The Washington times., 1913-07-12
CHAPTER VIII.
Like Ships That Pass -"

velle relieved Chang at the steer
ing-oar, the Chinaman told him
that it was hopeless to go as
they were going.
This boat no can do. Go looard all
time. All same like crab-go sideways
Lavelie had observed this early in the
| afternoon when the wind had sprung
uD from the northeast and he had laid
i a course to the eastward. Such boats as
this. lap-streaked and air-tanked. prac-
! tically keelless and without center
| board or lee-board, were never built for
sailing. and least of all on the wind.
| See" said Chang, flashing an cleo
| tr:c pocket-torch which had been found
among the boats outfit Look him
now. master" The light was on the
beat compass. Make him now cas- by
SOU. One time turn all roun' More
| time eas'-sau' '-sou'eas' by eas'-h
| SILK point off wind. No good! All same
| dam sklare lig ship"
| Lavelle ordered Chang TO turn in and
the serang handed him the Shanghai
| woman's tiny emerald-studded watch
| TIE one thing of value that remained
! OF all her years of traffickInS. She had
turned it over to Lavelle to keep the
| boats time. The Ch naman curled mp
| ing as he sank into the darkness to in
Quire IL the "capluns top-side' still
| hurt. Lavelle told him that the pain
| had gone out of his head completely
and Chang grunted in satisfaction.
In the first fifteen minutes OF his
! watch Lavelle realized the truth of all
that Chang had told him. Jt was i'm
possible TO keep the boat on dn easterly
course. The leeway size made in only
the light breeze that was blowing was
appalling She was not making more
than three knots an hour. The br.cze
which had persisted out of the north
, east since the afternoon he knew for
the first breath of the trades. although
IL was a degree or two above their
northern limit.
With provisions for twenty days and
! only a weeks supply of water. he had
to admit TO himself that he was court
. chain OF islands-Midway, Oceana.
! Gardner and i4aysan-stretcning away
to the northwest of the Hawaiian
group.
Or 4 sudden something which he had
struggled all day TO vizualize came TO
his minds eye. He saw pilot chart OF
the region as vividly as II 1t were
spread before him on lighted table.
1t vas here that an offshoot of the
Japan current set to the westward at
, from twelve to thirty knots a day.
The thought Strengthened him with
start To the westward lay 2.Uc0 miles CT
empty, nnfrequented sea until one nearly
fetched the coast. To the northwest. !. 30
:
lines-a bare chance there OF salvation.
II a ship sighted one. But with the
trades and current against such help
pess craft, there was but one thing 10
do-take no chances 10 the southM est
!, 200 or 1900 miles away, lay the Ratack
chain of the Marshall group. with the
Marianas impinging on its western axis.
Under the drive of the trades: sailing
before the wind. the boat should make
between 100 and 40 miles a day, and
Iva nf sailing meant ldnO
under foot and-life!
His heart throbbed at the thought.
II meant life for her-his gold woman
and suddenly he rsalized ii: that at,,,id al ills
With a skillful sweep of the oar he
brought the boat round and put her be-
fore the wind. BY the flash OF the cleo
trio torch he laid the course southwest
The craft instantly did better. and sur
prised him into speaking aloud, as boats
do surprise men: .
This is your best sailing point, old
girl"
III the silence that followed he be-
came conscious of somebody moving in
the boat There was a low murmur OF
voices low moan came TO him. II
made him uneasy. He located 1t final
" in the space between the second and
third thwarts which he had assigned to
women. He had partitioned 1t off with
a steamer-rug which Chang had taken
away from Rowgowskn hand push
ed back a flap of the rug, and Emily
Granville craWled out and stood up
timidly.
l.ay,.lle flashed the torch in the Dot
tom of the boat, and she came toward
him uncert Iinly. He became conscious
for the first time of the poVertJ OF her
dress as he saw her ankles cleaning In
the light. She was not wearing the long
tan coat now. 4 golfing- Jacket and a
short black skirt. which II had covered
during the day, made up her attire as
she revealed herself in the torch's
gleam
DO you mind tiff l come out here
with you?' she whispered timidly
certainly not" he whispered back,
moving further aft to make room for
her and sure that she must hear the
pounding throb Of his pulse.
Il have been awake for hours"
You should make an effort-try to
get all the sleep possible. 1t brings
strength and-forgetfulness. too
Not always. butt came-I thought
you should know that Mrs Moore
seems very H."
There is something I can do for
her,
II think-think not" There was
note Of hesitancy in her voice and La
is there nothing you can do. Miss
GranvilIe?"
She is burning with a terrible fever"
Water? Is that it?" he whispered
very low.
Yes. but she told me / was not to
ask She is very plucky"
And YOU were afraid to come to me?
Afraid ! would refuse?" There was a
pause.
Yes" she answered slowly. But I
am here and-and ! did not ask
don't know why l came
without another word LaveIle flashed
the torch on a breaker at his feet At
nod of his head she slipped down
from the seat at the bottom of the boat
He handed ner a tin cup from the air
tank locker. Somebody stirred forward,
and he snapped out the light until they
were still The spirit Of conspiracy