The Detroit times., 1912-11-27
CHAPTER XIV.
(COntinuedI

Captain Kettles hand shot out aud
caught the engineers collar before he
had descended three steps OF the
steep kfidge ladder, and jerked him
suddenly backward. and deposited him
sitting on the deck OF the upper
bridge.
stop f." he said In sharp whis.
per, and sober up, and look there.
He stretched out An arm into the
night. and pointed to the south and
east. The black velvet darkness was
fiawed by a flicker of inanitesimal
flames.
"Phosphorescence," said McTodd.
THE outer splashes OF nEht'll be oars.
Gosh, but she's big craft, yUn. She'll
have q dozen oars aside She'll be
one OF those Zig kherbs."
"A lighter"
THE Moorish words kherb, as ye'd
know II ye'd my education, | don't
see for why ye're surprised. It's the
natural sequence OF events that the
other blackguards should come on 10
Join their chief who's tucked his way
in among US 50 cannily. I should say
that the throat-cutting will begin with
In five seconds OF their coming over
the side"
That's my idea OF IT, and rye made
my preparations according The
mates know, and the deckhands are
standing by. But I've another sur.
prise packet for them first. What
steam have you?"
Enough, maybe, to just turn her
over with"
Il told that old fool OF chief 20
keep steam for full speed all night.
BY James, I'll log that man for incom-
petencei"
"You should have given your order
through me, and would have seen II
carried out. The chiefs vera canny
on coal, and I'm private | may tell We
suspect him OF being an Aberdonian.
But I'll away below and get a boost
on those cages"
The oasis of phosphorescence slow
ly crawled across the black desert OF
the night. and presently a second flick
ering oasis disclosed itself, and then
q third and a fourth.
-Four big lighters crammed with
men, and all OF them Of the true fight
ing trade" unused Captain Kettle. "lf
they're the ordinary cargo kherb OF
the northwest coast they'll carry a
hundred and twenty hands apiece In
smooth water like this lagoon. That
means four to Ave hundred enthus-
lasts coming TO call, and all carrying
cutlery. Well, IL they go direct to my
old anchorage I'm free TO own they'll
get surprise"
Silence and secrecy was the order
of the night Mr.. Trethewy, the mate,
received orders and departed swiftly
to the forecastle head. The carpenter
was dropped Into the cable-locker.
and battened down there so that the
noise of his knocking out a shackle
should not make itself heard Then
the heavy cable was muffled in every
way possible, and dropped through
the hawsehole, link by link, and finally
let go with rope and buoy
TO mark IL. Phorphorescence, now
they were looking for II. showed
them on the line of the cable
right down TO the lagoon's floor, and
TO the men on board seemed an open
advertisement OF their position; but
no trace OF this reached the kherbs.
and they plodded steadily along their
course TO the Wangaroo's old anchor
age. steam meanwhile was beginning
TO pour quietly through the escape
pipe, and Captain Kettle nodded APP
preciatively TO himself az he took the
temperature from time 10 time from
the outside OF the funnel casing.
The leading kherb reached the spot
where the steamer should have been,
eased her NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
oars. and disappeared into the black
ness OF the night, and as the others
came up and lost their way they also
vanished into nothingness.
Captain Kettle put cigar between
bis teeth, but he did not venture to
light 1t, nor did he risk the changing
bell OF the engineroom telegraph. In
stead he applied his lips to the voice
tube, and got into communication with
a very sober and alert McTodd. who
said he had found il necessary TO put
his chief TO bed ---ra-