Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1918-07-11
CHAPTER XII.
AHoat and Ashore.

CHAPTER XII.
Afioat and Ashore.
He must have fallen into a light dOze
Mt last, for he awakened to find Davies
at his side. The middy's voice cleft
the thick darkness like knife.
"We're done for, old man - he whis-
pered. "We'd better not awaken her.
Listen!"
Heretofore no sound from without
had penetrated the thin plates of the
submarine. hut 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"
"It's that gang Of devils, Donald. Do
you .:ind letting me grip your arm a
ciinute, sir? It's in a way disturbing"
The sounds grew louder. The plates
were grooming under pressure, and It
seer.e ed every instant thnt the rivets
would start and the water rush in.
'It's the weight Of the ocean over
us. Davies" said DOnalc. without the
faintest faith In this diagnosis.
"Sut this pressure Is horizontal, not
vertical, Donald. And water has no
horizontal pressure ut ALL"
Donald was silent. He would not
voice what was In his own mind, 49,
he knew that his explanation 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 Mt their prey with.
in. Maddened by hunger in those bar.
rem solitudes Of darkness, they were
frenzied army Of destruction.
He wondered whether Clouts' act
was in any way the cause Of this new
activity.
The pressure increased. The steel
plates cracked as trees snap in zero
weather.
Donald looked up and saw Ida
standing in the doorway.
"Is 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 said, DEAR" she whis-
pered, clinging to his arm. II was 30
afraid-not Of death, dearest, but Of
the loneliness in that room. I was
afraid for you"
He patted her arms without speak
ing, and led the way to the coming
tower again. 1t 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 end!
But the floor righted, tilted, righted
once more. A sense Of movement sue
ceeded that Of pressure. Then. to
their utter amazement, a white light
shot through the observation port,
flooding the inside Of the coming
tower, and the F55 scraped the rocks.
Donald grasped at Davies "Davies!
We are at the surface again !" 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.
uhes 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 grnsped hands.
A few moments later they emerged
upon the drying deck Of the D55. She
was back in her old position upon the
shelving beach, at the very edge of the
waves. The moon, which rode high
In the sky. was already paling before
the increasing luster Of the dawn.
where's CloutsT asked Donald
suddenly.
"Isn't he belowr' queried Davies.
Donald raised his voice and shouted.
He ran below. calling for Clouts. But
there came no answer. It soon became
evident that Clouts was not on the
submarine.
"Good Lortl!" said Donald.
1t occurred to him then that he had
told Clouts to look at the rudder, but
he had never supposed that the man
would be able to adjust it. Had he
forgotten, gone back to adjust 1t, and
failed to returnY
He took couple Of revolvers and
gave one Of them to Davies. They
went ashore. The firm rocks under.
foot seemed the most delicious part OF
their strange fortune. and gnve reality
to what was stiil hardly more than o
dream.