The Captain of the Kansas

nreasoning panic of animals when an unknown force reveals its pent-up fury. They forget that safety-valves are provided, that dimi

, of course, did not

hey would not be wasting power like that," murmur

e-room. Nada es mas segu

f any one

arer. "What can you expect?"

f the superheated vapor, they all heard the opening of a door at the head of the s

captain wishes to s

se and crosse

s there is nothing to be afraid of in the

e hasty response. "There has been an a

p?" demanded

l ask the

ing, he ran up the companion. Christobal fo

' It covers so many horrid

r fellows have been i

sent for Dr. Chris

inking of the mere delay, though it is ann

nywhere else," put in the

instance, we could signal to San Isidro or Sandy Point; and there wou

arance, she alone among the passengers, now that Christobal was gone, realized vaguely the perilous plight of the Kansa

in a southwesterly gale on the Pacific side of Tierra del Fuego rose dimly in her mind. And the advancing darkness did not tend towards cheerfulness. In her new track, the Kansas had turned her back on the murky light which penetrated the storm

table, soon communicated itself to the stewards. The men stood in little knots, exchanging few words, and those mostly meaningless

hurry up with the coffee. Get a move on those fellows, Gomez.

saloon changed with wondrous suddenness. The glow of the electric lamps banished the gathering shadows. The luxurious comfort of the apartment soon dispelled the notion of danger. Coffee was brought. The smoking saloon was inaccessible, owing to

ing with wind and wave is a simple thing for a big vessel. There is no struggle, no tearing asunder of resisting forces. T

waters that the Kansas was not under control. It was a wild, sinister appeal for help, the voice of the disabled vessel proclaiming her need; and the answer seemed to come in a fiercer shriek of the gale, while the added fury of the blast brought a curling sea over the poop. The Kansas staggered and shook herself clear. The wave smashed its way onward; several

ip of a strong man, and there are few gatherings in Ang

oil, "that gave us a shower-bath. If we could just stand outside

the ship, contempt of the darkne

urate. "Otherwise we should be pitching or rolling, perhaps both,

Isobel. "They remind me of some wild animal hunting its

nuously," said the missionary's wife, a Mrs. Somervill

ody give us here? Unless the ship rights hers

ect her words might have on the others. Although the saloon was warm-almost

ay I suggest that we seek aid from One who is all-powerful? We are few, and of

urn Englishman, varying

up a short but heartf

ngregation with him, r

0, "For tho

he fact that the padri was asking for help in a situation which they well knew

when we

in peril o

eality. A steady fall in the barometer foretold even worse weather to come. Courtenay, assured now that the main engines were absolutely useless, thought it advisable to get steering way

gineer reported that his senior was dead, the crown of two furnaces destroyed, and the engines clogged, if not irretrievably damaged, by fallen debris. None realized better than the young commander what a disastrous fate awaited his ship in the gloom of the flying scud ahead. There was a faint chance of enc

nds, to hide the tears which the entreaty of the hym

ng something,

et voice which unconsciously led the singin

at him, her

think it possi

ve thing, I guess, and

st; then, gaining confidence, she sang the words, using a Spanish version which had caught her fancy. It was good to see the flashing eyes and impassioned gestures of the Chilean stewards when they found that she was singing in their own language. These men, owing to their acquaintance with the sea and knowledge of the coast, were now in a state of panic; they would have burst the bonds of discipline on the least pretext. So, as it chanced, the voice of the Engl

e could play Beranger's "Roi d'Yvetot." She repressed a smile at his choice, but the chance that presented itself of ini

un roi

u dans l

tard, se c

rt bien sa

The "Oh, Oh's" and "Ah, Ah's" of the chorus apparently stirred him to speech. He strolled from a corner of

at

s all right. Won't yo

so did "Mr. Wood," whose real name wa

rockets?

e we si

e. Have coun

ings are in a pret

tte

bbit, we must lie l

ed urging to keep his mouth shut. Indeed, this was by far the longest conver

strike soon

nsense!" he exclaimed. "What has pu

this c

re far ou

anger line, two hou

you s

rta

at in three hours, or less

ve a cigar," and he passed a we

the silent one's measure. He bit

ad?" he asked coolly. The othe

s are rotte

ough? What can they do? We mu

e women, you know. The

. Tell the chief st

American having a rough-and-ready way of classifying nationalities

un?" he

for it first

aptain will give us s

. Die quick,

u what, cousin, if you shoot as straight as you talk, th

stalked off to his stateroom, while the C

'tit roi c

,

f course, imagined that the plaudits of the audience demanded recognition. Courtenay had removed his oilskins before leaving the bridge. His dark blue uniform was flecked with white foam, and a sou'wester was tied under his chin, otherwise his appearance gave little sign of the wild tumult with

idual, but took in all present in a comprehensive glance. Elsie, who had exchanged very few words with him since the first aftern

up his mind exactly what to say, "that the ship has been disabled by some accident, the cause of

d all at once. She could see everything, hear everything. Some of the Chileans and Spaniards crossed themselves; others swore. Count Edouard breathed hard and muttered "Grand Dieu!" She wondered why the captain and Mr. Tollemache, who had returned from his stateroom, and was standing in the half light of a doorway, should simultaneously drop

hilled into silence the muttered p

oney and jewelry should be secured, but no baggage of any sort, not even the smallest handbag, can be carried, as all other personal belongings must be left on board. Passengers will gather here, and rema

to the chi

land. If the wind changes, or one of several possible things happens, the Kansas will suffer no damage whatever. I wish all hands to be prepared, however, for the chance, the remote chance, I trust, of th

s. The dog followed, somewhat ruefully, the cozy saloon being far more to his liking than the wind-swept, spray-lashed chart-house. Mr. Malcolm promptly stirred his myrmidons with a command to fall in by boats' crews, and Gomez won h

when Tollemache came to him. The silent man screwed h

h the ship?" went on Gray, some humorous imp prompting him, even in tha

emache, and the reply was n

ng is mor