SYNOPSIS,
CHAPTER I—Robert Hollis, one-time
rea captain, who toils the stoi h ;l
guest on (SeraM Carrington's v.i it i ...
meralda. It is supposed to be a "stag”
parly and Holds is surprised on discover
ing a woman, who evidently wishes to le
s.ttjn unknown, aboard.
CHAPTER IT—Hollis, the next night,
succeeds In having an interview with the
woman. She merely tells him her name
Is Vera.
CHAPTER ITT—Carrington tells his
guests of tTie coming war, and that he
Is engineering a copper pool.
CHAPTER IV—The yacht is sunk In a
collision and Hollis saves McCann, mil
lionaire, and one of the party.
CHAPTER V— Hollis and McCann res
cue Vera and leave the ship in a small
boat.
CHAPTER \ T—Hollis and Arera become
friendly, though l.e Is unaware of her
identity.
CHAPTER VII—McCann refuses to sub
mit to Holds' authority, and the latter
enforces it.
CHAPTER VIII—The castaways are
f edited by a stiip, the l.diun Chief, which
take s them aboard.
CHAPTER IX—The Indian Chief has
recently been struck by lightning and Is
almost a wreck. All the officers are dead.
Hollis meets the owner, who tells him
the vessel has a cargo of ammunition,
consigned to the German government.
CHAPTER X- Hollis consents to take
dial ge of ship arid continue voyage. Vern
recognizes an old friend in Robert
BaBCOtn, owner of the Indian Chii f.
II;iscorn and McCann are deadly ene
mies.
y-n Ion among
♦he crew quickly develops, and Huiiis
selects his officers. w
CHAPTER XT1 McCann wants to retu
to New York, tin i tries to corrupt crew.
CTfUTER xm Hollis finds himself
forced to confine M i arm. to a cabin.
, ■ H ' i * f d XP ’ r: 1 TTollls agree
t hi for Rnscorn's ;• ' ■ t c si p must be
taken to its destination. Hollis ' urns that
Vera is (m aid Carrington's daughter.
“Not at nil; the wheelsman would ■
Spread the news fast enough as soon
ns relieved. We are at fifty-two de
gress, thirty-five mjuutes west longi- s
tilde, and forty degrees, ten minutes |
nocth latitude, approximately.”
“And where does that put us from
New York?”
“About five hundred miles, a little
north of oast; Halifax is the nearest
port, two hundred and seventy-five
miles nor’ nor’ by west. We are be
tween the North Atlantic steamer
lanes arulwie direct course to the Med
iterranean, more in line with the i
Azores,' 1 should say. That accounts
“Would You Mind if a Couple of U3
Had a Glance at the Chart?”
for ‘ho desert*'! sen—we’re out of the
!>> n! en truck."
“i low’s tin* coal, sir?”
“Ail but one bunker full yet; we’ll
not steam heavy except tonight.”
“Personally I don’t see any objection
I i inking :t try of it,” Leuyord added,
l I don’t know how tin* crew may
fi I. This Isn’t exactly the sort of
Voyage they shipped for.”
“We may as well test them first as
last,” I said determined to have it over
with. “Both watelms are mostly on
deck. Have the bosun call them aft.’
The fellows responded quickly
enough, n few slouching along in pre
tended indifference, but the majority
exhibiting a real Interest. Liverpool
Red stood directly below me, a step in
advance of his mates. Iiis cap hid his
eye*, but there wus an ugly, defiant
grin on his face, which angered me.
“Well, men,” I eyid, wasting no time
in soft phrasing, “I’ve called you aft
for a straight talk. You shipped "it
the Indian Chief for a voyage to Hum
burg—”
“Who sniji we did?” a voice Inter
rupt* d. “The most of us was shang
haied and brought aboard drunk.”
“That lias nothing to do with me," I
repli, -1 sharply. “1 * as not the skip
per titen; but I am now. Your names
ure on the papers regularly enough,
am the only thing I need to explain
is . in* nt 'ossity f< r a change In our
fie . g course. As most of you know,
w.,r has broken out in Europe since
tl’.i * ship cleared from Baltimore. The
chances are about a hundred to one
that we would be raptured, or sunk, if
we tried to roach our port through the
CiiunaeL”_ _ _
“I5y whom?” It was Liverpool who
spoke.
“English or French warships.”
“IBs a d-Dutch cargo then we’ve
eot in the hold. That's the way I fig
ured it. Well, now look here, sir.
Suiitz is the only Dutchman aboard,
an’ the ri st ov us don’t take kindly to
that sort o’ job.”
"You’re sailorrnen, and shipped on
this voyage before ever war was de
clared. Now will you listen to me un
til I get through?”
“Ah, let him talk, Red,” someone In
terjected.
I outlined my plan in as few words
as possible, and they seemed to listen
r< pectfully enough, only occasionally I
interjectin ' a question. Liverpool did 1
not speak at all, nor Jim White, who
had pushed his way forward, until 1
concluded. Then the latter asked sud
denly :
“Would you mind if a couple of us
had a glance at that chart? Maybe
we’d sec it clearer then.”
"Certainly, you can all look at It.
Mr. ON ui, take tin1 chart down there,
and point out the lines so the men can
sec where we are."
They crowded about, endeavoring to
gain a glimpse, although probably not
half a dozen among them possessed the
faintest conception of what the vari
ous markings signified. Liverpool and
White, however, got down on their
km and followed Olson’s stubby
forefinger closely, as he traced the pro
posed c oirse. White appeared rather
the more intelligent, asking a question !
or two before regaining his feijt.
“1 v i s on the Labrador const once,
sir.” he said, turning his face toward ,
\ here I stood waiting, “but that don't
help me much to get this thing
straight. It’s to be a north course to
night then, so as to take us through
the steamer lane before daylight?”
“And where would we lie about day
light tomorrow morning?”
“I cun only guess at that, not know
ing the exact shape our engines are in, ;
or the probable speed of the ship. But j
we ought to be close to fifty degrees
west and about forty degrees, twenty
minutes north. I should say."
“How fiir away from land?”
“One hundred and fifty miles to the
east and south of Cape Haee.”
“Cape Knee!” broke,in Liverpool. |
“I've li> aril o' that point—it's south of :
a harbor called St. John’s. Here it is, ;
marked on the chart, Jim."
lie pointed it out with a dingy fore- |
finger, and the two stared at the spot
for a minute before they gat to their
fret again. I waited, but neither
spoke.
“Is that all, men?” I asked with a
glance at their faces. “All right then,
you can go forward. If any of you
wish to ask any (pit's!ions later I shall
be glad to answer them.”
They disappeared without demon
stration. talking among themselves,
yet to all appearances the conference
hi d not deeply impressed the crew,
They seemed n stolid, d-iil-witted
bunch, even Liverpool ; • d White
slouching back to the forecastle, with
scarcely the exchange of a word. OI
son rolled up the chart, and clambered
up thi’ bniiier to where i stood beside
the first mate. For a i loment he clung
to the rail watching the last of the men
disappear.
“W 11, I’ll 1k> darned," he said al
most under his breath.
“Wlmt is it, Mr. Olson?"
“That’s just what I don’t know, sir,”
he answered slowly. “One guess is as
good as anotlit r, Jr, but I'm mighty
m ar certain of one tiling—-they haven’t
no Intention of goiu’ to Hamburg. Even
Liverpool and White showed no inter
est, except in one point.”
“You mean where the ship will be to
morrow morning?"
“Just that; and it’s going to be to
morrow morning when they show their
hand. Till then, sir we'll have a model
crew. That’s the way I see it.”
"Which theory looks reasonable
enough,” I acknowledged, after a
pause, “although it’s more my judg
ment that the arrest of McCann has
left them leaderless. I am not really
looking for any more serious trouble.
However, we’ll be ready for it, if It
comes."
CHAPTER XVI.
In the Hands of the Crew.
The ufternoon brought me Increased
faith that the imprisonment of Fergus
McCann had practically ended the re
t ellion of the men forward. No doubt
the spirit of mutiny still lingered, but
without the leadership this hud ceased
to be dangerous. Unbacked by the
New Yorker's display of wealth. Liver
pool Ited and Jim White were sudden
ly shorn of power to control tin* crew.
Nor (lid anything occur during the
remainder of tin* day to lead me to re
vise this conclusion. The weather held
fair, and tin* men worked cheerfully.
Now that the liquor was out of them
they proved themselves u fairly effi
cient crew, ohejing the orders of the
mates smartly. Apparent!} the crisis
had I een passed, and the only problem ,
remaining to confront us was that of
navigation. With my mind at rest on
I this point, I passed the hours of the
afternoon largely in my own stateroom,
sleeping for un hour or more iu prep
aration for the night’s watch on deck,
asul later carefully figuring out in de
tail the exact course I should attempt
to follow during the period of dark
ness.
Before the call to supper came, T
called on Buscom to explain to him the
situation, but found the man stupefied
hy some drug, taken perhaps to allevi
ate pain, and scarcely capable of com
prehending my meaning. Satisfied that
I could gain no assistance from him, I
left the man lying helplessly in his
bunk, and returned to the main cabin.
Vi ra did not appear until after Lea
yord and I were seated at table, yet
she had been on deck during the after
noon, and hud much to say relative to
the beauty of the ocean scene througli
which we sailed.
It wns a pleasant hour we passed at
the table, Leayord relieving Olson, but
the girl and I lingering in rather Idle
conversation before we went on deck.
In spite of the pleasant day, and I hut
the sun was still visible in the west
ern sky, the air on deck was chill, and
I returned below for a heavier coat,
end also brought back with me a cloak
belonging to the late commander with
which to protect Miss Carrington. But
for u faint trail of smoke far to the
westward, barely visible as the sun ;
sank below the horizon, no evidence j
was discernible of any other vessel in
the wide circle. I hailed the lookout
in the maintop, but the wisp of smoke
was too for away for his eyes to deter
mine the course of the distant steamer,
alihough as he swept his glasses a bit
farther northward, they became fixed
and motionless. As I stared up at him,
ids voice reported:
“Sail ho!”
“Where away?”
“About three points off the port bow,
sir—a schooner’s topsail.”
“Very well, keep her in sight—a fish
ing vessel likely.”
Both watches were on (leek, clus
tered in a restless bunch before the
forecastle, or overhanging the rail, evi
dently deeply interested In observing
our efforts to get al! possible speed out
of the Indian Chief. -The fading light
gave me a glimpse of their faces, and
1 noticed that both Liverpool and
White were circulating freely from
group to group. However, the men
responded readily enough to Olson’s
orders, and sang cheerily as they tailed
onto the ropes, Liverpool himself lead
ing the way up the ratlines and out
upon the mainyard as they sheeted
home.
The stars began to pop out In the
arch of sky above, silvering the wa
ters, and we could no longer perceive
what was taking place forward. The
night shades settled about us, and the
staunch Indian Chief drove her sharp
bows through the black waste of sea
in a race to cross the zone of danger
before the coming of another dawn.
Apparently everything was in our fa
vor, and I stood there, leaning against
tlie rail, chatting with Miss Vera, our
conversation drifting idly.
It must have been after nine when
the girl left, complaining of being
( billed even in the protection of the
great cloak. I crossed (lie deck with
her to tile lieud of the stairs, and our
hands clasped as we lingered there a
moment, the dim light revealing her
face uplifted toward mine.
“You are not going below, then. Mr.
Iloilis?" she questioned. “Surely all
u ies well?”
“So remarkably well,” I admitted,
•‘as to rather puzzle ine. A’o, I shall
remain on deck until morning; not
that 1 really anticipate trouble, but the
■utire responsibility rests with me.”
“Yon do not feel that your officers
are efficient ?”
“Only within their limits of knowl
edge. I like the men, and trust them,
hut at that they are only promoted
from before the mast in an emergency.
Neither possess any real knowledge of
seamanship. You can go to your berth,
and go to sleep. Miss Vera, assured
that the ship will be in safe hands."
“I know it will, if you remain on
deck,” she answered earnestly. “I—1
have learned to trust you.”
The hours of the night gave me am
ple opportunity for thought, and care
ful consideration. The wind held
steady, and while the sea roughened
somewhat (his slight change was not
sufficient to diminish our progress, or
cause any swerving from the course
set. All remained quiet forward, the
watch on deck finding little to do other
than their routine duties, and no mem
ber of the crew had any occasion to
come aft, except those detailed to the
wheel. There seemed no reason why I
should remain on deck, yet the respon
sibility rested upon me, and the Impor
tance of the night's run prevented my
having any wish to retire below. How
ever, 1 found no occasion to interfere
with the operation of tile ship, and re
mained mostly on tin? main deck,
where my watchfulness assured me
there was no communication passed
between forecastle and cabin.
The fog grew'steadily more dense,
until at dawn, we were steaming reck
lessly through a thick cloud of vapor,
barely able to observe the surface of
the sea, dull, sodden gray, a few yards
in advance of our bow. The dense,
watery folds swept along our sides, and
the rigging dripped moisture onto the
glistening deck plunks. It was a
gloomy, ibrnry morning enough and,
even as 'he light of early dawn
strengthened, I could scarcely distin
guish a thing forward of the main !
mast. However, there was no slowing i
tip of speed or sounding of siren. Con
vineed that We were now safely to the
north of the usual course of ships, 1 !
preferred to take the chance of jmssi- ;
Lie collision.
My eyes were heavy from lack of
sleep, and long staring out through the
black night; my senses dulled by hours j
of Inaction, during which nothing un-1
dtfJMUfc V-'-J
usual had occurred to arouse me to
realization of impending danger. I no
longer even suspected trouble, or any
active hostility forward. With the
dawn the density of fog enwrapping
us seemed to increase, and completely
blot out every glimpse of sea and sky.
Even Leayord leaned over the ruil
just above uie, could scarcely be dis
tinguished as a man, and evidently Ids
eyes could not make uie out at all, for
he hailed doubtfully:
“Are you still on deck. Mr. Hollis?”
“Yes,” I answered, staring up at his
shadow. "A bad fog.”
“It is, sir. Would we bettor reduce !
speed?”
“No, not yet; I am counting on open
water, and would rather chance strik- j
ing a stray than risk being overhauled
by a British cruiser. The sun will !
split this mist before noon, and mean
while we must make all the northing
possible.”
I heard his “aye, aye, sir,” ns I
crossed to the port rail. I had reached
a point nearly opposite the broken
stump of the foremast when I was sud
denly confronted by two blurred fig
ures emerging noiselessly from the
deeper shadow cast by a quarter boat
swinging In davits. The fellows must
have known who I was, and the path
of my approach; no doubt had been
close enough aft to overhear my con
versation with Leayord. At. least they
were on me before l truly realized
their near presence—the one gripping
the arm I flung up in startled defense;
the other driving his list straight into
my face, a sledge-hammer blow which
sent me crashing hack full length on
the deck. Stunned, dazed as I was by
this vicious attack, I made an Instant’s
struggle, but was quickly crushed back,
a merciless hand gripping my throat.
Almost at the same moment the revol
ver was removed from my pocket, the
cold muzzle thrust against my cheek.
“Lie still, d-you!” muttered n
tense voice, and I knew the speaker
for Jim White, “or I'll blow the whole
top o’ yer head off.”
I retained sense enough to obey.
White’s knee pinning me to the deck,
but some sound of my fall must hove
carried aft, for Leayord sang out.
through the fog:
“Forward there! What’s' all that
racket about ?”
White's fingers choked me Into help
less silence, his knee crunching hard
into my breast. It was Liverpool lied
who answered sullenly:
“I knocked over a capstan bar, sir;
never saw it in the bloomin’ fog."
Leayord growled something, the
words failing to carry to us against the
wind, but a moment later, satisfied that
no further investigation was to he
made, Liverpool thrust White aside
and lifted me to my feet, his eyes
glaring into mine.
"One whimper from you, an’ yer
overboard," he muttered hoarsely,
“Take it from me we know what we’re
about. Come on now, an’ don't attempt
nuthin’. There’s nobody forord here
ter give yer a hand. Take him by the
collar, Jim.”
With White’s hand gripping me, and
my own revolver at my lieud, any at
tempt to break away would have been
simply suicide. The thick fog hid the
scene from those on watch aft, and
that the two men were reckless and
desperate, their plans well laid, was
evident. The gray light revealed their
faces, and there was no mercy in the
scowling eyes.
"Forward yer go, sir!" growled
White, Ids lingers twisted in the Jacket
collar. T'lf's Tittle more j-er’l hav' ter
say aboard this hooker.”
"What do you propose doing? This
is mutiny, men.”
“Then it’ll have to he mutiny. It’s
war, an’ we’re Englishmen; this ship's
loaded with war stuffs, bound fer Ger
many. That sort o’ talk means nuthin’
—so come on, and stow that gaff.”
They forced me around the hulk of
the windlass to the head of the fore
castle steps, slid back the door in its
grooves and thrust me staggering down
Into the murky depths below. A slush
light, swinging to a blackened beam in
the deck above, cast a ghastly yellow
ish glare over the interior, revealing
to me at least two-thirds of the crew,
clustered about, evidently awaiting
softie such event. White held to my
collar, but Liverpool closed the en
trance, shutting out even thut faint
breath of pure air, before speuking a
word.
"Well, we’ve got the main guy, lads,
an’ no shindy,” he said cheerfully, “an’
a gun came with him. Now a few o’ us
will see if we can persuade the first
mate into taking a trip forward.”
“Where’s Billy Olson?” asked a
voice.
“Oh, he's asleep below; there’s plen
ty o’ time to attend to him, an’ we'll
let the engine-room gang alone till we
get control o ’the deck. Simms, you
an’ Harris better come along with Jim
an’ me on this job. Leayord Is a husky
buck, an’ we might not get him foul
like we caught Hollis here. We don’t
want to hurt nobody unless we have
to. Where’s the nigger Watson?”
“Right hyar, sah.”
“Come on, then; it’s your trick at
the wheel in five minutes; the rest o’
you fellers know yer business.”
The five men slipped out cautiously,
sliding the door shut behind them, and
I stared about into the faces of those
left with me, still dazed by the rough
handling to which I had been subject
ed, yet fully aroused to the fact that
the attack upon me hud come from no
sudden impulse, hut was the first step
in a carefully formed plan to gain pos
session of the ship. My duty was to
warn the men aft of the approaching
danger. How should I act? _ In a
vague way I knew most of the faces of
those grouped about me, but I could
recall only a few names. They were a
rough lot, typical foremast hands,
many of pronounced foreign appear
ance, yet there was nothing especially
vicious about them. Ordinarily they
would obey orders without a complaint,
but now they were evidently under full
control of their leaders; yet the ex
pression of their faces bespoke curi
osity rather than hatred. Determined
to test them I straightened up and
placed a foot on the lower step.
“None o’ that now," a voice growled
as a hand gripped my arm, “Youdon’t?
want ter git hurt none, do yer?”
I faced the speaker, a big, two-fisted
giant with a red face and a slow drawl
in his voice.
“You mean to hold me here?"
“Sure; we’ve gone too fur on this
Job now fer to back down. Tliar’d be
a row ov a time if we turned you
loose.”
“You’re an Irishman?”
“ ’Twould be hard for a Dugan to
deny that, sor."
“Well, Dugan, look here—yon and
your mates. You are sailorinen. and
know the rules of the sea. This is
mutiny, and n mighty serious affair to
be caught in, lads.”
“We're not lookin’ at it that way,
Mr. Hollis. We shipped fer a peaceful
voyage, not to run no cargo o’ contra
band for the Dutch. This yero In
dian Chief is chock-full o’ munitions
o’ war—ain’t that the truth, sor?”
“Yes,” I admitted, “but shipired be
fore war was declared. The sick man
hack there in the cabin has his whole
fortune in this venture.”
“Devil take him on’ his fortune.
The point is we’re not Dutchmen, an’
in wartimes It’s no mutiny fer a crew
to capture an iniiny’s ship.”
“Who told you that?"
“Never mind who told us; it’s the
truth, ain’t it?” %
“Under some circumstances it might
be,” I said, easting ray eyes about the
ring of faces. “Hut the present con
ditions do not Justify any such action.
Now look here, Dugan; you fellows
are in a mighty had boat in this mat
tar. You’re merchant seamen; you’ve
signed on for a peaceful voyage, and it
is no business of yours what's below
hatch's. That’s for the warships to
find out. The Indian Chief is unde f ‘
American register. She’s a n«• ^trul I
bout, and your act is mutlnv on (|ie !
high sens. You know whrtt *Umt wm
mean to you and ,v;,ur mates, don’t
you. if you’re evt-r caught?”
_“Who say4 that?"
(Continued Next Week.) 1
i Military Training Necessary for Safety
and Defense.
"Say, Unde Dan,” said Billie, "Jim
mie ami I Lave been looking up about
war In the encyclopedia at school. We
found that In the war betweeu Ger
many and France in 1870-71, Gennuny
lost in killed and wounded 28.000 sol
diers while France lost about alx times
as many, and besides that, she lost
every battle. We asked Professor Slo
cum why this was. He said that the
German army was highly trained and
ably commanded, while the French
soldiers were poorly trained; and that
their war department was honey
combed with Jealousy and politics;
that the officers were not much good,
and thnl’s why France lost the war
und so many men. What do you think
about It, Uncle Dan 7”
“Well,” said Uncle Dan, “Professor
Slocum Is right. By Inefficiency France
lost that war, together with two of
her best provinces—Alsace and Lor
l rutne—and had to pay a billion dol
! lars Indemnity money. France today
learned her lesson by that sad expe
| rience, so she put in universal rallitury
i truining, and as a result, her soldiers
1 now know how to fight and how to
protect themselves. They are losing
less men In the war than the Germans.
France also put politics out of her wai*
department, so that expert authority,
Instead of bureaucratic stupidity, now
directs the army. The result Is..
France has one of the best and most
efficient armies every assembled, unit
this shows what thorough training and:
good leadership means In warfare..
This saved France In this crisis, a*
well as the liberties of the world."
“As war Is now conducted, there Is
no place for an untrained man. A
body of 10,000 well trained soldiers
properly bundled could defeat five
times their number of raw recruits ami
do It every time with comparatively
small loss to themselves. Proper train
ing alone will reduce the death and
casualty rate one-third of what It oth
erwise would be, and right here ie an
unanswerable argument for universal
military training.
“Our government has no moral right
to force her men Into war service
without properly training tbcin for It.
To do so Is simply murder, hence the
frantic effort that Is now being made
to give her soldiers some training be
fore they are sent to the front. If we
are to win this war. It will take trained
men to do it, and It will take trained
j men to win any other war that may
I come upou us In the future. If we
must fight, let us fight to win and not
to lose.”
“That’s the stuff,” said Billie.
Continuing, Uncle Dan said: "Our
government has expended about
000,000 to put up cantonments and
training stations in order to train the
men called J>y the selective draft.
When these men ute trained the train
ing stations should be Immediately
filled with younger men, say those In
their nineteenth year, to receive six
months of Intensive military train
ing along the lines of the Chamberlain
bill. This will be of immeasurable
benefit to them individually. It wtU
do them more good than any other tw>
years of their whole life; It will make
them strong, manly, self-reliant, quick
to see und quick to act; It will equip
them for a suc<*>ssful life. In short,
it will rebuild American manhood and
will ulso give the government a body
of trained men to draw from In eas»
It is necessary to defend our flag and
country. We must settle this question
of universal military training liuin^.
diately, otherwise these training ca
may be demolished. The adopt'^q 0f
universal military training wi!J |,e DO_
ties to the world that froir^ on
we will he prepared to /fcfend our
selves promptly and efficiently, ami
this will do more to f.eep Us out of
war In the future anything else
we could do.”
“Ho you brotlter ” Mid Mr*,
rirnhiim, “thytt there will ever he an
other WHl/f”
“I Vihve no doubt about It,” saM
t'nv-ie Pan. "So long as men are
selfish, so tong as nations are ambi
tious to acquire territory, bo long hw
population presses and demands more
room, so long as there remains a
scramble for world trade—so long wars:
will be. When the time comes that
wo reach the high plane for which we
hope and dream, when all will recog
nize the fatherhood of Pod and t.he
brotherhood of man. then, and then
only, will wars cease. When that day
comes doors will need no locks, bank'-,
will need no vaults to protect tieyt
treasurcs, but that day is a long
olT.
“The only safe and sane p"^,n is tu>
be able to defend ourseP^g Hj(
times. Therefore, every c\t'uea should
lusist time st‘uiUiH'8 coii^ri'isuiPii
shall provide for traversal military
training, so that t"'yr again shall the
country bo caught so completely un
ready as this war found us. For
tunately, in this case, our enemy haw
been held, pack, so we have had a few
mouth ^ in which to prepare. This ud
v;u.age probably will never come
attain. It is however our salvation
today.
"Jieeause she was ready, Switzerland
Is an Island of p<vre tu a sea of
war. Safety first is good, but safety
always Is better, in strength there is
safety. You never saw a tin can
tied to the tail of • bulldog. Thors
Is a reason,” i