, 1923-07-18
CHAPTER xiI-continued.
Copyright by Robert N. McBnd. a Co.

NOT q sign OF them. POrt-hard-pOrt
AS you were-steady-sow
He ran to let go the halyards.
Another anchor had been bent on to
some spare chain. 1t was heaved
Dver. and the Sarah came up to 1t,
swinging less than fifty yards from
the stranger. She was a picture, a
forty-ton fishing yawl, white painted,
gracile as a fish, dismasted. aban-
dOned, and swinging to a taut anchor
chain beyond her and the emerald Of
the lagoon. lay the great stretch of
sands, running due south. blanketing
70 the heat and showing ponds of
aquamarine and storms of gulls.
The anchor down, Satan stood with
his eyes fixed on the prey; Jude too.
They seemed considering her as a
butcher might consider a carcass be-
fore he cut 1t up.
Aren't you going to board herr"
asked Radcliffe.
Have you ever seen a lead barr"
asked Satan. Sometimes a bar isn't
us dead as he looks, and sometimes a
derelic' isn't as empty as it looks. It's
Va oAihA ththk hN IA TX ioi-
Ida coast to hide in a driftin' canoe
and rise up and laugh at them that
come out to collect 1t. I can't make
put that anchor chain bein' down, and
I'll just give them one hour whites we
have dinner"
When they came on deck again
after the meal, they dropped the ding
by. and the three of them put of for
he erelict.
She must have been dismasted out
side the sands, for not a spar lay in
the water Observation-Disclosures and
driven over by a big wave, her crew
clinging to her. On the bow was her
name, Haliotis. They tied up and
scrambled on board. The deck ran
flush fore and aft. The wheel looked
all right, but was jammed and i'm
movable; the pinnacle glass was
smashed.
Satan stood, whistllng and looking
bout him. Then he dived below, fol-
lowed by the others. The cabin had
been left In good order. 1t was a bit
over-gilded. and decorated for "a plain
man's taste, but everything was of
the best, and n hanging lamp OF solid
table. The walls were of bird'seye
maple. the cushions OF the best blue
cloth, and the fitting of the tiny sleep
ing cabins to match.
There was plenty Of stuff lying
about-books, clothes, boots. The
people had evidently put of in a
hurry, not caring much what they
took as long as they got away. Per-
haps they had taken advantage of u
passing steamer.
Radcliffe picked up a book, a volume
OF o. Henry. There was a name In
III. Seligmann.
Jude, delving in the %starboard after
cabin. came out holding up some
thing. II was a pair of boots. wom-
ems. patent leather with white suede
tops and heels three inches high.
Look at them things !" said Jude
with n burst OF suppressed laughter.
"A girls boot" said Radcliffe. TRY
them on, Jude"
IF | wore them things said Jude,
"Td have TO walk on my hands.
There's dead loads more OF stun. and
the place smells AS II a polecat had
been living there"
Radcliffe stuck his head into the lit
tie cabin. 1t reeked OF California pop
lying about In disorder; n woman's
white yachting cap, deck shoes,
lingerie. bursting like froth out OF a
cabin trunk. gave added touch to the
hysterical distraction OF the scene.
one could see her. the woman. rush
ing about saving or collecting her
~valuables. leaving everything else.
and calling oil the gods to witness
that she would never set foot again
on another small yacht for n pleasure
cruise among the ISLANDS.
Jude picked out a frllled garment
from the lingerie box. looked at II.
rolled II up. and east II with a chuckle
into the bunk. then she reached up
and opened the little port.
Ratclife left her pursuing her In
ve~stigntions. attracted by the whoops
OF Satan. who seemed pursuing things
about the deck.
ouiuh. Will w hui w - hH
Eyes ablaze. had rapidly sampled his
treasure. Everything he wanted had
beer left. Had he found the Nombre
de Dios with gold to her matches. Il Is
doubtful II his excitement would have
been ms intense.
Look ut thnti" cried he, pointing
TO the mast winch. "Wnntin' 1t
should think ! had beeni Come along
and seei" He led the way TO n heap
Of rnffie and broken spars forward.
Look ut them gan jaws, galvanized
an covered with hide. and me with
old wooden ones creakin' like an old
shoot There's n m%aInsheet buffer tool
camper Nicholsen's rubber-crIngles
,ome 10 the sail roomi'
thpy went To the sail room. then 10
i'e ar'iey-everywhere finds, glorious
i'at's with this rough sun total:
" IA 49,