New Britain herald., 1925-02-19
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY


 wasn't you, Miss Nary
 He still glared darkly, reading the unbelieving challenge in Drake's eyes. Ike Saintly tried to conceal great French knife in a sleeve only half long enough. but he made no effort to conceal the look of accusa- ton he leveled at Stevens. Drake went to the bedside. meeting lakes gaze squarely as he pushed by.
 What happened, Mary?" de- manded Drake sharply. He laid a hand on her forehead, and felt the starting moisture. He noted the agi- tation of her breast. The laces of her night dress still fluttered. Are you sure you were only dreaming?"
 "Oh yes. Such a horrid dream!" She hid her face in the pillow. Don't talk about 1t, please. l was so glad to wake up and see MT. Stevens near me, Alden. was 50 frightened I would have been glad to see anybody! But I'm all right. Please don't bother about me-"
 Very well. But If you are going to have more bad dreams, I'd sug- gest that you lock your cabin door. Goodnight"
 The steward stood aside as Stew ems preceded the skipper into the saloon. like felt that there ought to be. might be yet, opportunity to put the edge of that big knife to the test. Poor Ike was no warrior. He was scared cold at the threat of bloodshed. But he was willing to fight for old Captain Manning's S daughter if need be; and surely he had believed he was going to fight when he grabbed that big knife and darted out at Mary's cry. And for moment he believed he saw blood in the eyes of the two strong men facing each other outside Mary's closed door.
 "That'll do, MT. Stevens, thank you," the skipper said quietly. q congratulate you upon. the amazing promptness you showed in answering MlSS MdHHlnS OulCTy.
 Is Happened to be handy" growled Jake, and lurched off to his berth. Drake stood for moment, shifting hard. Ike scuttled away feeling dis gusted at the ending of so promis. ing an encounter.
 AS if the ships barometer regis. tered the pressYre of human emo. tions as well as of atmosphere there settled upon the ship a sense of portent not entirely due to tho gathering of storm clouds following the falling of the mercury.
 Mary still employed her leisur, hours on deck working at he sheepskin border; watching one b! one the sails clewed up, furled, ant storm gasketed. The preparation for the imminent gale were lon, adoing, as the storm seemed lon, coming. But that was the mos dreaded of all storms at sea.
 | She wondered at the subtlety o the rising seas. Without any ap parent increase in wind, the lon, rolling blue seas suddenly began t, wear broken crests and to climI solidly up the steel sides of the clip per, falling aboard every now an, then with a shock and roar lik the discharge of heavy artillery And the skies grew sooty and ugly
 Trouble had long been brewin with the precious pair of belliger ents, Tubbs and Sims. They tough each other when nobody else woul fight them, though they were fas cronies. Old Joe Bunting had kep them in check bit; Nick Coomh had helped. They were afraid c those two seasoned old salts.
 Mary saw the sea rise, heard tn gale begin to howl; then she too
 her fancy work below. clothed heI
 self in storm clothes, and returne
 to the deck to watch the big shi
 battle against the elements. Toward
 evening the skies were. altogethC
 sooty. and the low clouds scudde
 across the mastheads with terrif
 speed. Heaping seas rolled up out
 the immensity of the southeI
 ocean. rising at the speeding ship : Hanks, gurgling ghoulishly as tn,
 looked aboard over the six fo
 bulwarks and dropped a few tol of water on the maindeck as a r s hinder of their strength.
 h Wen take in fore and mizz,
 upper-topsails. Mister Stevens d Drake shouted at eight bells, wh, e both watches were awake. Re 8 the upper main topsail, and re [. the foresail. Have to do it sooner y later. Better do 1t now and avo d having to call all hands. perha d during the night. See the jibs W,
 lashed down. Keep the foretopms '" staysail on her" u Aye, aye, sir!" replied the ma sr civilly. If you'll look out here, s Id I'll lend hand. Plenty to do." le Then came an army of ra n, squalls, marching across the roari Id seas in thunder and lightning de b. aststion. Dark. shapeless fgul ,d hauled and cursed in the seethi d chaos Of the full ms'ndeck. Unse
 demons howled and shrieked al