Evening star., 1933-10-16
INSTALLNENT XL.

ITHE yacht was a rotten hulk and
the wind was SO strong that
anything which once got started
i burning would be consumed in
double-quick time. Everybody
on the tug knew that the boat was
doomed There did not even seem to
be much chance of reaching it in time
to save the girl. Incidentally, it was
terribly dangerous to approach a craft
which might blow up any minute. But
| be it said to the credit of the captain
and crew Of the tug they did not even
suggest avoiding the attempt.
Without orders, the engineer went to
his post and crowded on little more
steam and the steersman sharpened his
wits not to waste an inch of leeWay.
| The little tug put her pounding heart
into the job and plowed along through
the clutching waves regardless of every
thing. The men on deck were drenched
to the skin. They were crouched in
an agony of tensity as if by leaning
forward they could make more speed.
The smoke began to pour out of the
yachts companionway in denser VOL
ume. There was no way OF telling
where the fire was. 1t might be any
where in the cabin or already in the
engine room. Inclosed that way it had
a splendid draft and could gnaw at the
vitals of the little craft undisturbed.
Vern wondered if Irene knew that the
vessel beneath her was on fire. He
hoped that she did not The smoke
was blowing aft and perhaps she could
not see it. Perhaps the noise of the
cracking flames was also winded away
from her.
t,nf
be. what an agony of anticipation. They
were only half mile away. If some
thing would only go wrong with the
engine of the yacht. But Vern hastily
countermanded that wish because that
would probably mean that the fire bad
gotten so far forward that the gasoline
tank was in danger. The flames might
run along the pipe line to the forward
bulkhead where the fuel was stored.
They were a quarter of mile away
when the flames began to come out the
companionway - orange-colored names
that leaped like unsheathed swords out
Of the clouds of smoke.
The mizzen-mast caught fire and Ut
tie licking flames climbed to the top
like swarming midshipmites.
Faster" Vern yelled over his snoul-
der to the captain.
The captain returned, II am afraid
that's all we've got son. but III ask tne
engineer" He returned in minute.
"One of the boys is hanging onto the
safety valve and they are shoveling IN
rags soaked in kerosene. We don't
known any more tricks than that"
They were closing up but. on, SO
slowly. The flames appeared to be
leaping forward on the deck as fast as
the tug was decreasing the distance be-
tween itself and the yacht. 1t seemed
as if the flames were holding dance
there on the planking. They would
come forward and then 60 back like
the posturings Of figurantes.
It must be that Irene could feel the
heat now.
Vern was praying and cursing out
loud by turns The yacht was noslng
closer. They could feel the heat them
selves now and the captain had to run
little to windward to keep flying
sparks from endangering his own craft.
Now they were ahead. The helms
man came closer Gently the bow OF
the tug touched the spirit Of the yacht
and nosed it from its course. But Vern
was over the rail and on the deck OF the
yacht even before they came together:
Irene was conscious. She recognized
him. The flames were really at her
feet now If her skirts had not been
tightly bound around her body they
would have already caught fire. Vern
had a knife. He hacked the ropes. be-
ginning at the top and finishing in
race with the flames at the bottom.
The two vessels were held together
by graphing hooks in the hands of the
men. Vern carried Irene. who was too