Evening journal., 1914-08-24
v-No orARrER.

v--No QUARTER
yes. yes" said Mr. Barcus indueenty. break
ing long silence. Very interesting. Very IN
terestng, indeed I've seldom listened TO a more
entertaining life-hstory my poor young friend
But tell you canddly man to man. | dom
believe one word OF e. IT'S all damn fooshness'
His voice took on plaintive accent "Particu
larry this he expostulated and waved an indg
nant hand comprising their plight
THE rest OF your adventures are reasonable
enough he said; they won my credulity-and
I'm native son Of Missouri But this last chap
ter is impossible And that's nat Il couldn't hap
pen-and has And there IN manner Of speak
ing. we are"
Against the western horizon a long lowlying
strip Of sand dunes rested like bar OF purple
cloud between the crimson afterglow OF sunset IN
the sky and the ensanguned that mirrored u.
The wind had gone down with the sun, eavina
the seaventure becamed-her motor long since
inert for want Of fuen shoal water a mile OF
of the desolate and barren coast thnt Barcus,
out of HIS aboundng knowledge Of those waters,
named Nauset Beach
still another mile farther on.shore the so-called
Gloucester fisherman rode without motion waters
stiil and CLASSY Through the cleaning. with
the aid OF glasses figures might be seen moving
about her decks. and az II grew still more dark
she lowered small boat that heretofore had
swung in davits little later faint humming
noise drifted the tide.
Power tender" the owner OF the Seaventure
interpreted Coming to call presume. socinhle
lot What I can't make out is why they seem to
think Il necessary 10 tow dory back Uneasy
conscience, maybe-whot?"
He lowered the binoculars and glanced inqulr
inely at his employer. who grunted his disgust
and said more
Don't take It 80 hard, old top" Barcus advised
with a change Of note from irony to sympathy.
Then he and divcd down the companionwly,
presently TO reappear with megaphone and
double.barreled shotgun.
NO cutting-out parties IN this outfit" he
planned grinnng amiably None OF that old stuff
revised to suit your infatuated female friend:
Once aboard the iuaqer and the man Is mlnei"
Stationng himself az the seaward rail- where
his figure would show in sharp silhouette against
the glowing sunset sky. he brandished the shot
gun at arms length above his head and beloved
stentorously through the megaphone:
Keep on Keep or This youi Come
within gunshot and I'll blow your fool heads ON"
Putting aside the megaphone he sat down again.
Not that I'd dare fire this blunderbuss, he con-
fdad. with this reek OF gasoline: but just for
moral effect Phew-wl I'd give a dollar for
breath OF clean air. I've inhaled much gas in
the last few hours. I'm dry-cleaned down to my
silly old toes!"
Gaining no response from Alan he observed
critically: "Chatty little customer YOU are" and
resumed the binoculars.
For thirty minutes nothing happened other
than that the sound OF the hshermans launch vas
stilled. u rested moveless in the waters. two le
ures mysteriousy busy in ts cockpit. the Sea
ventures dory trailing behind it long painter.
blurred.
we're botted out by the closing shadows The
afterglow I'm the west grew cool and faint The
crimson waters darkened TO mauve. TO violet to
translucent green, 10 blaclnoss. Far up the
coast two white eyes peering over the horizon.
stared steadfastly through the dark Chatham
lights Barcus said they we're.
Abruptly he dropped the glasses and jumped up.
Hear thatl' he cried.
Now the humming Of the motor was again audi
BILE and growing louder with every instant; and
Alan getting his feet in turn. infected with the
excitement OF Barcus could Just make out at some
distance dark shadow beneath a dim. spluttering
gnmer OF light, that moved swiftly and steadily
toward che Seaventure.
What the dewitt" he demanded puzzled
"You uttered a mouthful when you said devir,~
Barcus commented grasping his arm and hurry
ing him to the landward side Of the vessel Quick
kick on your shoes-get set for a milelong
swim DEVILS work. all right" he painted hastily
dlvestng himself of shoes and outer garments.
II couldn't make out what they up to till I
saw them lash the wheel, light the fuse start the
motor. and take to the dory. They've made one
grand little torpedo-boat out Of that tender"
He sprang upon the rail. steadying himself with
stay. Ready" he asked Look sharp"
BY way of answer Alan Joined him. the two
had dived as one entering the water with single
splash, and coming to the surface a good ten
yards from the Seaventure. For the next several
seconds they we're swimming frantically and not
until three hundred feet or more separated them
from the schooner did either dare pause for
breath or a backward glance.
Then the impact Of the launch against the Sea-
ventures side rang out the waters, and
with husky roar the launch blew up. spewing
skywards a widespread fan of flame Over the
Seaventure. as this famed and died, pale fire
seemed to hover like a .tremulous pail of phos-
phorescence, a weird and CHASTITY glare that sud.
denly descended to the decks. There followed .
cracking noise, sound Of the labored breath.
ing OF a giant; and bright flames orange crimson
violet and gold licked out all the schooner
from stem to stern, from deck to topmasts.
II seemed several minutes that she burned IN
this wise-it was probably not long-before he
decks blew up and the flames swept roaring t
the sky.
BY the time that Alan and Barcus. swimmnf
steadily had gained a shoal which permitted then
footing in waistdeep waters. the Seaventure hal
burned TO the waters edge.