It might be that his mind was too taken up with the weird influences of

the hour, or that Elsie's senses were strung to a superhuman pitch. Be

that as it may, it was she who sprang to her feet all a-quiver with

agitation.

"Do you hear?" she whispered, and her hand clutched Gray's shoulder

with an energy which set his heart beating high. He did not answer.

He had heard no unusual sound, but he was not without faith in her.

"There!" she panted again. "Some one is hailing. Some one cried

'Elsie.' I am sure of it."

"Guess you'd better toot 'Arthur' on the off chance," said Gray.

Almost the last thing she remembered was the sound of her own wild

scream. There came back to her a stronger shout, and the bark of a

dog. She had a blurred consciousness of a whole troupe of men

scrambling down the choked ravine, of glad questions and joyous

answers, of a delirious dog leaping on board and yelping staccato

assurances that everything was all right in a most wonderful world.

Then she found herself in Courtenay's arms, and heard him say in a

rapture of delight: "I owe my life to you, dear heart. That is the wonder of it. No need

to tell me you ran away from the ship. I know. One kiss, Elsie; then

full speed ahead for the Kansas. By the Lord, to think of it! You

here! At the very gate of the Inferno! Well, one more kiss! Yes, it

is I, none other, and fit as a fiddle. Never got a scratch. There,

now; I really must see to the crew. We must be ready for the turn of

the tide."




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