Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-02
CHAPTER II.
Which Treats of a Change in the
Wind.

An evening spent in pottering idleness
about yachts cabin is a good excuse fol-
the consumption Of tobacco. It's only
other merit, SO far as I have discovered,
is to make bedtime attractive. / turned
in that night as the clock struck three
bells.
Ny last conscious sensation was the
monotonous rolling of the schooner; in
the doing state it became the restful
motion of a cradle; dissolving into dreams.
it led in natural sequence to my presence
in a swing. 1t seemed as though Blake
ley, the sailor, were pushing it, and for
a while the swift flights through the air
were exhilarating. But gradually a feel
ing of nausea crept over me and l cried
to him to stop. He burst into a thunder
of laughter. ] struck out at him vicious
~ He lodged and / fell headlong to the
ground.
/ woke in a reeling world of blackness.
The rush of great winds sounded above
me. Some one was knocking on the state
room door
What is it," I shouted.
Capt. Simpsons compliments. sir, re-
piled Cartons voice. land he says that
the storm has broken"
$50 it seems I grunted. tumbling out
of the berth. 'I'll come at once"
/ dressed with what speed smoky can
die and a pitching StaterOom would per-
NIT me and hurried on deck.
1t was a night of tumult. A gale-rid-
den scud of cloud, driving the fog before
1t, raced across the sky. The wind
screamed with 1iendish anger in the rig
ging as the yacht, like a maddened thing,
plunged and lurched on her drunken
course through the seas. Simpsons face.
glowing dimly in the circle of the bin
nacle light was the one fixed point in my
line of vision; all else was heavins.
tumbling chaos Of waves and foam.
/ waited my chance, and, as the
schooner whirled upward / stumbled aft
to his side.
How long has it been going on:' L
shouted.
Ten minutes.
"Any sign of lessening?"
He shrugged his shoulders and pointed.
looked astern. The sea was in welter
of spume. In range upon range the long,
crested rollers, broke from the darkness,
sped after us, ran under our keel, swept
by. One instant We chung to the dizzy
heights of a mountain: the next we had
slipped down the CLASSY slopes and were
foundering in the depths below. The tail
of a wave crashed over the railing and
drenched me. l shivered as l shook the
water from my clothes.
TOO much SAIL" Simpson muttered.
what are we carrying?"
'Double-reefed mainsail and jib. The
jibs got to go, SIR
''All right. cut it loose
He clutched the wheel with his knees
and waved his hands vehemently. A fig
ure rose out of the shadows Of the fore
deck and staggered aft. At the same mo-
ment Cartons form appeared in the COM
panionway. He beckoned. / crept over
to him, brushing past the sailor in the
gloom.
Take the Wheel 1 heard Simpson
order. keep her nor'we by north"
Whats the matter. Carton?" 1 asked.
It's Larabee, sir. He wants to speak
to you in the cabin"
1 left him to fasten the doors behind
me and clambered down the stairs. The
cook was waiting at the bottom.
Come into the stateroom while change
my things I suggested. You can talk
to me there"
He followed me with an ill-concealed
air of Importance.
WELL" I went on, throwing off my