The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-12-06
CHAPTER v.

The Sea Of Jelly.
He sank like a stone. No glimpse or
him could be he'd. No rescue was pos
sibIe.
Donald chung to the edge Of the
boat and scrambled In. He saw the
amazed recognition flame out on Ida's
face. He knew then that she loved
him, and his impulse to seize her In
his arms was almost ungovernable.
But at the same instant, looking
past her into the sea-, he experienced
the same Illusion that had beset him
within the house In Baltimore, and
again outside it-that Of q woman's
misty form outlined upon the water
Donald made a cup Of his hands.
'Davies. ding out . roper he
bawled.
But the submarine was some dis
lance AWAY, and In a moment a wall
of fog came down, plotting her out.
Ida Kennedy watched Donald with
approval. She had always liked him;
shaken as she was now, his advent
seemed the work of Providence. She
had questioned her heart before she
sailed. for she had known that her
future was of her own choosing,
whether It was to be spent with him
or no.
Donald continued to call loudly, but
the F55 was drifting in the mist and
quite invisible. 1t was In fear Of this
sudden happening that Donald had
told Davies to make for Fair island
II he could not get q rope to the boat.
Fair island, less than six miles
away, was the secret rendezvous
where the oil-shlp and .biplane were
to await the F55. the FORMER to re-
plenish her fuel supply, the latter to
accompany her back to the mother
ship.
Donald picked up q pair Of oars
from the bottom. He realized that he
would have to pull toward Fair island
alone as soon as he got an mixing Of
its direction, with the chance OF being
picked up by the submarine when the
fog cleared. But 1t was approaching
shutdown. and the probabilities OF their
spending the night In the boat seemed
strong.
s so oas Win Inc oars IN the row-
aocks. As he allowed one to drift
through the water he discovered. to
Ills surprise, that 1t was apparently
plunged into q mass Of some jellylike
substance. He dipped his hand into
The water was apparently. curdleds
like thickened milk. and on both sides
Of the boat, which rolled In It heavily
and high In the viscous medium.
Az he withdrew the oar Donald had
the sensation Of pulling 1t from be-
tween the cllnging fingers Of a child.
He looked down. 1t occurred to him
that he might have got the blade en-
tangled IN some marine growth; but
the water Vas clear. almost black, and
of the anne strange. jellylike consist
ency everywhere.
Then. to his amaxement, he realized
that the boat was mcvingl
II was not like the pull OF a tow
line. which Is a sequence OF crescendo;
and diminuendo, Of starts and jerks,
as the rope grows tight and slack al
ternatsly. 1t was a constant impulse.
It was an intelligent impulse.
It was beginning 10 grow dark, and
TO row seemed useless until the fog
dispersed. II was impossible to gauge
the direction. Besides. to pull against
Ahat force would have been arduous.
and to pull with 1t might have led to
unexpected difficulties.
Donald backed water In experiment.
Instantly he felt the force increase.
IL was an effortleys, persistent push.
stronger than his own powers. and
Donald realized that he could not re-
sist II.
Suddenly he felt q singing sensa-
lion on the back Of his hand. He
pulled In the orr. Five small. red
urots had sprung out on his wrist. and
ne flesh seemed TO have been cupped.
Donald clapped his other hand down
on Il. and encountered something
e)ammy and cool, which seemed to
nm AWAY II was ike the ripper Of q
little seol. or again. like The hand az
= child az monkey.
AZ ne same Instant Ida screamed.
Donald saw that che seemed to be
,trueslfne vim oome Invisible adver-
1Hry. ~ book waS tipping danger
nenoI6 1une ~ vslsht over