land quite as insensi-
bic to fear" thought the skipper.
Overhead the canvas shook like the
rumble OF heavily-loaded drays; the
camp chairs were swept by the wash
OF the sea, now to ieeward, now to
wiHdward again squat after sduaf
struck the fragile craft with the stun
ming effect of shivering pauses after
severe blows. Then. as though taking
"a n deep breath. she rode the next wave
triumphant.
At last the girl could stand 1t no
longer. II can remove that awning
myself" she cried, and started for the
companionway.
Stay where yeu arei" commanded
the skipper, as one having authority,
and she obeyed, Il gave my deck
hands leave for the day. that Is why
I hesitated about crossing this morn
Ing, hut ] guess we can man.
Yes. I'm sure of IT," she inter
rupted Twas awfully good of you
to try, but I'm not one bit sorry--it's
the best day I've had In nve years. and
them" with necessitous urgency In
face and voice, II must reach mother
o-ntght." The unceremonious sea
flung her bodily against him: his
hand. as he steadied her. showed a
Discrimination TO touch the wheel
again, but business Is business. and
there was report like a pistol. fol-
lowed by grean from Ben The girl
sprang to his side as he held up one
hand. bruised and bleeding 1t was
his right hand. The skipper turned.
not daring to leave the wheel.
What has happened?" he asked
anxiously. The engine clicked on
evenly.
sOnly a useless wrist" groaned Ben.
broken or sprained. The crank shaft
blew of
The girl was at his side, carefully
axar,trtny the i,f,,rad vrtst ~ think
q iTs on,v a xnrajn, she groned her
wsv - N. Galley hstwaen the ansina
-, 80 ~ .ai.nr 6rairs thara Zoe
e. ana nanL,n u,i,h which sna
sts .,a re-. xhs ra,,,s FOR Mn hI,t
49, sanS ga n.r,s, s,ora r.aiaas -
.h o "ant ana rs 10, ,.s1 -
80. Ne $500 ~. Ia<. 60, - -
"e ~ ~
'e.. "a 'nei ."'ui' w. nc
sa ~, ~ ,at,r III ~
GU iot Die sh'pPV''
IL seems 10 Hie' .ie saiu 70 .he silI
th"' 40 so,1 Ha.ioi as ~" mug
MAJ soiii. hi.o~ ',s ~ u
'avo YOU ever .riou
am nseo 70 steering oy ,hler' II
you WAL sno" me OH thlan we GIN
Honase ~ she q"o'e"' ,hT"'ii's Nun
again WIN the sense o. poiso ana
power her atsshke eyeh ihcited.
re gave Nor 'ne course oy compass
ana 1"und hcr nanus steady as her
eyes. and hcr grip OF tnc wheel such
as--n crossed mis- riind--.ove-soft-
cned. might guide man through
lies unrecognizabie sea to some snug
anchorage. Thur. passenger at wheel,
skipper at engine, Ben doing what
he could. they silently sped on.
The winds had their will Of the