Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-02-02
CHAPTER XIII.
DebacIe.


The Trouble, meantime, was closing
in upon the scene of tragedy with little
less than locomotive speed. Whitaker
applied the reversing gear; then, while
the engine reversed with heavy and
resentful pounding in the cylinder
heads, he began to strip OFF his coat.
The boat, moving forward despite the
resistance of the propeller, drove
heavily against the wreck, broadside to
ats stern. AS this happened Whitaker
leaped to the wreck just in time to
grasp the cOaming and hold on against
the onslaught of a hurtling comber.
Thunderings benumbed him, and he be-
gan to strangle before it passed. :.
He found himself filling his lungs
with free air and fighting his way to-
ward the cabin doors through the wa
ter waist deep. In another breath he
had torn them open, wide, discovering
the woman. her head and shoulders
showing above the flood as she stood
upon a transom, near the doorway,
grasping stanchion for support. Her
eyes met his, black and blank with ter
ror. He snatched through sheer in
Stinct at circular life preserver that
fiOated out toward him, and simultane-
ously managed to crook an arm round
her neck.
Again the sea buried them beneath
tons Of raging dark water. Green light
nings flashed before his eyes, and In
his ears there was a crashing like the
crack of doom. His head was split
ting, his heart on the point of breaking.
The wave passed on, roaring. He could
breathe. Now if ever
AS If stupefied beyond sensibility,
the woman was passive to his hand
ling and he managed somehow to drag
her from the cabin to the cockpit and
TO jam the life ring over her head and
under one arm before the next wave
bore down upon them.
They came to the surface In the hol-
low of deep, gray swale, fully fifty
feet from the wreck. Whitaker re-
tanned his grasp of the llfe-preserver
line. The woman foated easily in the
support. He fancied a CLEAN of live
Her consciousness in her staring eyes,
and noticed with a curiously keen feel
ing Of satisfaction that she was not
only keeping her mouth closed, but had
done so, apparently, while under water.
Then suddenly, the lift of a wave dis
covered to him the contour of the
shore. Instead of being carried in to
the rock-strewn beach, they were in
tfe grip of a backwash which was
bearing them not only out of immedi-
ate danger, but at the same time along
shore toward point under whose lee
he hoped to find less turbulent condi-
tons.
Three times he essayed to speak be-
fore he could wiring articulate sounds
from his cracked lips and burning
throat.
You all right?"
She replied with as much difficulty:
Yes you may let
go :"
To relax the swollen fingers that
grasped the lifeline was pure torture.
AAS oNtSAhpteu uo IuIlHeF COulIuuuiCd-
ton. None, indeed, was needed. 1t
was plain that she understood their
q situation.
Some minutes passed before he be-
cdme aware that they were closing in
quickly to the shelving beach. He
glanced over his shoulder. They were
on the line of breakers. Behind them
heavy comber was surging in. crested
with snow, its concave belly resembling
a vast sheet of emerald. In another
moment it would be upon them, 1t
was the moment a seasoned swimmer
would seize.
His eye sought the girls. In hers he
read understanding and assent. OF one
mind, they struck out with all their
strength The Cc4nboT overlook them