Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-12-14

| lantern. on the dinghy. The Esmeralda
had disappeared. "A faint cry reached
/ me, and / answered it, striking out
strongly toward the guiding light. Five
! minutes later, dripping and bit ex
hausted-fOr had been ashore q long
/ while-I managed to Chamber in over
the stern. Even as rested GREATNESS
on the thWart, realized that the girl
| had crept aft, and her hands sought
mine.
"Oh, I am so glad,' she sobbed, al.
most Historically. Il was afraid; T.
I thought you went down with the
yacht"
EMO such luck. / jumped just as her
decks blew up. Is there anything In
| sight?
Tt haven't looked; but there is no
sound, no light anywhere. Do you
suppose the steamer has really left
/ us?''
IT have no doubt of it." T answered,
but stood up SO as to see about more
clearly. s'They supposed all who lived
had been picked up, and then continued
on their course" .
My eyes ranged the horizon, but ]
found nothing. We were alone on the
great ocean in the grasp of the black
night. / sat down again dazed for the
| instant by the immensely of the wa
| ters the utter loneliness, and the sud
| den realization Of the littleness of this
/ hn1J in, oh
| voice aroused me to comprehension
| that i alone was sailor, and that on
me depended every chance for life.
as"Do you know, Mr.. Hollis, where we
are?"
mot exactly. I heard the captain
stare the position of the yacht yester-
day noon, about one hundred and fifty
miles east and south of Mentauk; we
have drifted some since"
'Are we in the steamer lanes?''
"Not of the north Atlantic liners
they would pass farther eastward. I
cannot imagine what that fellow who
rammed us was doing up in here so far
out Of his course. Yes, that was a
liner; I could see the lights of her
ports. The only vessel passing along
here will be coasters, or, by luck, pos
sibly some tramp bound Boston way.
Now let's see what is on board try the
locker forward; and Miss Vera, you
might examine beneath the stern sheet.
This boat has never been inboard since
we sailed"
They went at the task as though
glad of the opportunity, Mccain creep
ing forward on hands and knees.
There's nothing here" he reported
discouragingly, "but roll of tarpau.
lin, some rope ends, and the splintered
handle of paddle"
swell, what more do we want? That
means a sail, if we can make a hole in
one of the thwarts to step a mast How
much cloth is thereY
Two or three yards"
"Pass it back here; good, solid stuff
that. Now, Miss Vera, what are your
discoveries?"
She looked up quickly, her eyes
sparkling in the dim CLEAN Of the Ian
tern.
"a bag of sea-biscuit, a small beaker
of water, insipid, but sweet, some
strong cord, and brad awl."
"Lord !" exclaimed, this is almost
too good to be true. Why, we are out
fitted for voyage. However, there is
little use endeavOring to rig up@a jury
mast before daylight, when we know in
which direction to steer. Mccain, you
haven't been overheard, and, no doubt
your watch runs; what time is it?"
He fumbled about and found the
timepiece, staring at it in amazement.
Must have stopped, Hollis" he said
mo, by jove, the thing is running all
right; the hands point to $780,"
That's about the hour. The COLI
sion occurred before eight bells, OF
else Seeley would have been on the
bridge, instead of aft by the cabin.
Have you any idea who was saved?"
II heard the captains voice back
there under the awning, ordering out
the boats, and after was caught under
that wreckage Darlington came uI
from below and climbed along the rail
I called to him, but he paid no atten.
ton; there was considerable noise
then, and he might not have heard
me-.
Vera was leaning forward listening.
did Mr.. Seeley leave in the boats?'
she asked. "Was he hurt?n
I tried to stop him from answering
by gesture Of my hand, but the mar
was gazing out over the port quarter
and saw nothing.
"Seeley-the second mate? No, he
didn't get away. The same spar thai
got me, caught him, and he never spoke
after that; seemed like nice fellow
too.''
Her face was like marble in the lamp
light.
'He was killed! Then it was be
cause he was killed he did not unlock
my door: II am glad | know
Continued Next Week.
q D SgIgE9 JOUR.