Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-24

rising close beside his vessel, realized that
nothing could keep her from them now. A
coward at heart, he lost every vestige of his
nerve at this crucial moment of his life
Lesping from the wheslhouse to the deck,
he ran backward and forward shrleking at
| the top Of his lungs for some one to save
him, offering fabulous rewards to the man
| who carried him safely to the shore.
The sight OF their captain in q blue funk
had It's affect upon the majority of the
crew, so that in q moment n pack Of
screaming, terror-ridden mon had sup
planted the bravos and bullles Of the Half
moon.
From the cabin oompanIonway Barbara
Harding looked upon the disgusting scene
Her lip curled In scorn at the sight Of these
men weeping and moaning in their fright.
She saw squInt-Eye Ward busy about
one of the hatches II was evident that he
intended making futile attempt to utilize
| 1t as means Of escape after the Halfnoon
struck, for he was attaching ropes to 1t
and dragging II toward the port side Of the
ship, away from the shore.
Larry Divine crouched beside the cabin
and wept
When slmms gave UP the ship Barbara
| Harding saw the wheelmen (there had been
| two of then1) desert their post, and almost
instantly the nose of the Halfmoon turned
| toward the rocks. But scarcely had the
men reached the deck when Theriere leaped
| to their place at the wheel.
Unasslsted. he could do little with the
heavy helm. Barbara saw that he alone of
| all the officers and men of the brigantine
| was making an attempt to save the vessel
| However futile the effort might be, at least
| II bespoke the coolness and courage of the
man.
with the sight of him there, wrestling
with death In n hopeless struggle, a little
wave Of pride surged through the girl.
Here indeed was mani And he loved her
, that she knew.
Whether or not she returned his love- her
| place was beside him now, to give what
encouragement and physical aid lay in her
| power.
Quickly she ran to the wheelhouse. Their.
| iere saw her and smiled.
There is no hope, fear" he said but,
pardieu I shall go down fighting; and not
| like those miserable yellow dogsv'
| Barbara did not reply, but she grasped
| the spokes Of the heavy wheel and tugged
as he tugged. Theriere made no effort to
| dissuade her from the strenuous labor
every ounce Of weight would help 80 much,
| and the man had wild, mad idea that
he was attempting to put into effect
What do you hope to do7" asked the
girl. Make that opening in the cliffs7'
Theriere nodded.
do you think me crazyf' he asked.
ut is such a chance as only q brave man
would dare to take" she replied. do you
think that we can get her in?"
IT doubt IT," he answered with another
man at the wheel we might. though"
Below them the crew of the Haifmoon
| ran hither and thither along the deck on the
side away from tho breakers. They fought
| with one another for useless bits of plank
| ing and cordage.
Tho giant figure of the black cook.
| Blanco, rose above the others In his hand
was a huge butcher.knife. When he saw
n piece of wood he coveted in the hands OF
another, he rushed upon his hapless VIC
tim with wild. bestial howls, menacing
him with his cleaning weapon.
Thus he was rapidly accommodating the
| material for a liferaft.
There was only one figure upon the deck
| that did not seem mad with terror. huge
| fellow he was, who stood leaning against
| tho capstan, watching the wild antics of his
fellows with a certain wondering expression
| of incredulity, the while a contemptuous
smile curled his lips. AS Barbara Harding
| chanced to look in his direction, he also
| chanced to turn his eyes toward the wheel
! house. 1t was the mucker.
The girl was surprised that he the great