The Captain of the Kansas

ke the snapping of trees during a hurricane, the little vessel broke her back, and the after part, with the engines, fell away into deep

t moments. But the Kansas seemed to be in no hurry to fall in pieces. She strained and groaned, and shook violently when a wave pounded her; othe

ps not even four minutes! The Kansas, with a shiver, lifted to the embrace of a heavy sea, lurched to port, and settled herself more comfortably. The deck assumed an easier angle. Now it was possible to walk. There were no rocks here, at any rate. Courtenay at once jumped to the conclusion that the powerful current whose existence he suspected had cut out for itself a deep-water channel towards the land, and the ship had struck on the silt of its back-wash. Anyhow, the Kansas was still living. The l

hey were lucid and reasoned, their pros and cons equally dealt with-he could have answered any question on each point were it p

him as a leading stoker who had temporary charge of the

k!" he

The ship

and await

gasp his readiness to obey. Courtenay relaxed his grip, and, for a time, at least

nt up the saloon stairs. Courtenay met them, a terr

d, "or some of yo

rge them on. Gray, bleeding from a cut across the forehead, knocked down a man who brutally tore Isobel out of his

ou, captain

conquered them-for the i

ried. "You can do no go

e to see if it is possi

be mustered in turn, p

you will throw away w

your

hat the se?or captain was saying. They understood much, but they wanted to make sure of each word. Was there any hope?

dows of the music-room and lodged in a panel behind Courtenay. They all he

r," he said. "Mr. Malcolm, take c

darkness to discover the cause of the shooting. A number of sailors and firemen were striving to launch a boat. There

ir eyes met in the gloom. Courtenay stooped and swung the other clear of the fight, for the second and third officers were using their fists, and Walker, even in the hurry of his ascent from the stoke-hold, had not let go of a spanner. The yells and curses, the trampling of dim forms swaying in the fight, the roaring of the gale, and the incessant crash of heavy spray made up a ghastly pa

follow me t

strain them from clearing the boat's falls, now raced pell-mell after their officers. No heed was paid to those who lay on the deck, wounded or insen

d the confused horde through a gan

ackle ready to lift them to port. Don't lose your heads, men. You wi

l, and with a common object. For an instant, Courtenay was free to attend to his chief officer. He bore him to the lighted saloon companion. Boyle w

ried. "Bring two me

ctions that Mr. Boyle should be taken to

e continued. "Go then to the lee of the pr

lear, the habit of command strong in him. Not until the sea claimed him would he cease to rule. The clank of pulleys, th

he hauled himself out of danger just in time to take part in the fray on deck. He came back now, hurrying to join the captain. Courtenay, standing in the shelter of the chart-house, was peering through the flyi

breakwater, sir," sai

. Is the ship

afra

moderating. Go and see h

ement, sir," c

ter com

said he th

tter. Try to get the f

xtra hands as possible.

men in her. If all is

e charge of t

this handkerchief ti

cer held out hi

fed, too?" as

ut I am losing a g

ered the captain. As he knotted the linen

you when the first

ppens. When she is clear I sh

rry out the captain's instructions. Courtenay followed a little way, passing to leeward of the chart-house, until he reached his own quarters. There was no door on that side, but light streamed through a couple of large port-holes across which the curtains had not been drawn. He l

earest land was twenty miles distant, but the shoal water might extend all the way, and, with a falling wind, waves once disintegrated would not regain any considerable size. It was a throw of the dice for life, but it must be taken. He indulged in a momentary though

m, when an accident happened. For some reason never ascertained, though it was believed that the men in the leading boat were too anxious to clear the falls and failed to take the proper precautions, the heavy craft pitched stern foremost into the sea. She sank like a stone, and with her went a number of Chileans; their despairing yells, coming up from the churning froth, seemed to be a signal for the demoniac passions latent in the crew to burst forth again, this time in a consuming blaze that would not be stayed. Each man fought blindly for himself, heedless now of all restrictions. The knowledge of this latest disaster spread with amazing rapidity. Up from the saloon came a rush of stewards and others. Ov

ating, striking right and left, but he felt bitterly that his efforts now were of no avail, and he bethought him that there was only one resource left. These frenzied wretches would destroy themselves and all others-so, if he

vation, aided, no doubt, by the stinging, drenching showers of spray, had gone far towards reanimating Isobel and her maid, while Mrs. Somerville, a woman advanced in years, was able to walk, though benumbed with the

litary waiting for a death which came not was ended. "I

red her words indistinct. And the c

ped Isobel to enter the chart-room, the fi

his arms and lifted her bodily through the doorway. The others followed his example. Soon the three women were with Elsie in the cabin. Isobel, by sheer

u h

ht me to his cabin after our

e left me with tho

d Courtenay's

until we can come for t

ed to action by Courtenay's manner. Elsie helped Mrs. Somerv

last, but the captain placed me here while he went to brin

ded the solid beams and planks of the cabin until they c

Isobel. "If I must die, let me

There must be an end o

may escap

have happened. . . . Why did I ever come on this wretched vessel? And with you, who ran away from Ventana! I should have been warned by it. When he could work me no other evil he sent you. . . . Oh, you have taken a fin

l fear that she was confronted by a maniac. The utter outrageousness of this new inflict

ot mean them. I would do anything to serve you. I am more sorry for you than for myself. I have little to bi

screamed shrilly, and burst into a storm of dry-eyed sobs. Her mood changed instan

" she wailed. "God kno

ed to comfort the weakness of others. Elsie drew the distr

isfortunes with Christian faith and hope. Somehow, I feel that I have endured so much to-night that death

had any chance of escape, se?

demanded Mrs. Somerville, who had listened

d Courtenay's confidence in the same extraordinary degree. Well, she would

e the ship holds together there is always a chance of rescue, an

to the boats. And the cry in the saloon was that two boats were lost long ago and

sie. "I was here quite

ing secretly, and the men broke l

he had heard the shooting, bellowing, and tramping on deck, and she knew that some terrible scene was being enacted there, wh

onorable gentleman," she said; and then the fantastic folly of such a dispute at such a moment over

-for collapse. The Spanish maid slipped to her knees, Mrs. Somerville began to rock in her chair in a new agony, and Isobel, to whom

en he appeared at the door after a lapse

d with an air of authority which betok

hat?" she ma

boat. It is your best

efore me. Then the othe

d you because you were nearest t

el's arm and led her out into the darkness. It

but that unhappy lady was so un

akness which had conquered her under Isobel's taunts. She stooped over the maid, but the girl wrestled and f

came back. He took in the situation at a glance.

waiting for me,"

come alone. You

e smiled at him to show that she

ait," she

alone again, without even t