Part 22 (1/2)

”Oh, what a pretty sight!” exclaimed the voice of Miss Dixon, as she emerged from a companionway with her chum, Miss Pennington. ”Isn't it romantic--stopping to speak to a steamer at sea?”

”Delightful,” agreed Miss Pennington. ”I wonder if the captain of the steamer will ask us to tea? It's a British vessel, and Englishmen are so fond of tea.”

”Yes, and they are so romantic and good-looking,” agreed Miss Dixon.

”But perhaps this is only for moving pictures.”

”Oh, pshaw! Perhaps it is!” sighed her companion, and the two of them, who had been taking surrept.i.tious glances in mirrors, enclosed in the flaps of their bags, ceased ”primping,” until they could be sure whether or not there was any object in it.

”What's it all about?” asked Miss Dixon again.

”Oh, they're going to take one of our men, I believe,” said Pop Snooks, the property ”angel,” as the ladies often called him.

”Oh dear! What are they? Pirates?” gasped Miss Pennington.

”No, it's Jack Jepson they're after. Some old charge, I believe.”

”Ha! I knew something would happen on this voyage!” exclaimed Mr. Pepper Sneed. ”I felt it in my bones all along.”

”Good thing you're not disappointed,” murmured Alice.

”Oh dear!” sighed her sister. ”It's too bad. And I liked Jack so.”

”So did I,” returned Alice. ”But they're a long while sending that boat.”

It did seem so, for there were no signs yet, of one being lowered over the side, though Captain Brisco, after the command to lay to, had ordered his accommodation ladder lowered to receive the visitors.

Then came another hail from the steamer.

”_Mary Ellen_ ahoy!”

”Aye, aye!”

”We won't send a boat right away. A hurricane is sweeping up fast, and this is a bad locality in which to be caught,” called one of the steamer's officers through a megaphone. ”We'll have to get out of here, and so had you better. There's no sea-room here. We'll pick you up later, and don't forget you are in English waters, and subject to our orders. We're going to have that man!”

”Well, if you put it that way, of course I'll have to give in,” said Captain Brisco. ”I'll wait for you after the blow.”

”Well, that's a respite, anyhow, but not a very pleasant one,” said Alice.

”No,” agreed Jack Jepson, who breathed easier now. ”We're in for a bad storm, I reckon. We'll have to make everything snug.”

”Attention!” once more came the hail from the steamer, and when Captain Brisco answered, he was ordered to follow a certain course by compa.s.s, as being safest.

”Then I can pick you up!” the steamer captain cried as the propellers began to churn the water. The British vessel swept away, leaving Jack Jepson still on the schooner, but under threat of arrest.

Then the forerunner of the storm came, filling the sails of the _Mary Ellen_, and heeling her over until the lee scuppers were awash.

”Make everything snug!” cried Captain Brisco. ”It's coming on to blow great guns!”