Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-08

one quarter, and the next instant from
another.
y don't know" he said. 1T seemed
to go all around the compass. Wait for
the next blast"
Capt; Mumm pulled fiercly at his
tawny beard.
ut did" he muttered: land that's
fact. But she's coming up with us
! from somewhere-that's certain. It's
| thicker than a smoke screen out there
and not a blasted thing aboard to
make noise with that shed hear"
Peter did not answer.
The blast came again. but only. 1t
seemed to Peters straining ears, after
great interval OF time 1t was much
louder, and obviously. therefore. much
nearer, but the acoustics of the fog
were as tricky as ever. He could not
definitely determine the direction OF
the sound
From the port quarter. I'd say"
erowled Capt Mumm; but damme. I
amt sure. Here. give me the wheel and
get along up for'ard there! Quick now!
| She amt half mile off U.s. Keep your
eyes skinned-and your cars too!'
Right" said Peter tersely-and rum
ming forward took up his station at
the Schooner's bow.
1t was bit eerie. He couldn't see
"
staring out into a gray. murky, impene-
trable curtain of fog. steadying himself
against the uneasy plunge of the Break
ODawn as she buried her nose in the
rolling sWells. There was a ship out
there-quite close. Peter acknowledged
an uncomfortable feeling BY all the
laws of probabilities, Of course, she
would go by in the fog still unseen.
unseen! Yes. that was it. It was al
ways the unseen" that stirred the
senses to undue emotion and alarm It
brought the imagination into play. and
II ones imagination were at all nimble,
one could picture no end of disturb
ing things, It was incredible, for in
stance, though 1t had happened since
men sailed the seas, that two vessels.
after days and leagues of voyaging,
should come at the same instant to the
same Identical spot out Of all the vast
e%ranSe OF ocean, spot that would be
represented by no more than a mere
pin-prlck on their charts There was
a certain uncanny fascination in 1t,
thoueh--watching for some ghostly APP
pearance out there that would not OF
course naterialiZe. Half an hour from
now. the mind would be occupied in
| wondering what ship II was, and
whittier bound. and just how close she
had been. Queer he hadn't heard her
siren again! Surely the regular inter-
va! must have lapSed, and
A hideous m!ngling of sounds ham,
n1ered at Peters ear-drims-a yell of
warning from the red-haired skipper
at the wheel. the hoarse. raucous, ugly
olaSt OF whistle. the vicious Stating of
canvas. the Screech OF swinging booms
as the Break ODawn in answer to
her helm strove to swerve sharply
from her course-hut the sounds were
only subconsciously existent in Peters
mind. Rigid. ne stood thore--braced.
he could see now. It was as though
that gray wall out there had been sud-
denly rent asunder by some vast mon
strous shape that came tearing ruth
iessly through 1t straight for the amid
ships OF the Break ODawn. 1t lowered
hlgn-close aboard the schooner now
a demoniacal thing. And the Break
ODawn sodden. irresponsible. under
he jury rig, vas sluggish in her move
ments and her answer to the helm
Eternity lived In the passing OF a
second.
There was a crash. the grind and
crunch OF impact: a shock that hurled
Peter to his face upon the deck Cord
age, blocks. canvas. spars. came down
in a rain around him. A bedlam of
hoarse. wild shouts rang In his ears. He
TbokkNtNa w Aii1 AEfb, uANQ a llLLiR
Something. he did not know what. some
OF the falling tackle probably had hit
him a Glanctng blow upon the head
He dashed his hand across his ewes,
as though 10 clear both his physical
and mental vision. II was a grotesaue.
fantastic sight. II looked as though
a great plowshare OF enormous height
had embedded itself in the Break
ODawn's side. The steamers bow. OF
course! II seemed 10 have driven itself
almost halfway through the schooner's
amidshlps deck from port TO starboard
And now 1t was beginning TO retreat
It would leave a hole in shape like a
huge slab OF pie. The water was pour
ing IN there now. lie watched the rush
OF 1t. listened 10 the hungry roar of H..
Tons OF 1t! He wondered whether the
Break ODawn. already almost Gu. In
two, would break apart before she wen:
down. or take her ANAL plunge In one
piece. Good Lord. what did 1t matter!
The voice Of Capt Mumm, str!dent
shr!ll. rang cut OF chaos:
Continued in Tomorrows starr
So