Bert Wilson, Marathon Winner

or th

hip, breasted the waves of the Atlantic. They were ardent patriots, and, as the irregular skyline of the great city faded from their view, they felt the pang that always comes to one on leaving his native land. But in

flying," said Dick. "Here's ho

"This is the fourth time Uncle Sam has sent his boys

their lives explaining why they didn't win. It has always been the glad h

l buzz-wagons with the Marathon prize alongside of

etorted Bert, drily. "I may b

" mocked Tom. "Tell that

ick, "I suppose we'll see plen

and dukes, they'll be thick as blackberries. Perhaps we ought to be overwhelmed at the pro

can ship that was being inspected by a lot of royalties. He came up to the captain and touched his ca

ays on the job and even if we don't agree with his views we have to hand it to him. He's the biggest figure in Europe to-day. I like him because he isn't a mere figurehead like the rest of them. He throws himself right

h of American sovereigns," said Dick, "for there'll surely be a big ra

at ever happened. They dedicated it the other day and all Berlin turned out to see it. The Kaiser himself was there and made a speech, and just as he got through

adnoughts, and France is increasing her term of service from two years to three, and Germany herself t

her, I think of that saying of Mark Twain's that 'the day may come when th

med in Tom, "for this sea air is making me fee

o put it off on the air. But there goes the steward's gong now

re banished, together with rich pastries and many kinds of starchy foods. But there was a royal abundance of meats and fruit desserts that made them f

merry," quoted Drake, "for

legs long ago on the Pacific. After the typhoon we went through off the Japanese

t for lots of the fellows this is their first trip and it's a pretty safe bet

unch who have been living high that usually pay the penalty when they tackle a

ng was not to start until the next morning, and the

ood for over twenty knots an hour. The saloons and cabins were the last word in ocean luxury. Ample provision had been made for safety. There were enough lifeboats and collapsible rafts, including two motor boats, to take care of every one of the passengers and crew in case of need. The lesson of the Titanic disaster had not been forgotten, and there was a double hull extending the whole length of the ship, so that if one were ripped open the other would probably be left intact. There were thirty-two water-tight compartments divided by steel bulkhea

rip on the Fearless, when Bert had been the wireless operator, had of course made them familiar with most things pertaining to a ship. But the Fearless had been designed chiefly as a tradin

in boats," declared

hoed Tom. "It's brought

ert. "By the time we get through this cruise, we ought t

ch cold for yours truly, and seal meat and whale blubber don't appeal to me as a steady diet. The Indian, on the other hand, is to

we're having, we'll be way above the average," said

an, on fire from stem to stern, as her despairing call came through the night. Once more he was sending messages of cheer and hope to the battered liner whirling about in the grip of the typhoon. And, most thrilling of all, was the memory of that savage fight with the Chinese pirates when the current from the dynamo had shot its s

etween messages, fell into conversation with them and rapidly became chummy. When he learned that Bert himself was one of the craft, he suggested that he try his hand at sending and receiving a few, while he sat by and rested up. Bert assented with alacrity, and the little smile of good-natured

stunt is a new one on me. It would make my work twice as fast

n I was a kid I found it was almost as easy for me to u

e operator, emphatically. "I'm going to try to get it myself. If I do

a little more talk and a cordial invitation to drop

rs of mandolin and banjo clubs and had brought their instruments along. Others had fine bass and tenor voices, and glee clubs were improvised. The amateur theatrical contingent was not lacking, and, what with song and sketch and music,

's certainly nothing monotonous about the racing game. I've run up hill and down, I've run through the woods, I've run on the cinder paths, I've run round the bases, and, wh

Dick, flippantly, "you ha

"and you haven'

es on the English language, and, as Reddy poked his head