All-Story Weekly, Vol. 112, No. 1 — page 115: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

GOOD _ REFERENCES.. bathing cap. He could see a flashing of wet arms; the sound of a familiar laugh came to him. A race seemed to be in progress. He ran up on the bridge for a better view and evidently the red cap sighted him, for there was an instant of slackened pace and the joyous wave of a white arm. And then she was again leaving a wake behind her as she sped in pursuit of the second: swimmer. Bill gritted his teeth and watched. They were. not returning to the yacht; rather, they were increasing their distance from it with every stroke. He stared until they passed from sight behind a big sloop that lay at anchoy, and then the harbor seemed to swallow them. Evidently they were again exploring the yacht anchor- age, which was crowded with craft. Bill slowly returned to the deck. “ They’ve been at it over an hour,”’ vol- unteered the second officer. ‘‘ Get the lady to dive for you when they come back, sir. She'll surprise you, if I don’t mistake.” Bill made no answer, but walked aft, where he plunged himself heavily into a wicker chair. Aunt Caroline had retired to her stateroom for a nap and he had Ee deck to himself. “Tl! not stand for it!” he muttered fiercely. ‘“‘ Last night they were sneaking off to town together and now: they’re making a holy show of themselves here. What does she think she can put over on me, any- how? As for Pete Stearns, I’ll drown him.” In fact, Bill for a time had been minded to get into his own bathing suit and pursue them, but his dignity intervened. No; if his secretary chose to run away with his valet, let her do so. What made it worse, she knew he was aboard; she had seen him; she had waved her arm at him. And then, deliberately, she had turned her back upon him. After half an hour of glooming he went to the rail again and once more searched the harbor with his glance. He saw no flashing arms; no red cap. ‘“‘T won’t stand much more of this,” he said, grimly. ‘I'll show them where they get off.” He went to his stateroom and mixed a drink, and after that he mixed another. Presently he returned to the deck, this time 105 with a pair of binoculars. The glasses showed him no more than he had been able to see without them. He fell to pacing, his hands clasped behind him, his glance di- rected at the canvas-covered deck beneath his feet. Napoleon could have done it no better; Lord Nelson would have been hard put to outdo him. The afternoon was as fair as the morning, but Bill took no account of its glory. He was wholly absorbed in plumbing the gloomy depths of his mind. “They think they’re putting it over on me,” he sneered. ‘ All right. Let ’em see what happens.” Once again he swept the glasses in a cir- cle of the harbor. No scarlet cap. He glanced at his watch. “Well, I’m through. Time’s up.” - Slipping the glasses into their case, he strode forward and banged on the door of the sailing master’s cabin. A sleepy-eyed. officer answered the summons. ‘* We're going to pull out of here at once,” said Bill. * Everybody aboard, sir?” ““ Everybody that’s going.” “Very good, sir. Which way are we heading?” “Tl! tell you when we get outside the harbor. I’m in a hurry.” The saiting master ducked back into his cabin, shouted an order through a speaking tube that communicated with the engine- room and then ran forward along the deck. A minute later the. winch was wheezing and the yacht Sunshine was bringing her mud- hook aboard. . Bill retired to his stateroom and poured another drink. — ee CHAPTER XVIII. CASTAWAYS. WO swimmers rested for breath at an anchorage buoy and smiled at each other. ‘“Where did you learn to swim, any- how?” demanded Pete Stearns. ‘“ You never said a word about it until this after- noon.”’ “YT don’t tell all I know,” said Mary, Conniclooolks.conn