The Washington herald., 1914-08-16
Y-NO QUARTER.

Yes yes" said Mr.. Barcus indulgently, break.
ing long silence. Very interesting. Very IN
teresting, indeed. rve seldom listened to q more
entertaining hfe-history, my poor young friend.
But tell you candidly. as to man. don't
believe one word Of It. It's all damn foolishness!"
His voice took on a plaintive accent "Particu-
larly this!" he expostulated. and waved indig-
nant hand, comprising their plight.
The rest OF your adventures reasonable
enough" he said; they won my credulity-and
I'm native Of Missouri But this last chap
ter Is impossible. And that's fat It couldn't hap
pen-and has. And there, in q manner Of speak
ing. we are."
Against the western horizon a long, Iow-Iying
strip Of sand dunes rested like bar Of purple
cloud between the crimson afterglow Of sunset in
the sky and the ensanguined sea that mirrored it.
The wind had gone down with the sun, leaving
the Seaventure becalmed-her motor long since
inert for want Of fuel-in shoal water a mile or
30 on the desolate and barren coast that Barcus
out Of his abounding knowledge Of those waters,
named Nauset Beach.
Still another mile farther oi-shore the so-called
Gloucester fisherman rode, without motion, waters
still and CLASSY. Through the cleaning, with
the aid Of glasses figures might be seen moving
about her decks; and as It grew still more dark
she lowered a small boat that heretofore had
swung in dayits little later q faint humming
noise drifted across the tide
Power tender" the owner Of the Seaventure
Interpreted. Coming to call, presume. Sociable
y
think It necessary to tow our dory back. Uneasy
conscience maybe-what?"
He lowered the binoculars and glanced inqur.
ingy at his employer, who grunted his disgust,
and said nc more.
Don't take It so hard, old top" Barcus advised
with change OF note from irony to sympathy.
Then he rose and dived down the companionway,
presently to reappear with a megaphone and q
double-barreled shotgun.
NO cuttingout parties in this OUTFIT he
planned grinning smiaby. None Of that old stun.
revised to suit your infatuated female friend:
Once aboard the luaaer and the man IS nIneI"
Stationing himself at 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 OF! Keep on This means you, Come
within gunshot and I'll blow your fool heads on"
Putting aside the negaphone he sat down again
mot that I'd dare FIRE this blunderbuss." he con-
nded. with this reek Of gasoline; but Just for
moral effect 9he~-~! I'd give dollar for q
breath Of clean Gir: I've inhaled much gas in
the last few hours I'm dry-cleaned down to my
silly old toesi"
Gaining 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 fsherman's launch was
stilled. II rested moveless in the waters two fig.
ures mysteriousy busy in its cockpit the Sea
ventures dory trailing behind 1t long painter.
Gradually these details became blurred. and
we're blotted out by the closing shadows. The
aftergow in the west grew cool and faint The
crimson waters darkened to mauve to violet, to
translucent green, to blackness. Far up the
coast two white eyes peering over the horizon,
stared steadfasty through the dark Chatham
lights" Barcus said they we're
Abruptly he dropped the glasses and jumped up.
Hear that" he cried.
Now the humming Of the motor was again audi
Bile and growing louder with every instant; and
Alan getting to his feet in turn, infected with the
excitement Of Barcus, could just make out at some
distance a dark shadow beneath a dim. spluttering
glimmer Of light, that moved swiftly and steadily
toward the Seaventure.
What the DEVIL" he demanded, puzzled
You uttered a mouthtul when you said 'devil'!"
Rarcus commented. grasping his and hurry
ing him to the landward side of the vessel Quick
kick on your shoes-get set for a mile-long
swim! DEVILS work, all right" he painted, hastily
divesting himself Of shoes and outer garments
Il couldn't make out what they were up to till
saw them lash the wheel light the fuse. start the
motor. and take to the dory. They've made
grand little torpedo-boat out Of that tender"
He sprang upon the rail- steadying himself with
a stay Ready" he asked. Look sharp"
By way Of answer, Alan joined him; the two
had dived one entering the water with a single
splash and coming to the surface a good ten
yards from the Seaventure. For the next several
seconds they were swimming frantically. and not
until three hundred feet more separated them
from the schooner did either dare pause for
breath or backward glance.
Then the impact Of the launch against the Sea-
ventures side rang out across the waters and
with husky the launch blew up, spewing
skywards a widespread fan Of flame Over tho
Seaventure 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, a sound Of the labored breath
ing Of giant; and bright flames, orange. crimson,
violet and gold, licked out all over the schooner,
from stem to stern, from deck to topmasts.
II seemed several minutes that she burned In
this wise-it was probably not so long-before her
decks blew up and the flames swept roaring to
the sky.
By the time that Alan and Barcus, swimming
steadily, had gained shoal which permitted them
footing In waistdeep waters, the Seayenture had
hur naA 20 fhA