Evening star., 1940-01-14
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE


wireless shack with the last one Probably
that was it. Shooting by moonlight was
deceptive.
Now he could give all his attention to saw
ing life, and from the sodden lift of the decks
beneath him he guessed there was not going
to be much time Probably the Cynthias
whole forepart was ripped clean out He
steadied himself and beckoned shaking,
white faced little apprentice who had been on
lookout in the bridge wing, and he patted the
boys oilskinned shoulder as he spoke.
Quite business, son, eh? Very messy -.
What's your name? Thomas? Well,
Thomas, run along to the wireless shack and
tell them to send =. Wait mnute! he
painfully crossed the bridge to the chartroom.
scribbled few words and handed the slip to
the boy Come right back when you're done
III need a messenger" He returned to the
for ard rail, nodding approval as the nervous
and half-dressed third mate appeared, and
he told him to stand by. A steady throbbing
was growing in his side and his clothing was
sticky with blood
The moon broke through the scud and
glttered coldly across the troubled sea, etch-
ing the masts and rigging of the Cynthia
blackly upon her decks. The wind-whine rose
and fell as Captain Rahlee cautiously headed
the ship into the weather under slow engines,
so she would not roll 50 much and make hard
the launching of the lifeboats. He could hear
the swells make whimpering noises as they
slapped against the laboring hull. Though the
ship was heavy by the head and going down
steadily, she seemed high yet midships. and
might last long enough to let him abandon her
without indecent haste The pumps would
control things little, though they were
obviously and hopelessly inadequate.
You'd better rig some electric clusters.
Well need all the light we can get to work
by," he ordered He thought too, as the third
mate vanished with muttered, Yes, sir,
that people were not so apt to be afraid so
long as there was light - serious considera-
ton with three hundred passengers concerned.
Certainly he couldn't depend on the moon.
The confounded thing was apt to duck behind
the clouds any moment now it had done its
damage and rendered the Cynthia target.
For how long he could depend on the dynamos
was another problem. When the engine room
flooded . He shrugged. What could man
depend on? He rubbed his spume- face and
smiled tightly to himself. Very little.
Waves of pain we're beginning to flow over
him now He was badly hurt. Behind him he
was aware of the scared face of the helmsman,
still floating, disembodied, as it were, above
the pinnacle light 1t seemed like dream.
He could recall the time when he was
apprentice on the Royal, four-masted bark
out of London for Madeira, and they d carried
away their fore, main and mizzen topmasts in
white squall one night suddenly -. as
white squalls always come and he'd been
at the wheel :. his face as scared as the
helmsman's was there back of him. The Royal
had almost gone into the trough then, and
he'd fought her as we'll as he could, sweating,
his heart pumping, his stomach as tight as it
was now until his skipper had sent two
ABS running to help him. 1t was funny he
should think of those old things.
She's coming full in the forepeak and
forehold, sir, the carpenter came to report.
And five feet in number two and rising fast
l haven't sounded midships."
well, sound!" said Captain Rahlee with
moments impatience. you could have sent
aboy to tell me that. The carpenter departed
in haste and Captain Rahlee blew down the
engine-room speaking tube.
Il take it the pumps are doing their best,
Mr.. Watson" The chief engineer was already