The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-24

any fatal gaps in 10, and this for
the moment was enough for her.
"Are you hungry" she asked. 7
can get supper, you know. when.
ever you like. II must be o'clock
81 do not feel hungry" he told
her; "only happy"
She wanted to kiss him for that,
but she forbore.
Happiness" she remarked, as.
suming an intensely practical air,
won't take the place of food, not
with the sort Of night we've got
ahead OF us. SO guess I'd better
go and open a can Of beans"
But she put off doing 1t. There
really wasn't any hurry, she sup
posed. Ho had extracted one arm
from the blankets and had slipped
his hand IN between her two. It
was funny how limp It made her
all over, just that simple passive
contact. She felt as II she couldn't
get up II she tried Yet she sup.
posed she could.
Three or four minutes later, like
a released spring, she did. The
thing that brought her to her feet
Keyed once more to the highest
pitch Of alertness, was the sound Of
oars and voices, both near at hand
and coming nearer.
Before the boy, following her
change Of mood, could get out OF
his blankets and upon his feet they
felt the bump of a dinghy against
the sloop's side and realized that
the owners of the voices were com
ing aboard.
Through the curtain, quicki"
whispered the Princess.
She started him of in that direc.
tion with a good vigorous push and
herself set about, III the few sec.
onds she had, restoring the cabin
TO It's pristine appearance, softly
shutting the locker doors and fold.
ing the blankets together anyhow.
She heard key CRATE in the pad
lock. sprang through the curtains
and crouched behind the sails with
Bill.
1--WE cannot get out, can we,
through that hole?" he whispered,
indicating the open hatch.
She clutched him as an admoni-
tion to silence because steps over.
head wore audible just then COM
ing forward. There was a half.sup.
pressed exclamation OF dsmay and
in a moment. with a swiftness and
an absence of noise which made
the action seem almost furtive the
batch cover was fitted on and twist.
ed fast. No; they couldn't get out
through that hole now. The Prin-
cess threw an arm over Bits shoul-
der and put her lips close to his
ear.
Lie STILL" she commanded.
"That's the very best thing that
could possibly happen. They aren't
near so likely to find us In the
dark"
She was about to add that II the
yachtsmen who had come aboard
would only sail away with them
somewhere the problem Of. giving
Bills uncle the slip would be com.
pletely and satisfactorily solved.
But she checked herself with a res.
olution to let Bill adjust himself
to one idea at a time.
1t soon became evident TO her
tnat 1t was no mere pleasure sail
OF an hour or two for which the
yachtsmen had come aboard. The
dinghy within the next half.hour
made a number Of trips to the club.
house and back. Supplies were got
aboard Three or four boxes and
hampers presumably containing
FOOD and drink were slowed away
In the forehold, but without leading
TO the discovery OF the stuwaways.
There was a succession of mysterl.
GUS sounds: creaks, rattles, thumps:
the padding 1f soft-sbod feet: sharn
commands and prompt nautical re.
piles. There were only three pen.
pie In the party, Bill and the Prln.
cess thought. II was easy TO dis.
tinguish the voice OF the skinner
and that of cne OF the crew. the
youngest probably and certainty
the most humble; they thought
there was only one voice In be.
tween.
Activity came to a climax pres.
entity with the order Cast off,n
and the. response "All cloarin Rni
clutched cOnvulsiyely at the Prin.
cess as the yacht heeled and thew
heard, magnified by the sounding.
box Of the shell-like hull, the rustie
OF the water and the slapping of
little waves.
I'VE novel" he cried; and It was
horror, not caution. that made his
speech voiceless. "They are sail.
ing away with us!"
sure they are!" said the Prin.
cess. That's what call luck!"
CHAPTER VII.
The lnqulstors.