The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-11-03

snatched It from the startled Maltese,
and with quick twirl of the spokes
swung the vessels head round till she
lay nearly athwart the canal.
The object of this maneuver was
not apparent, but it seemed to have
been Intellectual There was a sound
Of gurgling waters from below, and
the ship lurched heavily to starboard
A tremendous kissing and gush OF
steam announced that the fires had
been flooded, and a moment later the
black and halfnude staff of the en-.
ginerooms precipitated themselves
on deck Alongside, the calm waters
seemed to be rising with amazing ra-
pidity tOward the rail, and in three
minutes the keel touched bottom with
perceptible thump. The canal is
26 feet deep, and the water reached
nearly to her lower deck. She lay
squarely across the fair-way, her awk-
ward bulk completely blocking the
deep-water channel, The great gate
between the two worlds was jammed.
The Levantines jabbered and swore
in a dozen dialects, but presently, at
the command of the yachtsman, they
launched one of the boats and rowed
Off in the direction Of Ishmailia. The
young man, thus abandoned, sat down
in a deck chair lighted a cigarette
and gaZed across the desert. AS the
retreating oar-splashes of the crew
died out, the hot silence settled down
unbroken.
But for the gigantic ditch alongside,
he might have fancied himself in the
mid-Sahara The sandy and rocky
| plain ran red and yellow to the eX
treme limit of vision. Far to the
southeast El Guisr thrust a Jagged
black peak against the spotless hori-
zon. The sun poured down fiercely.
The young man had time to smoke
many cigarettes, and to gaze to sa-
tiety at the glaring monotony of land
scape. But in about three hours a
whirring electric launch shot up, the
launch Of the canal patrol, and the
officer clambered aboard. He was a
smooth-shaven Englishman, wearing
the uniform of the Canal Company.
q say" he began sharply. "Who are
you? Don't you see you're blocking the
canal?'
I'm sorry" said the man on board.
Have a igarette-they're Manilas.
My name is Davenport, and this is my
private yacht, the Ukraine, Of Trieste,
as you can see by looking over the
stern, if all the lettering hasn't been
rubbed off"
Il say!" repeated the Briton, star
ing But this is no joke, you know.
How did you come to sink in this po-
sition?"
we Just seemed to spring leak
returned Davenport cheerfully. This
yacht has been porous for some time
AS for our peculiar position, that is
entirely the fault of the fool who had
hold of the wheel. He swung her
round as she went down"
I'm bring a diver to look at the
leak at once-at your expense"
said the Englishman. IF she can be
plugged and pumped out, very well.
Wen give you "a hours If she isn't
afoat at the end Of that time, We'll
have to blow her up"
The official removed himself rapid
ly in the launch, but returned a little
before sunset with an Arab diver, who
removed his clothes and went under
like a frog Davenport leaned over
the rail and watched the operations
with considerable interest After half
an hours work, the Englishman came
on board the Ukraine to report
THE diver says there is a hole in
her side big enough to drive a horse
he said. "It's a most ex-
piece of business, l must
say. 1t would be absolutely impossible
to repair her as she lies, and she is
resting merely on her bows and stern,
SO that she is likely to break in two
besides. I'll give you till eight o'clock
tomorrow morning to gut her, and at
that hour Wen send the dynamite
launch"
At this decisive ann ouncement Dav-
enport manifested, for the first time
some embarrassment.
Look here" he suddenly blurted
Don't do that She's had quite enough
)t that sort of thing" He hesitated.
l suppose l may AS well make
lean breast of it. The fact is, she is
oaded with nitro-glycerine, 600 quart
'ases of it, packed away in the sand
ballast. All Of it is 10 or Is feet un-
Ter water now Some oe It must have
zone off and blown out 1ter side; I
ieard a noise Why it didn't set off
ii the rest l can't imagine. But if
ou blow her up here it W i'll produce
n explosion that will wrecl- the canal
Or mile" "
The other man stared. "t5ood heav-
MS! and what were you going to do
18th all that explosive?' he calculated
u prefer not to say. Takin it to
elagoa bay for the Beers, pos sibly."
II | really thought you were, said ,
le Briton, stiffly,'"I would have you
rrested. l suppose we will haV to
ave the cases of explosives taken out j
y divers, and then the hulk will be
ynamited. OF course all this win be !
one at your expense"
The launch whirred off agaiD1, leay-
g Davenport not greatly imp ressed.
e knew that not one of the native {
vers of Port Said could be induced TO
indie nitroglycerine; he doub ted i2
e directors Of The company would
zen risk allowing them to hartdle it
that dangerous position. 1t would
necessary to bring a regula sub
arine wrecking outfit from Trieste