Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-31
THE GIRL IN THE SECOND CABIN
BY r. j. HATH.
copyright. 1926. by G. Hotrard Fott)

FOR an HOuf tlleF D1oWieu ABOUT III
The wreckage below decks, the girl ill.,
tently curious concerning each fresh
discovery and demanding frequent ex-
plantations Trasl1, being no sailor
served poorly as a guide; but when he
faltered she supplied her own conjec
lures.
81 wonder where they keep the
ships papers, she said I've always
read about ships papers; they sound
dreadfuiiy mysterious and important.
Some one is always demanding them,
or examining them. or searching them,
or doing something with them every
time anything happens. Let's try to
/ find them"
But their search was unsuccessful,
and Trask finally hazardcd the conclu-
sion that the captain of the bark must
have carried them with him when lie
left the vessel. Sidney was plainly
disappointed. for she regarded them
as an essential part Of any seafaring
adventure. particularly her own.
Trask stepped again into the cap
tain's room, looked at the chronometer
and warned her that it was nearly II
! o'clock.
| Lets take final trip around the
! deck she said with Il sigh. Then
I'll come back for the kitten, and after
| that We'll signal for Keller"
1t was easier to move about than
when they came aboard. evidence that
the sea was still further subsiding.
Sidney reached the deck first and
glanced about her. The moon WAS
higher now and the light brighter.
There was no longer a yestige of cloud.
She looked in the direction where the
! Gulf Stream lay.
,or no ri min Ssnn GtyIiiad tho
steamer, a puzzled expression On her
face.
BILLY she called sharply.
Trask emerged from the companion
way, having fingered III the cabin to
light a fresh candle.
There's something queer about the
Ship she said pointing
Something was queer. The Gulf
Stream no longer rode with her bow
pointed toward her sea. anchor. She
had swung broadside, so that from
stem to stern her brilliant lights were
visible. Against the moonlit sky they
could see a column of black smoke
emerging from her funnel. She
seemed to be strangely distant from
them, much farther away than when
they had struggled out Of the breeches
buoy and made their way to the deck
Of the derelict.
Aboard the Gulf Stream, as he
leaned painting against the rail, the
Tennessee Tornado felt q rough hand
on his shoulder. He turned and look
ed into the face of a seaman.
you been nonkeying with the
buoy? demanded the sailor, as he
pointed to the rope that was still in
Keeler's hands
Just amusing myself" admitted
l'Keeler.
We'll, I'll amuse you"
The seaman drew back his arm and
clenched his fist. keeler saw the mo-
ton, sighed resignediy and dropped
the rope.
The fist shot toward his Jaw. The
head of the Tennessee Tornado in
clined itself three inches TO one side
and the fist went over his shoulder
simultaneously an arm flashed up
ward from Keelets side and the sea
man, staggering back half a dozen
feet, sat down abruptly.
You are amusing" murmured
Keller.
The man blinked at him in half
light, then reached for u whistle that
was suspended from a cord about his
neck and blew a series OF Shrill blasts
There was Il sound of hurrying feet
on the deck and several dark forms
appeared. one of them was an officer
The sailor pointed up at Keller.
who was leaning back against the rail
"Monkeying with the buoy, sir
spluttered the sailor. "IIe just slug
ged me.
The officer leaped forward with
groWl and peered into keelers face :,
Making trouble. eh?" he snarled
All right, here's some more
He did precisely as the seaman had
done and his straight-arm lead also
Glove the softsnight air, Half a sec
ond later the officer was sitting on
the deck beside his predecessor. lie
spit out a tooth.
''You guys are all alike" said
Keeler repr0vingly as he examined
his knuckles. You telegraph what
you're going to do and then expect
fellow to wait and get it. Why don't
you use the mail? It's cheaper"
The officer was on his feet again
and returned stubbornIy to the
charge, this time not alone Three
sailors were scrambling forward
eager for Il share of the fray. One
of them went shooting backward out
of the battle line and sagged Hmply
to the deck. An instant later four
men in close embrace were rolling
about the forward planking of the
Gulf Stream. There was grunting and
thudding of blows and an entirely
adequate quantity of profanity
1t lasted for a full minute and
reached a pause only when two more
men joined the tightly locked group.
Then there was Il disentangling OF
legs and arms. and the officer rose
up out of the human pile. His nose
was twisted sidewise and he was
nursing it tenderly.
-Four men sat on the PROSTATE form
of the Tennessee Tornado, whose eyes
were half closed, but whose lips were
moving grimly. There was something
irregular about it, he knew in a dazed
way: instinctively he was registering
his protest
Claim FOUL" he muttered. "Hit
me low. Seconds in the ring. Hey,
referee, +"
The officer made a signal and the
deckhands yanked Keller to his feet,
still tightly gripping him. lie wab.
bled Bit shook his head and forced
his mind back into fun consciousness.
Below with him." commanded the |
officer.
The group surged forward. haff