Evening star., 1927-05-18

OF apprehension. They did not seem
TO be moving, and yet he knew they
were nearer than when he had first
sighted them.
AS the EscoriaI turned they came
into view through the port window,
and from the center ship, which was
in fact the Kent, puff OF white smoke
crawled laZily. With startling dis
tinctness in that silent Arctic Sea
came the boom of her gun. Some
thing struck the water between the
Thomas Inland and the Escorial and
sent up a great geyser Of spray.
mo, they're not firing at u.s. said
: Bill, in answer TO the girls whispered
question. They're ranging, and may
be their idea is to scare Hale into
surrender"
Gathering speed, the Escorial pound
ed on. until ahead of them Bill saw
what he thought was land but which
proved to be a mass of hummocky
ice backed by an irregular formation
Of isolated bergs.
Hell not dare drive through that"
thought Bill, and the next minute he
saw the Thomas Inland. which was
leading. turn to port
They were moving toward the war
ship; Bill wondered why. but now saw
that northward there had appeared
wireless cabin, ahoy" IT was
Hales megaphone roar. Send a
message to those warships that if
they attempt to board the EscOrial
will blow up the ship.'
Bill had almost forgotten the func-
ton Of the cabin, but this reminded
him. Leaving the girl in his place
at her urgent request, he began to-
feel out in the ether for the ships
nf 1,TpcaYtlN no caItpi1t the
signals of the American
1.-The captain says that if you ap
proach TOO closely he will blow up
the ship
who is that speaking" came the
answer. and Bill gave particulars
about himself and his party. rs the
ship ahead Of YOU the Thomas In
land?" was the next question and
he replied in the affirmative.
Am signaling tanker that If she
does not stop shall destroy her. said
the American.
Bill. before all things, was pa
triot.
For heavens sake. don't" He
raped the mesa ge furiously. "She is
carrying interest on Americas s loan
TO Europe"
The captain Of the American, ex
cellent patriot as he was. had cVi-
=
that lazy cloud Of smoke from the
warship's side, a droning whine that
rose to shrek, and the bridge Of
the tanker burst into sudden fame
and when the smoke had cleared
away the ship was out Of control,
hroadside on. and only Harvey Hale's
supreme seamanship averted col
lision.
Bill ratified the transmitter key
surely.
Tanker hit afnidships Bridge
carried away There may be fire on
board. She is out Of control
He received THANK YOU" from
the three warships almost stimuli
taneously And now one. which
proved to be the Sussex. was moving
ahead of her companions, smoke bel
lowing from her stacks.
She's under forced draft" said
Stone and lodged just in time.
A bullet ripped through the win
dow and eplattored against the iron
casing Bill snatched up his pistol
and jumped on the table, but the
sniper was not visible and had prob.
ably taken advantage Of stones pre-
occupation
Nearer and nearer the warship ap-
preached and, examining her through
his glasses, Bill saw that there was
no vestiEe Of human life on her
decks She was cleared for action.
four long guns swung menacingly
toward the liner.
Beneath them the deck Of the Es-
corial quiyered and 1rembled. She
TOO. was working up to her top speed
and the water curved in two high
waves from her bows. The ticker
was chattering furiousIy. BIZ took
up the receiver and listened.
rs there amy danger that captain
Of E,scorial viii carry out threat TO
sink vesscl?'
Bill thought for a moment and
tapped Yes"
what fuel has she on board?"
every little
. A long silence. and then the sus.
seA spoke again;