New Britain herald., 1925-02-20

ward an uproar burst. The mate heard it. Mary heard it and looked apprehensively at him. Their eyes met. and each seemed to say:
 "'Erb's done it!"
 Stevens dashed down the ladder and fought his way forward. The outcry was terrific. It rose above the shriek of the wind and the cataclys- mis noises of the battling ship. Soon 1t stopped. Stevens returned to the poop, and there was a grim smile on his storm lashed face.
 The devils got into the ship" he said. "All hands have gone crazy"
 'Is it-?" Mary asked. not daring to give her fear q name.
 "old Chips. that quiet old dog, chucked out the Doctor from their room for being dirty!" chuckled Stevens. Might have picked bet ter time. Doctor says he'll sharpen up a cleaver and go back. He'll"
 He might, tool" cried Mary. Everything seems possible! never IGlL 50 CeIldlH Ui-
 Drake had gone below for a mo- ment. Mary heard Stevens strange cheeky laughter in the dark: his hand gripped hers and squeezed 1t as it lay on the rail; and he spoke close to her ear:
 Mary girl, you've been having dreams again! Nothing's going to happen to you. If it does. cry olt"
 CHAPTER XIX
 Taut Nerves
 With the fickleness of the Indian Ocean, the gale passed and left the big ship swimming lazily along through glassy seas under brazen skies.
 Tho Doctor shifted his worldly effects into the galley, afraid for his life. Chips had put the fear of the Lord into the dirty cook, and the cook believed the lurid threat of the adze which Chips had hurled at him. The Docton spent much time work ing over the cutting and chopping edges of great French poultry knife, bigger than anything Ike Saintly had. And to the galley came Erb, seeking comfort and protection from the last one in the ship to afford 1t.
 "We kin 'elp each other, Doctor" argued Erb. T give you my word no Dago's going to hopen my tripee an tromple on 'em!"
 Did Tony say 'e'd do that?" de- manded the Doctor.
 "'E did. Wots more, e said 'e'd come arter you. next" said the crafty 'Erb.
 Let 'em all come!" shattered the Doctor, bending over his steel. "Fust come fust served Chips sez he'll skin me wiv a spokeshave. You stop ere m'son. We'll show 'em."
 The Orontes widowed north be- fore the faintest of airs. Every dizzy dip she took into the swells ahead, was followed by drenching, steady downpour of brine from back ropes and chain bobstays like nothing SO much as a tropical rain squall. Rain squalls thrashed at her, too.
 The very air was heavy, though blue as Mary's eyes. The sea had a glassy glare, like the eye of dead fish. Her book was the silliest thing ever printed, she suddenly discov- cred.
 Drake suddenly appeared in the doorway and she slipped her hand under his arm, and stepped out on deck again with him,
 "Oh, Alden, I'm 50 glad you've come up," she whispered. Every thing seems so--so-Oh, funny" she said with little stumbling rush of words. He patted her hand on his arm and smiled down at her.
 "Its the heavy weather, Mary" he said. 'I think all hands will feel better when whatever is coming has been and gone"
 T know, Alden. I know, But have never felt quite the same over towering air of something about to happen. I have made several voy- ages before, and never-Ohw
 'Hush!" he soother her. A terrific din had burst out from some point nearby on the maindeck; and 1t did not seem human. He led her to the bucket rail, soothing her with quiet assurances. They stood together at the rail. The kneeling men, scat tered all across the wide expanse of plank deck, had stopped work and remained in grotesque attitudes lis- tening to the din that came from the hen GOODS. Here a man held his slimed holystone halfway to his shoulder while he turned up his shirt sleeve. Over there a man had both hands bearing heavily upon his stone, his back arched, his face up- turned vacantly. Young Mir. Adams paused on the point of hurling a bucketful of water along the blanks. An apprentice who had been working in a corner under the flerail with small holyetont called a prayerbook, and had been helping the toll by singing, Holy, holy, holy" peered out through a tsngie of rope gear with his mouth open on the last 'Holyl" And still the ships gear gave forth It's own tremendous thun- der.
 What Is 1t, Mfr. stevens?" Drake called impatiently
 That's what I'm going to seei" snapped Jake. He stalked towards the hen oeop. scowling blockly. And the poultry sQuswked and fought