Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-29
IRISH

whats the trouble?" demanded
William. getting up.
orders to lash everything, sir.
Blow coming up fast out Of the
sou'east, sir"
William and Ruth ran to the star
board rail and stared at the great
evil pail of blue black clouds pour
ing up over the eastern horizon. The
face of the waters changed even as
they gazed.
"A Storm" she cried.
well, Cook can't soak us extra for
that" said William.
Ruth ran back to the chairs and
gathered up the rugs, pillows and
books, piling them into Williams out
stretched arms. Hurry"
The companionway was damned
with excited tourists. William heard
"typhoon' and tornado" and "hurri-
cane; and one OF the mssioners be-
gan to recount previous adventure
of his in which the ship went down.
and was only too happy to go into
details. William surged toward him,
hoping to get within range Of the
fools Sims. But the second officer
spoke up loudly. Typhoon was all
nonsense; only stiffish blow was
coming and would probably be over
in an hour or two.
William was not satisfied, however.
He knew where he could get the
truth; and so he started for the chief
engineers cabin. But as he encoun-
tered that officer in the act of de-
scending to the engine room. his off,
cial drill exchanged for greasy dunga-
rees. William comprehended that he
and his fellow-voyagers were in for
some excitement.
"A blow?"
AYE, and hell OF a one too, II
know anything about these dirty
waters. This blow is thousand miles
from home. Mr.. Grogan; and I don't
like its looks. It's Chinese, and we're
just off the coast of Araby. Y never
can tell what's in the egg when y
turn the point at Alden. Oh, there's
no real danger. She'll pitch a lot
and the stewards IL be busy with
their yellow basins. But it's me and
the captain without relief as long as
it lasts: twenty hours for me in yon
hell hole. mayhap. Can't ask you to
come down. Mr.. Grogan. Good luck
to your lunch-if you've got the gall
to eat it"
william stole back to the smoke
room. 1t was deserted. Then he re-
membered that he could see little or
nothing from this point; so he went
forward to the ladies' saloon. That,
too. was deserted. Rugs and pillows
and books and baskets Of fruit lay
strewn about. He knelt on the lounge
under n forward port and peered out.
1t was almost as black as night out
side; but the sea was green and ter
rible. Suddenly he sensed a SILVER;
1t seemed to come from the very
bowels OF the ship, as IL she had be-
come a living thing, sensing her trap.
Shortly after this ne heard a sound
which reminded him OF rubbing resin
ed fingers over the top of a deep glass
tumhler. This piercing hum rang in
his ears intermittently hours after
the storm was over.
There was no pitching in the begin
ming: the wind bore down too power
fully for that. 1t dashed the water
into ribbons of spume, however. He
heard crack like . pistol-shot. The
canvas had been ripped off one OF
the Hfeboats. For moment or two
1t chung to a davit. then whirled sea-
ward like gray bird of evil omen.
Strange thing. there was not the
least fear in Williams heart On the
contrary. he was filled with the wild
est exultation he had ever known.
He longed to go outside. to lay
against that wind and laugh and
shout and sing.
over the starboard bow-for they
were going into the gale almost head
on-rose a thin sheet OF water. so
thin that william could see through
IL. 1t hung in mid-air for two or
three seconds-a viper seeking for
something to strike-then smashed
upon the deck. He knew instantly
where he had heard that sound be-
fore-when they sent sheet-tin dow n
the cellar chute at the shop.
The shop! How unutterably far on
that was. Wasn't that all a piece OF
a humdrum dream? Could he ever
return and settle down? Never had
he felt SO keenly and wonderfully
alive as at this moment.
The bow of the Ajax went down.
down. down. fsthoms down. From
the dining saloon came the racket of
nv a o,l