Nedra

by George Barr McCutcheon

  CHAPTER XV

  THE WRECK OF THE "TEMPEST QUEEN"

  "What's wrong?" asked Veath, alarmed by the agitation of the twosoldiers.

  "Captain Shadburn estimates that we are two hundred miles out of ourcourse, away to the south. It's impossible to get our bearings withoutthe sun, and the Lord only knows where we're running to," said Hamilton,holding to the door casing.

  Hugh and Lady Huntingford had joined the others by this time and werelistening with blanched faces to the men in uniform.

  "It's as black as ink outside," said little Lieutenant Gregory,shivering in a manner most unbecoming in a soldier. "As long as theycan keep the boat out of the trough we'll ride the waves safely, but thedeuced danger lies in the reefs and little islands. We may be dashinginto one of them at this minute."

  "You're a cheerful hero," cried Hugh indignantly. "What's the use ofimagining a thing like that? It's time enough to think about it when westrike the reef; and, besides, it can't help us any to cry. We can'tleave the ship for a walk back to dry land. We're here to see the thingto the end, no matter where it is, and I don't believe in howling beforewe're hurt."

  "That's right," agreed Veath. "Possibly we're out of the course. Thathappens in every storm that comes up at sea."

  "But there are hundreds of reefs here that are not even on the chart,"cried Gregory.

  "Well, there have been thousands of ships to escape them all, I fancy,"said Ridgeway boldly. The two women were speechless.

  "And there have been thousands of storms, too," added Veath, a sort ofwild exultation ringing in his voice, plain to Grace if not tothe others.

  "Do not try to deceive us, gentlemen," wavered Lady Tennys. "We can be agreat deal braver if we know the real situation. I know you are makinglight of this dreadful storm out of consideration for Miss Ridge andmyself, but don't you think it would be better if we were told theworst? Women are not always the greater cowards."

  "Yes, Hugh, we should know the worst," said Grace firmly. "The ship isrolling frightfully, and Lieutenant Hamilton has said enough to assureus that Captain Shadburn is alarmed, even apprehensive."

  "Perhaps I am too much of an optimist, but I stick to my statement thatwhile we are in some danger--any fool can see that--we are by no meanslost," said Hugh, looking at Gregory when he used the word fool.

  "As long as the engine and steering apparatus hold together the crew ofthe ship can pull her through," said Veath. "I have the utmostconfidence in the boat and the men."

  "But all the men on the ocean cannot keep her from striking an unseenrock, nor could any ship withstand such a shock," argued the youngEnglishwoman bravely.

  "That's right, Lady Tennys," quickly cried Hamilton. "I don't say theship will get the worst of a straight fight against the sea, but wewon't stand the ghost of a chance if we strike a reef."

  "The best thing we all can do is to find some place where there is notquite so much danger of having our brains dashed out against thesewalls. It's getting so that I can't keep my feet much longer. This is notime to be taking chances of a broken leg, or an arm or a neck, perhaps.We'll need them all if we have to swim to Hong Kong."

  Despite his attempted jocularity, Ridgeway was sorely troubled. Commonsense told him that they were now in a most perilous position. The deadreckoning of the captain and his chartmaster, while able to determinewith a certain degree of accuracy the locality in which the ship wasbeating, could not possibly account for the exact position of thoselittle islands. He began to think of the life preservers. A feeble smilecame to the ladies when he spoke of swimming to Hong Kong, but the men,Veath included, looked serious.

  "I think it would be wise if we make every preparation to leave theship, awful as the prospect may seem. My judgment is that we shouldtake time by the forelock. It will be too late after the crash comes."Veath said this solemnly, and a deeper sense of realization came to allof them. Strange to say, it inspired energy and calmness rather thanweakness and panic.

  "The life preservers, you mean?" almost whispered Grace. A fearful lurchof the boat caused the whole party to cling desperately to the supports.Before he could answer a ship's officer came scudding down below.

  "Captain Shadburn says that every one is to prepare for the worst. Thepropeller's smashed and we can't live in this sea. Be quick!" cried thepale-faced sailor, hurrying onward. In an inconceivably short space oftime the passages and saloons were crowded with rushing passengers.Pandemonium prevailed. Women were shrieking, men yelling and praying.Cooler heads were utterly powerless to subdue the crazy disorder.Ridgeway and Veath hurried the two women to their staterooms, plungingalong, almost falling with the savage rolling of the boat.

  "For God's sake, hurry!" called Hamilton from afar. "We are turning intothe trough."

  How our friends got into the cumbersome preservers and preparedthemselves for the end they could never have told. Everything seemed ablank, the whole world whirled, all the noises in the universe rolled intheir ears. Then they were stumbling, rolling, tearing toward the upperdeck, hardly knowing whither they went or how they progressed. Before,behind, beside them were yelling, maddened men and women, rushingupward ruthlessly into the very waves of the ocean, all to be lost.

  On the steps Hugh and Grace, who were together in advance of Veath andLady Tennys, encountered the latter's husband. Pie had fallen, and wasgrovelling, cursing, screaming, praying on the steps. Hugh pulled him tohis feet. With a mad yell he fled onward and upward. At the top he waschecked by the sailors, who were vainly trying to keep the people back.He struggled past them and on toward the open deck. An officer caughthim and held him firmly until Hugh, Veath, and the two tremblingwomen came up.

  "Get back, all of you!" yelled Shadburn. "You can't come out here. Everysailor on deck has been washed overboard!"

  "Don't let us sink! Don't let us sink! For God's sake!" shrieked LordHuntingford. Then he saw his wife. "Save me, Tennys; we are lost! Weare lost!"

  A great wave swept over the deck, washing all of them back into thecompanionway, half drowned.

  "Is there any hope, Mr. Frayne?" yelled Hugh to the second officer,holding himself and his half-dead sweetheart against the leaping ofthe boat.

  "One chance in a million! Stay back there and we'll try the boats. Godknows they can't live in this sea, but they're the only hope. We'll turnclear over with the next big wave. Stay back!" he yelled. "We are tryingto get the boats ready. Stay back!"

  Hugh and Grace from where they clung could see the great blackmountains of water rushing upon them, each wave a most terrifyingspectacle. Then again the whole dark, seething ocean seemed to be belowthem and they were flying to the clouds. The breath of relief diedinstantly, for again the helpless ship sank into the trough and thefoaming mountains towered about her. Grace hid her eyes and screamedwith terror. Those huge murderous waves already had swept many from theship. A score of sailors and as many courageous soldiers were in thechurn of the merciless waters.

  Crash! A horrid grating sound, splintering! Then the instantaneousshock, the awful, stunning force of a frightful blow and a shipful ofhuman beings were flung violently in all directions, many never to riseagain. The _Tempest Queen_ had struck! The last chance was gone!

  "My God!" groaned the captain. "It's all over!" Then he roared: "Allhands! All hands! Stations! To the boats! Stand back there!Women first!"

  Ridgeway, dimly realizing that the end had come, staggered to his feetand instinctively reached for the body of the woman who lay before him.He did not know that she was conscious, nor did he know whether the shipwas afloat or sinking. A gigantic wave swept over her, tons of waterpouring in upon them. Blankly he dragged her to the opening which led tothe watery deck, clinging to a railing with all his might. He wasgasping for breath, his life almost crushed out of his body. Itrequired all his strength to drag the limp form safely away from thepassage, through which now poured their crazed companions, rushingheadlong into the sea.

  "In the name of God what shall we do?" he heard a hoarse voice shou
t inhis ear. It was Veath, also burdened with the helpless form of a woman.

  "It is death here and death there. I am going to trust to the lifepreservers," gasped Ridgeway, as another wave struck. The constantcrackling and crashing told him that the Tempest Queen was beingground to pieces on the rock and that she had but a few minutes to live.

  "Wait, Hugh, we may get off in a boat," cried the other, but he was notheard. Hugh was in the sea!

  Just as Veath began his anguished remonstrance the ship gave atremendous lurch, an overpowering wave hurled itself upon the frailshell and Hugh Ridgeway's frenzied grasp on the rail was broken. When hesaw that he was going, he threw both arms about the girl he had broughtto this awful fate, and, murmuring a prayer, whirled away with thewaters over the battered deck-house and into the black depths.

  They shot downward into the sea and then came to the hideous surface,more dead than alive. His one thought was that nobody in the world wouldever know what had become of Hugh Ridgeway and Grace Vernon.