Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-30

be watching"
Never fear. He'll see it. And now
WHAT"
Now we're going to explore
Trask looked about him on the deck
of the derelict. 1t was still wet and
slippery, yet surprisingly free from
the litter of spars and rigging he had
expected to find there. The hurricane
had swept her clean, taking as its
prize q deckload of mahogany logs
that had been dashed into place with
all human ingenuity. There was a
great gap in the starboard rail where
the stuff had gone over the side.
1 The mizZenmast, up to the main
truck, was standing. 1t was upon this
lonely spar that the crew had taken
refuge from the seas that broke across
the deck. The mainmast was gone at
a point seven or eight feet above the
deck, while there was mere stump of
the foremost. Not another spar was
i'll sight.
The galley house was wrenched and
half shattered Forward they could
see the outlines of the forecastle
hatch. The main deckhouse seemed
to be almost intact.
she's full of water, >" said Trask.
They said that she'd opened a lot of
| seams But her hold is chockful of
| IuInDeT, anu she III Keep Ou HodlliS
until somebody makes an end of her
| or until she makes an end Of another
sh p."
she helped to save us" declared
the girl loyalty. IF there's any sense
of justice in the sea, she ought to be
allowed to reach port again.
They began moving forward. eau
tiously yet without difficulty, for the
hurricane made sea was gone and the
waterlogged condition of the hulk
acted as a stabilizer. The moon gave
them spooky light, casting dark
shadows wherever an object lay upon
the deck.
| Sidney, muffied to her ears, had
thrown off her spell of fatigue and
was eager in the quest of new adj
ventures. Trask, afraid to let her out
! of his grip, kept an arm linked tightly
within hers as they followed the rail
| toward the bow.
I'm afraid I'm d little bit cowardly
after ALL" she admitted, ruefully.
You'll have to tell that to some
body else" declared Trask, as they
kept onward.
The hatch over the forecastle was
tightly battened. Trask tried to move
it, at her suggestion, but was unable
to achieve the feat.
Nothing down there. anyhow" he
said, as he rose from his effort. And
look, Sidney, at the steamer
He pointed off across the water.
The Gulf Stream was brilliant spec.
tacle. From stem to stern her cab ms
were lighted as if with an unwonted
gayety. Her two eyes, of red and
green, stared steadily at the derelict,
while her masthead light burned
brightly against the sky.
"And to think" she exclaimed,
they don't even know what we've
done! Oh. won't we have story to
tell when we get back? Do you sup
pose Capt. Blodgett will do anything
to sils?"
"I know what he ought to do to
both of U.S."
The girl laughed delightedly.
'I suppose we've broken all the
rules in the decalogue, Billy. But
wouldn't have missed it for all the
world. Would your"
Come to think Of it-no. / wonder
If we can get into the cabin?"
Lets try"
Trask and the girl found the doors
of the cabin companionway swinging
wide. Below 1t was as dark as
cave.
Full of water. suppose" he said.
"Hand me your light"
He flashed q white beam down the
stairway and saw what he expected,
a sluggishly rolling pool that bore on
its surface bits of broken furniture
and other art. cles.
at doesn't look very inviting" he
observed. want to go DOWN."
by all means"
He led the way, placing his feet
carefully on the slippery steps. The
water on the cabin floor was black.
Sidney stepped into 1t without a MUIR
muir. II did not rise above her boot
tops.
Trask flashed the light in several
directions. The disarray Of the place
was complete. It was as II a sepa.
rate hurr cane had ragged within the
vessel while the one without was
stripping her of everything above
decks The table remained in its place
in the center of the cabin, where 1t
was securely bolted to the floor; but
it was the only article of furniture
that had not moved about. Broken
chairs an overturned couch, some dis
lodged shelving, books, newspapers,
several articles of clothing, a wooden
BIRD cage and box filled with water
soaked cigars were among the collec-
ton Of cabin gear that fioated about
the feet of the explorers.
Sit mere, and Ill see II can nnO
a better light" he said, lifting Sid
ney to the table. where she curled her
feet beneath her and watched him as
he began wading about the cabin.
There were some cupboards that
still chung to the walls, and Trask
searched them. One was a medicine
chest. More than half the bottles in
it were broken. Another seemed to
be given over to seafar4ng books and
charts
A third contained what appeared to
be a mineral collection, perhaps d
hobby of the captains.
At last he came upon what he had
been searching for--candles. Then a
long hunt for matches followed. There
were several boxes floating about in
the wreckage, but they were past use
fulness
Finally, on high shelf, his search
was rewarded in the discovery of
dry box. 1t was only after several
attempts that he managed to ignite a
damp wick in one Of the candles.
Emptying a medicine bottle, he made
holder of it.
There you are" he said trium.
phantly, as he handed her the result
of his labors
She lifted the candle above her head
and began q careful inspection of the
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