The times-news., 1937-09-07
BY NARp JONES
CAST OF CHARACTERS

NAO vi
KAY DEARBORN - heroine
who inhcrits a yacht for vacation
MELITA HOWARD - Kay
roommate and eo--adventurer.
PRISCILLA DUNN-the thire
adventurer.
FORREST BROTHERS an
GRANT HARPER-young se'en'
tis. whose expedition turned ou'
to be a rare experience.
Yesterday: Just as Melits and
Priscilla arc left msrooned on the
i,I.nd. help comes from three
young university explorers. One
rive. the famished girls food
while the other two begin a search
CHAPTER NJ
Melita and Priscilla were too
distracted over the disappearance
of Nay to enjoy the comparative
luxury of the "MiStral." Yet they
were grateful for the cool water
from her tanks, and the strength
ening coffee and sandwiches Tom
Forrest served up.
"You don't have 70 worry, he
assured them. Grant is right. II
we don't scare up your friend
around here well start out after
the cruiser. And don't forget that
this little white tub will make IL
or l3 knots"
GLOW will we know where to
follow?'' asked Priscilla.
Don't worry" said Forrest
evasively. "We'll find her. Every
thing is going to be all right. Do
you girls feel the need of some
shut-eye? There's a comfortable
cabin aft that's all ready"
Neither Priscilla nor Mclita ex-
pressed any desire to sleep.
Good exclaimed Tom For
rest. "I'll show you the good ship,
then"
As some people judge them, the
"MiSaral" was not a big yacht
but she was husky and ample. a
64-foot pleasure vessel that made
the little Chinook" seem modest
indeed.
"She's a private boat" Tom
Forrest explained, "Owned by an
old man who's like the old lady
who lived in the shoe. She had so
many children she didn't know
what to do. This old fellow has
so many yachts he doesn't know
what TO do-So he chartered this
one TO the university. Mac and
Grant and had her last summer,
too. She's all fitted out for the
study of static occanOgraphy."
"Static what" asked Priscilla.
"Static oceanography," Tom
grinned. eff you tell me you
know what il means I'll be diSap-
pointed as all get out"
"Well," said Melita for both Of
them. Eve don't"
That's the study of the phySi-
cal and chemical properties Of
water. This boat is ideal for our
work, because most Of the space
is available for equipment rather
than living accommodations. Shes
got a high speed Diesel engine
with plenty of SOup-that's why
we passed you so easily that day"
al remember" said Priscilla
meaningly.
Furthermore" went on Tom
enthusiastically shes got an
oceanographic winch driven by
separate motor"
"Not really?" Melita smiled de-
spite her worries. There was
something about Tom Forests
enthusiasm that was deeply ap-
pealing.
He nodded. "Surc. And the
winch has two drumS--one OF 'em
carries 5000 feet of steel wire for
handling heavy apparatus that we
put on the bottom. The other has
$4,000 feet of bronze wire. That's
what we use to make soundingS
with. or let down little containers
to get samples of the bottom--Or
take the temperature Of water at
various levels"
Tom Forrest told them much
more about the work of the "MiS-
trar" and her crew, and before
many minutes had elapsed the
girls found themselves genuinely
engrossed, almost forgetting the
disappearance of Kay.
But when Tom had taken them
from stem to stern of the boat,
explaining its apparatus and op-
Grating some of il for their edi-
fication, they discovered that sew
eral hours had passed-with no
word from the rescue party in
the power tender.
"I'm worried" Melita said,
"Your brother and Mr.. Harper
have had plenty of time to circle
the island"
"Sure," agreed Tom lightly.
They've probably run onto
something"
"Then why aren't they back
They'll be along soon,' young
Forrest insisted. Calmly lighting
up his pipe, he began to tell them
OF the cruise in the open ocean
which he had taken with his bro
ther and Grant Harper last sum
mer. Apparently oblivious TO the
fact that Melita and Priscilla
scarcely listened, anxious to gel
their minds off Kay Dearborn
and the events of the past two
days, he talked fast and furi
ously.
II did not work. At last Melits
sprang TO her feet, hands clench
ed tightly. al cant stand thi'
waiting, Why can't we 90 ashore
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