Part 21 (1/2)

With Jane Porter's illness one misfortune after another seeine broke down, and they drifted for two days while te made Then a squall struck the above deck that was portable Later two of the sea in the forecastle, with the result that one of them was badly wounded with a knife, and the other had to be put in irons Then, to cap the cliht, and was drowned before help could reach hin of the man was seen after he disappeared frouests was gloomy and depressed after these series of misfortunes All were apprehensive of worse to come, and this was especially true of the seas that had occurred during the early part of the voyage, and which they could now clearly translate into the precursors of soedy to co to wait The second night after the drowning of the mate the little yacht was suddenly wracked fro there was a terrific iuests and crew froh the frail craft; she lay far over to starboard; the engines stopped For a le of forty-five degrees--then, with a sullen, rending sound, she slipped back into the sea and righted

Instantly the men rushed upon deck, followed closely by the woht was cloudy, there was little wind or sea, nor was it so dark but that just off the port bow a blacklow in the water

”A derelict,” was the terse explanation of the officer of the watch

Presently the engineer hurried on deck in search of the captain

”That patch we put on the cylinder head's blown out, sir,” he reported, ”and she's makin' water fast for'ard on the port bow”

An instant later a seaman rushed up from below

”My Gawd!” he cried ”Her whole bleedin' bottom's ripped out She can't float twenty o below and get soether It may not be so bad as that, but we may have to take to the boats It will be safer to be prepared Go at once, please

And, Captain Jerrold, send some competent e In the est that you have the boats provisioned”

The calm, low voice of the owner did much to reassure the entire party, and a ested

By the ti of the boats had been about coone below had returned to report But his opinion was scarcely needed to assure the huddled group of men and women that the end of the LADY ALICE was at hand

”Well, sir?” said the captain, as his officer hesitated

”I dislike to frighten the ladies, sir,” he said, ”but she can't float a dozen minutes, in my opinion There's a hole in her you could drive a bally cow through, sir”

For fiverapidly by the bow

Already her stern looh in the air, and foothold on the deck was of the most precarious nature She carried four boats, and these were all filled and lowered away in safety As they pulled rapidly from the stricken little vessel Jane Porter turned to have one last look at her

Just then there ca from the heart of the shi+p--herits way toward the bow, tearing out partitions and bulkheads as it went--the stern rose rapidly high above them; for afrom the bosom of the ocean, and then swiftly she dove headforemost beneath the waves

In one of the boats the brave Lord Tennington wiped a tear froo down forever into the sea, but a dear, beautiful friend whoht broke, and a tropical sun s water Jane Porter had dropped into a fitful sluht of the sun upon her upturned face awoke her She looked about her In the boat with her were three sailors, Clayton, and Monsieur Thuran Then she looked for the other boats, but as far as the eye could reach there was nothing to break the fearful monotony of that waste of waters--they were alone in a small boat upon the broad Atlantic

Chapter 14

Back to the Primitive

As Tarzan struck the water, his first ier from her propellers He knehom to thank for his present predicaentle rin that he had been so easily bested by Rokoff

He lay thus for sohts of the stea to him to call for help He never had called for help in his life, and so it is not strange that he did not think of it noays had he depended upon his own prowess and resourcefulness, nor had there ever been since the days of Kala any to answer an appeal for succor When it did occur to hiht Tarzan, a possible one chance in a hundred thousand that he ht be picked up, and an even smaller chance that he would reach land, so he deterht chances there were, he would swiht have been closer in than he had known

His strokes were long and easy--it would be iant uided toward the east by the stars, he noticed that he felt the weight of his shoes, and so he removed them His trousers went next, and he would have removed his coat at the same time but for the precious papers in its pocket To assure himself that he still had them he slipped his hand in to feel, but to his consternation they were gone