Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-02-14
CHAPTER vII.-contInued.

There followed hours of superhuman
struggle to save the Jeanne D'Arc.
Her crew, sufficient in ordinary wealth
er. was too small to cope with the
storm and the leaking ship. Ballast
had to be shifted or flung overheard.
Repairs had to be worked necessarily.
1t transpired that the yacht had gone
far out of her course during the fog
the night before. and had tried to turn
inshore. even before the leak was dis
covered. No one knew what waters
they were that lashed SO furiously
about the disabled craft. The storm
overhead had abated. but the rage of
the sea was unquelled. Before long
the engine was stopped by the rising
water, and then the hand pumps were
used. There was some hope that the
leak had been discovered and at least
partly repaired. The captain thought
hat, II carefully managed, the yacht
might hold till daylight.
Jimmy joined the gang and worked
like a trojan. helping wherever a man
was needed, shifting ballast. untack-
ling the boats. handling the pump. 1t
was at the pump that he found himself
some time during the night, working
endlessly, 1t seemed Not once had
he lost sight of the real purpose of his
presence on the yacht. II Agatha Red
mond were aboard the unlucky vessel
and he had moments of curious per-
3lexity about it-he was there to watch
for her safety. He pictured her sit
ting somewhere in the endangered ves-
sci. She could not but be terrified at
her predicament Whether shipwreck
or abduction threatened her, she must
feel that she had indeed fallen into
the hands of her enemies. He worked
his turn at the pump. then made up his
mind to risk no further delay, but to
search the ships cabins. She was in
one of them, he believed; frightened
she must be, possibly i'll. He had
done all that the furthest stretch of
duty could demand in assistance to
the ship. He would find Agatha Red
mond at any cost, IL she were aboard
to himself that he was glad he was
there. Whatever purpose her enc
miles had, he alone was on her side.
he alone could do something to save
her
1t was now long past midnight, but
not pitch dark either on deck or on the
sea. The electric lights had gone out
long before, but lanterns had been
swung here and there from the deck
fixtures. AS Jimmy came up, he
thought the men were prepar-
ing to lower the boats, but when
he asked about it in his diff
ficult French, the sailor shook his
head. There were more people about
than he supposed the yacht carried;
several seamen, three or four other
men. and fat woman sitting apath-
etically on a pile of rope. He went
from group to group. and from end
% end of the yacht, looking for one
woman's face and figure. He saw
Monsieur Chatelard. examining one of
the boats. He ran down the saloon
stairway, determined to search the
cabins before he gave up his quest
One moment he prayed that the words
of Chatelard might be true, and that
she had never been aboard the yacht;
the next moment he prayed he might
and her behind the next closed door.
AS James searched below deck.
house palatial disclosed itself, even in
the dim light of the little lanterns.
Cabins roomy and comfortable, fur.
nishings of exquisite taste, all the
paraphernalia of the cultured and the
rich were there. Some of the cabin
doors were standing open. and none
was locked. Jimmy beat on them,
called from room to room. finding
nothing. Every human occupant was
gone. Sick at heart. he again rushed
on deck. Was he mistaken after all?
Or had they hidden her in some se-
cret part OF the ship where he could
not find her?
When Jimmy got back to the deck