The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-27

place where the shell had gone through.
The place was sitting with the dust Of
debris. And, more terrifying than all,
through the rift in the cabin floor came up
the first seeping of the sea.
Pauline watched for q minute, In q sort
of fascination Of fear, the slow mounting OF
the water. But another crash on deck drew
her there.
This time she found that one OF the tall
masts which had held the target had been
broken off in the middle by a projectile.
The target dropped into q dabby triangle
upon the other mast.
But still across the water the booming OF
tho guns sounded. There must be other tar.
gets near. Pauline thought Surely this one
was useless now.
Her surmise was rsfuted In its very mo-
ment OF utterance. fourth projectile. fall
ing short, cleft the water into white spums
IS It struck the side Of the hulk.
Thrown to the deck BY the impact. Pauline
crawled again to the cabin. Cyrus had
stopped barking and followed her. q mute
companion Of her despair.
AZ she slapped to the floor Of the cabin
her feet felt again the chill Of water. It
was an inch deep In the cabin. It was COM
ing in from two sides now.
Pauline made her way to the old desk,
opened It and felt its farthest crevices
Even In her dire straits. a little cry of Joy
came to her lips as she found the stub Of q
OF the drawers completed the moments
triumph. Pauline wrote hastily:
Am on board your target. Il IL sink.
ing. Help! PAULINE MARVIN"
"Oh. Cyrus, can you do It? Can you do
1t and not be drowned yourself?' she CRIED
childishly, but very seriously, to the dog a.
she carried him to the deck.
She moved to the bow Of the wreck, and,
shading her eyes with her hand made out
clearly the line Of battleships, fringed with
evanescent white. as the huge guns doomed.
Holding the dogs head with one hand
and pointing OF with the other: That's
where you must 60, Cyrus. Here, take this
to Harry! Jump"
The animal hesitated moment, as II 1t
realized that the familiar trick was not to
be SO easily played here as on the veranda
at home. But when Pauline urged him t.
the rain and pointed to the water. he
plunged in. For an instant the little white
body vanished beneath the surface, but, as
Pauline watched, breathless, she saw It rise
again. Cyrus still held the paper in his
teeth. 40 he SWAN on sturdily toward the
ships.
Pauline sazed after the tiny form until It
was beyond her vision.
target No seems dead. sir. Shall We
take upsa new position and open on No. ST.
asked Lieutenant Selwyn. saluting his com
mander on the forward deck Of the flagship.
How many hits on No. II" asked the
white haired Admiral.
-Four out OF four shots. sir-two on the
target and two In the hulk.
Going down, SUPPOSE"
Selwyn levelled his glasses out over the
water. apparently she is, sir. The target
10 hanging by one mast. 1t wouldn't register
q hit II we made it.
VERY WELL take on No. g."
"Just moment, sir" said Selwyn In a
puzzled voice. He still held the glasses to
his eyes, but was scanning not the target
now. but the waves between the battleship
and target. would you mind looking, sir?
l believe there ia some one or something
swimming in that sea-"
The Admiral took the glasses. "Sea gull.
probably" he smiled at the young officer.
II suppose you'll have us putting boat over
to rescue a porpoise from drowning one OF
these days."
mo. butt
"Um-m-yes. by George. there is some
thing. 1t looks like-what is it, anyway
II doesn't swim like q man"
Shall we see. sif?"
by all means"
Down the deck Selwyn's ringing voice
sounded a command. In an instant q ships
boat was being lowered with a full crew.
AS they reached the water the Admiral
reached the rail above them. i've found
out what it u.s." he called down with . laugh
ITS dog"
"Shall we come back, sir?' asked 6elwyn