Evening star., 1933-09-24
INSTALLMENT XIV.

RENE looked at vern in apprehen-
sive dismay.
stick to the Wheel" he ordered,
/ reversing their rank Tor the mo-
ment. "Ill see what I can do"
She gave him q grateful glance which
he hoped that he would be able to earn.
Vern did know something about mo-
tors, although the contraption that
animated Wings had lot Of old-fash-
ioned and complicated parts that he
was not absolutely familiar with.
Vern dashed down the companionway,
colliding with the dampened passengers
who were headed for the deck to find
out what was the matter. He shook of
their demands for explanation and went
forward to the compartment where the
motor did its threshing.
1t was still turning over but in a
deSpirited and expiring fashion, as If
every gasp might be its last.
Vern had looked 1t over while they
were under sail and knew as much as
he could find out without actually TAX
ing 1t apart. He knew, for instance,
that the ignition was Of the make-and-
break design not ordinarily used any
more except in stationary engines. That
was where the trouble lay now. All
the working parts and connections were
exposed and, SO far as the aft cylinder
was concerned, they were all wet. The
wave, coming in, must have splashed
right over it.
Anyway it was obvious that there was
a short circuit in the electrical current
that supplied the spark. The wet wire
leading from the induction coil to one
pole of the ignition device was she'd
ding showers of sparks against the CYL
inder head. No wonder there was moth
ing left to fire the gasoline inside the
cylinders.
There was no time to wrap the wire
with fresh insulation, no way to dry it
and the cylinder head off. The single
cylinder was complaining desperately
OF the load now and threatened to lie
down under it any minute. The hull
under Vern's feet reeled from the waves
that were hitting nearly broadside now.
Irene came below. Father has the
wheel for a moment" she explained
Il thought you might need help"
Under Vern's direction she wiped of
the cylinder head with a piece of waste
while he rugged connection which re-
paired the damaged motor.
Il think you're wonderful" she said
true admiration in her voice. I've al
ways heard that you Yankees are ter
ribly ingenious"
There was just enough distance in her
voice to keep him from swelling up toe
much. Did she scorn him just little
for the very ingenuity she admired?
Would her love be more apt to be given
to the man who died like gentleman
rather than to the one whose mind fig
ured way out?
He was not sure. Neither, Of course
was she.
With the after hatch battened down
there seemed little likelihood that any
repetition of the mishap could befall
the engine and so the captain and
crew repaired to the deck.
Mr.. Ferguson. at the wheel, and
Mr.. MacLean. the banker. were wa
gering huge sums of imaginary money
on each wave as to whether or not
it would break on the deck Of the
yacht or just before 1t reached them.
The judge and the Rev. DR.. Snyder
were too engrossed with the spectacle
of the reeling universe to care about
games of chance.
Irene relieved her father as steers
man and suggested that he conduct
his party below once more. where it
was dryer. so long as the engine
keeps going We are in no immediate
danger" she assured her stowaway
passengers. We'll call you out on
deck if the storm gets worse"