The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-20
CHAPTER XII.

Ahoat and Ashore.
He must have fallen into light doz'
at last, for he awakened to find Davie!
ut his side. The middy's voice elef
the thick darkness like knife.
"We're done for, old man r. he Whis
pered. "We'd better not awaken her
Listen!"
Heretofore no sound from without
had penetrated the thin plates Of the
submarine, but now Donald distinctly
heard cracking noise. as II some
pressure were being exerted against
the sides Of the vessel.
| "We're breaking up, SIR"
"You mean-?'
Its that gang of devils, Donald. Do
you mind letting me grip your arm a
minute, sir? It's in q way disturbing
The sounds grew louder. Tho plates
were grooming under pressure. and 1t
seemed every instant that the rivets
would start and the water rush In.
cts the weight Of the ocean over
us, Davies" said Donald, without the
failtest faith In this diagnosis.
"But this pressure Is horizontal. not
vertical, Donald. And water has NO
horizontal pressure at ALL"
Donald was silent. He would not
voice what was In his own mind, BIT
he knew tat his expla alton was non
sense, meant to deceive not only Da-
vies, but himself also. The sea mon
sters must be pushing against the bot
tom Of the F55, to break her by their
own weight and get at their prey With
In. Maddened by hunger in those bar
rem solitudes Of darkness. they were
a fren1ted army Of destruction.
He wondered whether Clouts' act
was in any way the cause Of this new
activity.
The pressure increased. The s:eel
plates cracked as trees snap In zero
weather.
Donald looked up and saw Ida
standing In the doorway.
us Anything wrong?" she asked,
coming forward to Donald.
He could not answer her, and she
did not repeat the question. but stood
looking intently at the two men, who
watched each other. It was impossible
that Ida could help understanding the
meaning Of the sounds without.
She came close to Donald. "Forgive
me for what I said. dear" she whis-
pered, clinging to his arm. II was 80
afraid-not Of death. dearest, but Of
the loneliness In that room. was
afraid for you"
He patted her arms without speak
Ing. and led the way to the coming
tower again. It was preferable that
they should die. II they must. by suf-
location. rather than In the NAV Of
the monsters. Inclosed within those
stout walls Of steel. they could at least
hope to find perpetual tomb there.
The pressure was still increasing.
The floor Of the coming tower began
to tilt Surely this was the endi
But the floor righted. tilted, righted
once more. A sense Of movement sue
ceeded that Of pressure. Then. to
their utter amazement. q white light
shot through the observation port,
flooding the inside Of the coming
tower, and the F55 scraped the rocks.
Donald grasped at Davies. 'Daviesi
We are at the surface again I" he cried.
There was no doubling It. The
moonlight flooded the interior Of the
tower. and before their eyes, seen
through the port. were the rugged out
lines Of Fair island. The monsters
must have raised the submarine by the
united force Of their massed bodies.
This time," said Donald, I'VE are
going ashore to stay"
"Amen!" said Davies solemnly, and
the three grasped hands.
A few moments later they emerged
nnnn tho driving deck of the D55. She