The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-01-15
hi Valhalla and Out
CHAPTER vI-Continued

the raft eyed Dick rather curiously.
He seemed far from being exhausted,
and as Dick recalled his recent pow
erful strokes he wondered.
He was seaman, with round,
bullet-like head, scar across one
cheek, and squirt in one eye. AS
most of his body was under water,
Dick could only judge of it's size and
strength by the breadth of the shout
ders, bull-like neck and great hairy
arms and hands.
.Shipwrecked?" he asked. between
two rollers.
The seamon nodded. what shipY
Dick added a moment later.
1.-THE yacht PehcarAy'
Dick almost lost the. power OF his
arms in his surprise, and big roller
tossed him back a few yards before
he could recover from the shock.
They were In the worst of the break
ers after that, and it took all their
combined strength and skill to battle
their way through them to the beach,
When they were finally tumbled ashore
beyond the reach Of the sucking wa
ter. Dick dragged himself to his feet
and looked at the seaman.
"You say you're from the yacht
Pelican?" he said. "What happened?
We're you knocked overboard?'
"No, sir, come to get help. I've
been In the water for ten hours,
Reckon I'd never made land If you
hadn't seen me, sir. I was nearly in
What part of the coast is this?"
''The coast? This is an island
valhalla! !"
The man groaned and threw up his
arms in despair. Cd, then ! amt
done no good' he said. "That swim's
all fur nothing. thought was SWIM
min fur the mainland
He appeared so genuinely grieved
and disappointed that Dick said SYM
pathetically cts too bad! But tell
me about the Pelican. Where is she?
And what's happened to her?'
"The usual thing, sir. She ran on
the shoals in the storm last night, an
she's goin' to pieces. Can't last TWEEN
ty-four hours-doomed, sir. It's. a
pity. sir. she being such a fine boat.
and"
Where was this?" Dick interrupted
"Don't know, sir The captain he
said he'd lost his reckonin', an
Quldn't get it until sunup. That's
y! But lot Of good it will do
now that i've failed him |"
fa% nysf n :, thar ~-roor opJ So 1yo.
to an upright sitting position
say this is an island?" he added.
sure it amt the mainland?"
d hardly make mistake like
replied Dick. Then, IF the
ANS on the rocks why doesn't she
mon aid from the shore? She's
pped with wireless"
les, sir, but it amt working no
6re The storm ripped the wires to
1Ppieces an flooded the dynamos. No,
sir, the capt'n can't send message
ashore. That's why | volunteered to
swim 1t. thought could do 1t with
this raft. but the tide and wind must
have drifted me out of my course"
Dick nodded and said nothing. He
was thinking hard. Was this a part
Of the mysterious plot?. Or had the
yacht been wrecked and the seaman
risked his life in an attempt to get
help before she went to pieces?
He eyed the man furtively. He
recalled his extraordinary strength in
battling the waves until he saw Dick,
and then his subsequent collapse. The
man. in spite of appearance. did not
seem SO terribly exhausted. He was
breathing almost normally.
'sCan you walk r. Dick asked sud-
denly. IF so you'd better get up to
the house and make report to Mr..
Cutler. It's his yacht"
He stopped in the middle of his SEN
tence, and stared up 1.-THE rocks that
rose abruptly from the beach a few
yards back from the waters edge
Standing on projecting ledge within
earshot. as IL she had just stepped
out of the mouth of sea cave that
yawned back of her. was Alice Cutler.
Dick was satisfied that she had been
there for some time, and had listened
to the sailors story.
There's Miss Cutler now." he added.
pointing. You can repeat your story
to her. or'--slowly. smiling-"perhaps
she heard you"
"Yes. heard" the girl replied
gravely. st won't be necessary to
repeat It."
She began making her slippery de-
scent from the rocks. Dick offered a
hand to help her. but she ignored it.
"You were one of the sailors on the
Pelican" she said. addressing the
man.. Yes, remember your face
+ now. didn't up there. You're new
man. aren't you? Not one of the old
crew that uncle had under Captain
Johnston?"
Yes, ma'am. this is my first cruise
In the yacht" The man touched his