The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-01
BY HAROLD BINDLO6S.
Copyright, 1914,
by +. A. Stokes Co.

By r. a. Stokes 20.
CONTINUED from our last ISSUE
| During the afternoon It began
to blow strongly off the shore.
The sloop lay In the smooth wa
ter close to the beach, but when
night fell the surf was roaring on
the sands and they could hear the
crash of rending ice. At dawn the
greater part OF the ice had gone,
and they could see white patches
shining far out at sea, but 1T was
blowing much too hard for them
to think of leaving shelter.
They waited two days, and at
last the breeze fell. II was flat
calm when they towed the Get
acea out on gray morning and
anchored by the wreck. Jimmy
went down as soon as he could
put on the diving dress. He found
the wreck, which freed him of a
keen anxiety, but he had to come
up without entering the hold. She
had moved a short distance since
he last saw her, and now lay al
most on her beam-ends with her
upper works badly shattered. The
gap they have previously crep
through was closed by broken
beams.
Moran went down next and re-
ported on his return that an en-
trance might be made, with some
trouble. Bethune went, armed
with a crowbar. BY nightfall they
had wrenched away several OBJ
structing timbers and discovered
that there was a good deal OF
sand to be moved.
The next morning, while jim
my was getting breakfast, Beth
une's suspicious concerning Clay's
connection with the wreck, and
which his two partners had half
laughed at, Were proven true.
Moran came below with the
news that Clay's steam yacht had
anchored in the offing some time
during the night and that she was
already sending a gig to the sloop.
The gig soon pulled alongside
and the helmsman handed up a
note. 1t was from Aynsley Clay
and requested their company al
supper on board the yacht. He
said his father was with him, that
they were cruising for the latter's
health, and that Mr.. Clay joined
him in hoping they would not re-
fuse the invitation.
DO you think Clay made him
write this?" Jimmy asked.
No." said Bethune. "Aynsley
is not in the plot. Anyway. I'm
not going"
Il Bethune grinned as he indicat.
ed his pilot jacket, which was
shrunk and stained by salt water
and his old sea-boots.
Jimmy tore a leaf out Of his
notebook and scrubbed a few mo.
ments with a pencil. Then he
read to his comrades:
"Mr. Farquhar and his friends
regret their inability to leave
their boat, but would esteem Mr.
Clay's company IL he cares to visit
them"
Il Bully" exclaimed Bethune.
/ When the gigs crew rowed
away with the note the three mer
gathered together in the little
cabin.
will he come, do you Think
Moran asked.
| "Oh. yes; but he'll take his
time, and get his supper first com.
fortably," Bethune replied. "I'm
rather anxious about the thing
because IL he doesn't come we car
look out for trouble"
| IF that's what he wants, he'll
get it," Moran drawled from his
corner on a locker.
Jimmy sat smoking in thought
full silence. He had learned that
Clay was cunning and unscrupu-
lous; and If worse came to worse,
they were cut off from any out
side help by leagues of lonely sea.
Their enemy had a strong crew
who were, no doubt, well paid and
ready to do his bidding; for jim
my knew that Clay would not
have sailed on such an errand
with men he could not trust. The
sloop's party would be hopelessly
outmatched IL he used force; and
it would be difficult to obtain re-
dress afterward, because they
were only three in number, and
all interested in the undertaking,
while Clay would have many wit
nesses, who could claim to be in
dependent.
Moran suddenly raised his
hand, and, after their long wait
in suspense, 1t was a relief to hear
the measured splash of oars.
THAT means he's willing to
make TERMS" Bethune said.
Five minutes later the yachts
boat ran alongside and Clay
climbed aboard.
I You can take a run ashore,
boys, and come off when we sig
nal," he said to the crew, and
then turned to Jimmy. five
come for a talk"
will you come below?" said
Jimmy, moving back the scuttle-
slide. BE careful how you get
down; there's not much room"
| Clay bumped his head before he
found a place on locker, where
he sat silent for a moment, look
A fpo ahonf