The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1916-03-02
1WENTY-FlRST INSTALLMENT
CHAPTER LXXIII.
The Encounter at Sea.

The Encounter at Sea.
Over the sea, up into the stars, sped
the distress call of the ship at sea:
hoffen!'
Broken, incoherent at times, but i'm
perative, the strident wall of the WIRE
less clamoring out into the empty air,
asking for ears far away to listen to
what it said. And ears did hear-the
ears of friends.
The prime minister of Gretzhoffen,
as has been said, had by this time
succeeded in making some sort of
clearance of the unwelcome guests of
the Gretzhoffen palace. He had got
the king to bed, some of his officers to
horse, and a few of his servants to
work. AS for himself, he felt him
self unable to establish the broken
machinery Of the government on any
lasting basis. Frederick-Count Fred
erick-the man with the strong brain
and arm-where was he?
Bent upon answering for himself
this somewhat imperative question,
the prime minister made search here
and there for some clue to the miss
ing nobleman. His agents ran the
trail to the dock whence Count Fred
erick had sailed so many days ago.
He learned that at the time the kings
yacht had put out there had been seen
the line of smoke of a passing steam
er, far below, toward the mouth of
the bay. Apparently the kings yacht
had set out with the purpose of inter
cepting this steamer. What then had
happened none could tell. Some
where out on the. sea the nobleman
of Gretzhoffen had disappeared.
Therefore, said the prime minister
to himself, it might well be true that
Count Frederick, having been gone
certain period of time, might now be
ready to return. These long absences
we're usual with him, but always he
had come back. Hitherto that had
meant his return by land. Now it
must mean his return by sea. It
might be quite as well, reasoned the
prime minister, to have one of the
earliest interviews with Count Fred
erick on his return. It was well, sure
ly, to be we'll established with those
who would take control Of affairs in
the distracted kingdom of Gretz-
hoffen.
Il shall even take our other yacht,
the Adelina," said the prime minister
to himself, and put myself in the way
Of the royal yacht, should it now be re-
turning" And even so he did.
The Adelina was a stout little steam
ing craft, of good lines, and we'll
enough armed.
The prime minister did not hasten
in his errand, for indeed he had no
definite purpose in view. Only, having
put the Adelina into commission, he
pushed out quite beyond the bay, I'M
til he felt the long roll of the Med
iterranean under him. Then, as 1t
at a point not SO far from
the late shipwreck of the Prinz Ad-
Ter, he slackened speed and kept him
self barely under way. Having moth
ing better to do, he waited.
1t was night now, and the stars were
brightly above. The gentle
airs of the South European sea were
soft and dangerous. But, to the prime
as he restlessly paced the
deck of the Adelina, these things
we're lost. He was engaged In rehec-
ions of none too pleasant nature
Signing, he said to himself: There Is
no use in this. 1 might as well put
back"
He turned as the boats wireless op-
orator hastened to him now, paper |
L 0% roo$fon6
;rackle of his own wireless masts of |
ate, although from time to time he |
lad sent out signals in the hope or
striking somewhere some information |
egarding the missing craft.
4 beg pardon, sir" said the messen-
ger excitedly, 'but we have just got |
IN s. 0. s. Someone is calling the |
Adelina."
Calling us-where is it-who is
t." demanded the prime minister.
They are calling Gretzhoffen and
signing Frederick. 1t is s. o. S.
hey are in trouble somewhere. Who
s it, excellency?"
The prime minister started as
hough struck by an electric shock.
Frederick! Who but the very man
want-Count Frederick-and calling
Is! Tell me-what is IT that he says"
Only the same thing, excellency-
s. o. observation-disclosures
frederick. And, yes-he says one
hundred and seventy-five miles south
Outhwest.'
One hundred and severty-five miles
that, of course, must mean from the
,ort whence ne sailed. We are more