Evening star., 1927-12-08

Francis Newcombe, tersely. II can't
swim a quarter of a mile with port
manteaus! Stop the engine"
Strike me pink said Runnells.
family, as he obeyed and again STUN.
bled forward to the luggage.
Capt Francis Newcombe sat down
and began to unlace his boots. The
water was nearly level with the bot
tom of the seat.
Hurry up, Runnells!" he called.
Its all right" said Runnells, after
a moment.
Take your boots off, then, and sling
them around your neck" ordered
Capt. Francis Newcombe.
YES" said Runnells.
Capt. Francis Newcombe stood up
and divested himself of a light rain
coat he had been wearing. From the
skirt of the garment he ripped off
generous portion, and, taking out his
revolver and ffashlight wrapped them
around and around. with the water.
proof cloth. The coat itself he thrust
into an already water-filled locker un-
der the seat, where it could not float
away.
Ready, Runnells?" he inquired.
yes" said Runnells.
Come on. then" said Capt. Fran
! els Newcombe.
The gunwale was awash as he struck
out. A dozen strokes away, as he
looked back, the boat had disappeared.
He cursed sullenly under his breath;
then laughed defiantly. 1t would take
more than that to beat Shadow Varne.
Presently they stepped out on the
shore.
tunnels swan steadily at his side.
Capt. Francis Newcombe stared up
and down the beach as he seated him
self on the sand and began to pull on
his boots.
We're a. bit off our bearings, Run
nells,' he said. II couldn't see any
sign of the boathouse, even when l
was swimming in. And I can't see it
now. Which way do you think it is?"
Runnells was also struggling with
his wet boots.
We're too far up" he answered.
Il thought I had it about right, but I
figured that if I didn't quite hit it, it
would be safer to be on this side than
the other, so we wouldn't have to pass
either the wharf or the house in get
ting to it."
Good" commented Capt Francis
Newcombe. Wen walk back that
way, then"
They started on along the beach.
For perhaps half mile they walked
in silence, and then, rounding a little
point, the bOathouse came into view
a short distance ahead. A moment
later they passed in under the over
hang of the veranda.
And then Runnells snarled sud
denly.
Opt. Francis Newcombe was un-
wrapping his fiashlight. The faint,
stray rays of moonlight that man.
aged to penetrate the place did lit
tie more than accomplish the crea-
tion of innumerable black shadows of
grotesque shapes.
THE damned place in under here
gives me the creeps after last night"
Runnells growled.
IT'S not exactly pleasant" admitted
Capt. Francis Newcombe casually.
You're bloody well right, it amt"
agreed Runnells fervently. And then
sharply, as the ray from the flash
light in Capt. Francis Newcombe's
hand streamed out: That's where he
lay last night, only the waters
farther out now. It's blasted queer
the thing never tackled the old mad
man in all this time"
"On the contrary" said Capt. Fran.
els Newcombe, "it would rather indi-
cate that the brute was transient
visitor"
Then 1 hope to Gawd," mumbled
Runnells, that it didn't like the quar-
ters we'll enough to stick to them for
another night"
II agree with you." laughed Capt.
Francis Newcombe coolly; but, as 1t
happens. it's low tide now and the
water is out beyond where we are
going-which may offer an alternative
solution to old Martins escape. How.
ever, Runnells, that's not what we
are looking for-we're looking for
keyhole."