The Owosso times., 1910-05-06


lront OF them.
He yielded with broken expostula.
tions. She dragged him to the top of
the stairs. Clinging to him, she half
walked. half fell, down the few steps.
But she did not quite fall. Hozier's
weight was almost more than she
could manage. but she clung to him
desperately. saved him from a head
long plunge to the deck and literally
carried him into the forecastle. where
she found some of the crew who had
scurried there like rabbits to their bur-
row when the first shell crashed into
the engine room.
Iris fine eyes darted lightning at
them.
"You call yourselves men," she cried
shrilly. yet you leave one Of your
officers lying on deck to be shot at by
those iends"
I'VE didn't know he was there.
MISS" said one.
The firing now appeared to increase
in volume and accuracy. Several bull
let's changed against the funnel or
broke huge splinters off the boats.
"Great heavens, listen to that.'
growled a voice. An we cooped up
here, blazed ut by lot of rotten da-
goes. with not gun to our name"
Iris was still! supporting Hozier,
whose head aud shoulders were pill
lowed against her breast as she knelt
behind him.
Can nothing be done?" she asked.
81 believe Captain Coke has been kill
ed. Mr.. Hozier is badly injured, |
fear Bring sGmc water, If possible"
Yes. yes: water. Only a knock on
the head. Hcw did it happen? And
what is that noise of firing?"
Hozier'S scattered wits were return
ing. though neither he nor Iris remem
bered that the Andromeda was water
less. He looked up ut her. then at the
men. and he smiled as his eyes met
hers again.
Funny thing" no said, with a nat
ural tone that was reassuring. II
thought the windlass smashed itself
into smithereens But it couldn't.
What was 1t hat banged ?"
"A shell fired from the island" said
the girl.
Hozier straightpned himself little.
He was hearing marvels, though far
from understanding them as yet.
"A she'll" he repeatedly vacantly.
Had she said IA comet" it could moi
have sounded more incredible.
"Yes. 1t might have killed you. Sew
rral of the men are dead. | myself
saw three of thcm killed outright, and
two others are badly wounded"
"Here you are. sir-drink this" said
fireman. offering Il pannikin of beer.
1t was unpnatable stuff, but it tasted
like the nectar of the gods to one who
had sustained II bow that would have
felled an OK. Ilozier had almost emp
tied the tin when an exclamation from
an Irish stoker drew all eyes to the
after part of the ship.
Holy war! VIII we look at thatw
shouted the man Sure the skipper
isn't dead at all. at all!'
Iris had failed to grasp the mean
ing Of Coke's antics in the chart room,
but they wore SOW fully explained.
The bulldog breed Of this self confessed
rascal had ia%en the upper hand of
him Though ne had not scrupled to
plot the destruction of the ship and
thus rob marine insurance company
OF considc:al'r "tm of money, though
at that vcry Il, ;ii.t there was actual
proof Of bis 50 icnr in the preparations
he had made - ii.n the steering gear
when the aucii, was raised after the
tanks were repl,.ished. it was not in
the mans nature to skulk into COM
parative safety be- ause a foreigner, a
pirate. a not-t0-La-m - ioned-in-polite-
society Pert: gee. opened fire on him in
this murlerous fashion Moreover,
Coke's villainy would have sacrificed
no lives. The Andromeda might be
converted into scrap iron and thereby
give back. by perverted arithmetic, the
money invested in her, but her white
decks would net lie stained with blood
Whatever risk was incurred would be
his. the responsible captains, his only
1t was vastly different thing that
shot and shell should be rained on All
unarmed ship by the troops of civi
liZed power when she was seeking the
lowest form of hospitality. No won
der If the bull necked skipper foamed
at the mouth and used words forbid
den by the catechism, no wonder If he
tried to express his helpless fury III
one last act of defiance.
He rummaged the lockers for n
union jack and the four flags tha,
showed the ships name in signal lct
ters. He determined that she would
go down with colors flying If he were
not put out of action by a bulles BE-.
fore he could reach the main hafard
The swerve in the ships course ~
che passed the island gave him an op.
portunity In justice to Coke 1t should
be said that he rocked naught of this,
but it would have been humanity i'm