Evening star., 1914-01-11

into picrhead and brought claim against
the company. A warning came from War
ren, who was ignorant of the true cause;
and Bob should have taken heed, for trouble
was in the wind. There was leak some
where whence Black Stack business secrets
were finding a way to the opposition. Sus-
picion was in the air, spirit breaking un-
eaSineSS.
A week afterward on a Service night
Bob Long was again hanging over Molly
McCarthy's bar, and Danny was backing
and filling in front of the pier office, waiting
for the boy George to go home SO he might
steer the Dreadnought's mate through the
gate unobserved.
@Ship's in trouble off Cliff House beach,
called George, suddenly emerging from the
office. Tell Long to get out there right
away! Where is he?"
@Aboard an asleep" answered Danny,
starting on a run across the street yard to-
ward the pier shed gate. No sooner was the
gate between him and George than he pulled
his shoes off with jerk and knotted the
laces together so they would hang from his
neck A moment later he was overheard and
cutting across the dock into the darkness
under the adjoining pier. Within five min
utes he came out on the other side against
Crowley's launch float. Dripping like the
water rat he was, and with his shoes still
hanging from his neck, and pounding his
sides as he ran, he thence laid course for
Molly's, block away.
aShip's jammed off the Cliff House!r he
painted to Bob Long. Georges in the Office
watchin'. Go to Mission-st. pierhead.
Well pick yuh up there
@I'n have him there, promised Molly her
self, and satisfied with this assurance Danny
ran out of the groggery and in the shadow
along that side of East-st. until he was op-
posite the Black Stack pier.
As he opened the street gate he ran into
George.
sWhat you been doin' outsider" demand
ed the office boy uneasily.
"Out O me wayH answered Danny, carry
ing George off his feet and keeping on down
the pier.
Five minutes later the Dreadnought was
sneaking alongshore for the man who should
have been at her wheel. She took him from
Molly McCarthy's hands, straighter and
clearer headed than when Danny had left
him, and swung away to where her profess
sion called.
WANTED in the office by the G. NJ"
was the word George nervously car
ried to Bob Long and Danny when the
Dreadnought came home in the morning
GIHptN udlUed.
Danny felt Warren's glance pin him like
a spike as he entered the room. His awe of
this man was great, because of the stupen-
dous fact that Warren had been for years
commander of some of the China Mail Com
pany's finest and biggest liners.
Long asked Warren sharply, chow do
you suppose those two Red Stacks beat you
out to Cliff House last night?'
@They must have got the call ahead of us
that's all. But there was no ship in
trouble there; it was fake
@Yes, know it was fake" said Warren,
sticking out the point of his iron-gray beard.
Il 'phoned it in myself from Cliff House;
then saw all that happened through my
night glasses. Now I'm going to show you
how we were beaten He swung round on
Danny, and did not see the way Long began
to wilt. 3When George gave you the call
last night what did you do?r
"Ran right aboard n toll Cap'n Long,
an we cast off and got OUT answered Dan
ny, his heart sinking, but his mask up.
Somebody had told on Bob! 1t couldn't
have been Molly Mccarthy. 1t couldn't
have been anybody in her place. 1t had been
deserted save for Long. 1t couldn't have
been anybody aboard the Dreadnought.
Warren hadn't seen any of her crew: he
hadn't had the time. Besides, she carried
no traitors.
George, come in herel" yelled Warren,