The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-12-08

heating q trifle more rapidly
with a certain elation. They
were undoubtedly passing White Horse
island. 1t revealed its presence by
DETECTING the tremendous sea river
which fcrricl the Kansas onward at
such a rate. In fifteen or twenty min
utes Courtenay expected to find indl-
cations of a more northerly set of the
tide, and he watched the compass in
tently for the first sign of this return
to the former course. If the ship cross
ed the current one way or the other
she would certainly be driven ashore
on some outlying spur of the island or
detached Sunken reef; hence he must
actually guess his way, with some
thing of the acquired sense Of the
blind. because the slight chance of nlti-
mate cScap for the ship and her occu-
pants rested wholly on the assumption
that some ocean hyway was leading
her to a deep water inlet, where it
might hc possible to drop tho anchor.
IN eighteen minutes or Whereabouts
tie needle moved slightly. Courtenay
G more assisted the ship with the
helm. She Stoadiod herself. and the
compass pointed due northeast again.
Walker, though an engineer, knew
enough of navigation to recognize the
apparent impossihility of the captain
being able to steer with any real
knowledge of his surroundings. The
wheel twisting therefore savorcd of
magic. But his ORDER We're to look
ahead, and he obeycd.
soon he thought he could discern an
irregular pink crescent. with the con-
cave side downward. somewhere in the
h%lackness beyond the bows. Speedily
1t was joined by two others equally
irregular and somewhat lower.
"Captain, dye see yon:" he asked in
a voice trembling With awe
Yes. That is the sun just catching
the submits of SNOW topped hills. 1t
not only foretells the dawn. but is a
sign of fine weather. There are no
clouds over the land or we should not
see the peaks"
Ere long IL silver gray light began to
dispcl the gloom. Tho two silent
watchers first saw it overhead, and the
vast DOM of day swiftly widenel
owe the veXed sea. The aftermath of
the storm spread Il low, dense cloak of
valor all round. The wind had fallen
so greatly that they could hear he
song of the rigging, Soon they could
distinguish the outlines of the heavy
rollers near at hand, and Courtenay
believed that the ship in her passage
encountered in the water several mar
row bands of Il bright red color. If
this were so. he knew that the phe-
llomcnon was caused by the prawnlille
crustacea which sailors call whale
food" a sure sign of deep water close
to land and, further, an indication that
the current was still flowing strongly,
While the force of the sea must have
zen broken many miles to the west
ard.
Suddenly he turned to Walker.
"Do You think you could shin up to
the masthead?' he asked.
Il used to be able to climb Il bit, sir"
We'll, try the foremost. Up there I
am fairly certain you can see over this
bank of mist. Don't get into trouble.
Colnc back if YOU feel you can't man
;i-r it. If you succeed, take the best
observations possible and report
Courtcnay was becoming anxious
now, If he dared let go the wheel he
would have climbed the mast himself.
Walker set about his mission in q
~buSinesslike manner. He threw off his
thick coat and boots and went for
ward. Halfway UP the mast there was
a rope ladder for the use of the sailors
when adjusting pulleys.
The rest OF the journey was not diff
cult for an athletic man, and Walker
was quickly an indistinct hgurc in the
fog. He gained the truck all right and
instantly yelled something. Courtenay
fanciel he said:
My God, we-ai on the wocks."
Whatever it was. Walker did not
wait, but slid downward with such
speed that it was fortunate the rig
cling barred his progress.
And then, ever while Courtenay wa
shouting some explanation, a grea1
black wall rose out of the deep on thu
port bow. 1t was a pinnacle rock higl
as the ships masts, but only a few
feet wide at sea level. and the Kansa: