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A moment later he joined his daughter and their guests to report the meager

information he had.

How exciting," exclaimed Barbara Harding. "Of course it's not a real shipwreck,

but maybe it's the next thing to it. The poor souls may have been drifting about

here in the center of the Pacific without food or water for goodness knows how

many weeks, and now just think how they must be lifting their voices in thanks

to God for his infinite mercy in guiding us to them."

"If they've been drifting for any considerable number of weeks without food or

water," hazarded Billy Mallory, "about the only things they'll need'll be what we

didn't have the foresight to bring along--an undertaker and a preacher."

Don't be horrid, Billy," returned Miss Harding. "You know perfectly well that I

didn't mean weeks--I meant days; and anyway they'll be grateful to us for what

we can do for them. I can scarcely wait to hear their story."

Billy Mallory was inspecting the stranger through Mr. Harding's glass. Suddenly

he gave an exclamation of dismay.

"By George!" he cried. "It is serious after all. That ship's afire. Look, Mr. Harding,"

and he passed the glass over to his host.

And sure enough, as the owner of the Lotus found the brigantine again in the

center of his lens he saw a thin column of black smoke rising amidships; but

what he did not see was Mr. Ward upon the opposite side of the Halfmoon's cabin

superintending the burning by the black cook of a bundle of oily rags in an iron

boiler.

"By Jove!" exclaimed Mr. Harding. "This is terrible. The poor devils are panic-

stricken. Look at 'em making for the boats!" and with that he dashed back to the

bridge to confer with his captain.

"Yes," said that officer, "I noticed the smoke about the same time you did--funny

it wasn't apparent before. I've already signaled full speed ahead, and I've

instructed Mr. Foster to have the boats in readiness to lower away if we find that

they're short of boats on the brigantine.

What I can't understand," he added after a moment's silence, "is why they didn't

show any signs of excitement about that fire until we came within easy sight of

them--it looks funny."

"Well, we'll know in a few minutes more," returned Mr. Harding. "The chances are

that the fire is just a recent addition to their predicament, whatever it may be,

and that they have only just discovered it themselves."

The Mucker