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And the SPRITE； too； appeared to be； not a fabric and a mechanism
controlled by men； but a sentient creature struggling gallantly on
her own volition。
Far out in the lake against the tumbling horizon she saw heave up
for a second the shoulder of a mighty wave。 And instinctively she
perceived this wave as a deadly enemy of the little tug； and saw it
bending all its great energies to hurrying in on time to catch the
victim before it could escape。 To this wave she gave all her
attention； watching for it after it had sunk momentarily below its
fellows； recognising it instantly as it rose again。 The spasms of
dismay and relief among the crowd about her she did not share at
all。 The crises they indicated did not exist for her。 Until the
wave came in； Carroll knew； the SPRITE； no matter how battered and
tossed； would be safe。 Her whole being was concentrated in a
continually shifting calculation of the respective distances between
the tug and the piers； the tug and the relentlessly advancing wave。
〃Oh； go！〃 she exhorted the SPRITE under her breath。
Then the crowd； too； caught with its slower perceptions the import
of the wave。 Carroll felt the electric thrill of apprehension
shiver through it。 Huge and towering； green and flecked with foam
the wave came on now calmly and deliberately as though sure。 The
SPRITE was off the end of the pier when the wave lifted her； just in
the position her enemy would have selected to crush her life out
against the cribs。 Slowly the tug rose against its shoulder； was
lifted onward； poised； and then with a swift forward thrust the wave
broke； smothering the pier and lighthouse beneath tons of water。
A low； agonised wail broke from the crowd。 And thenand thenover
beyond the pier down which the wave； broken and spent but formidable
still； was ripping its way； they saw gliding a battered black stack
from which still poured defiantly clouds of gray smoke。
For ten seconds the spectators could not believe their eyes。 They
had distinctly seen the SPRITE caught between a resistless wall of
water and the pier； where she should have been crushed like the
proverbial egg…shell。 Yet there she wasor her ghost。
Then a great cheer rose up against the wind。 The crowd went crazy。
Mere acquaintances hugged each other and danced around and around
through the heavy sands。 Several women had hysterics。 The riverman
next to Mr。 Duncan opened his mouth and swore so picturesquely that；
as he afterward told his chum； 〃I must've been plumb inspired for
the occasion。〃 Yet it never entered Mr。 Duncan's ministerial headCAIRTjess a
little ne'vous。 All I
had to do was to feed her slabs and l
to reprove the blasphemy。 Orde jumped down from his half…buried log
and clapped his hat on his head。 Newmark did not alter his attitude
nor his expression。
The SPRITE was safe。 For the few moments before she glided the
length of the long pier to stiller water this fact sufficed。
〃I wonder if she got the line aboard；〃 speculated the tug…boat
captain at last。
The crowd surged over to the piers again。 Below them rose and fell
the SPRITE。 All the fancy scroll…work of her upper works； the
cornice of her deck house； the light rigging of her cabin had
disappeared； leaving raw and splintered wood to mark their
attachments。 The tall smokestack was bent awry； but its supports
had held； which was fortunate since otherwise the fires would have
been drowned out。 At the moment； Captain Marsh was bending over
examining a bad break in the overhangthe only material damage the
tug had sustained。
At sight of him the crowd set up a yell。 He paid no attention。 One
of the life…saving men tossed a mooring line ashore。 It was seized
by a dozen men。 Then for the first time somebody noticed that
although the tug had come to a standstill； her screw was still
turning slowly over and over； holding her against the erratic strong
jerking of a slender rope that ran through her stern chocks and into
the water。
〃He got it aboard！〃 yelled the man； pointing。
Another cheer broke out。 The life…saving crew leaped to the deck。
They were immediately followed by a crowd of enthusiasts eager to
congratulate and question。 But Captain Marsh would have none of
them。
〃Get off my tug！〃 he shouted。 〃Do you want to swamp her？ What do
you suppose we put that line aboard for？ Fun？ Get busy and use it！
Rescue that crew now！〃
Abashed； the enthusiasts scrambled back。 The life…saving crew took
charge。 It was necessary to pass the line around the end of the
pier and back to the beach。 This was a dangerous job； and one
requiring considerable power and ingenuity； for the strain on the
line imposed by the waters was terrific； and the breaking seas
rendered work on the piers extremely hazardous。 However； the life…
saving captain took charge confidently enough。 His crew began to
struggle out the pier； while volunteers； under his personal
direction； manipulated the reel。
A number of the curious lingered about the SPRITE。 Marsh and Orde
were in consultation over the smashed stern； and did not look as
though they cared to be disturbed。 Harvey leaned out his little
square door。
〃Don' know nuffin 'bout it；〃 said he； 〃'ceptin' she done rolled 'way
over 'bout foh times。 Yass she did； suh！ I know。 I felt her doin'
it。〃
〃No；〃 he answered a query。 〃I wasn't what you…all would call
scairt； that is； not really Sisten foh my bell。 You see；
Cap'n Ma'sh； he was in cha'ge。〃
〃No； sir；〃 Captain Marsh was saying emphatically to his employer。
〃I can't figure it out except on one thing。 You see it's stove from
UNDERNEATH。 A sea would have smashed it from above。〃
〃Perhaps you grounded in between seas out there；〃 suggested Orde。
Marsh smiled grimly。
〃I reckon I'd have known it；〃 said he。 〃No； sir！ It sounds wild；
but it's the only possible guess。 That last sea must've lifted us
bodily right over the corner of the pier。〃
〃Wellmaybe；〃 assented Orde doubtfully。
〃Sure thing；〃 repeated Marsh with conviction。
〃Well； you'd better not tell 'em so unless you want to rank in with
Old Man Ananias；〃 ended Orde。 〃It was a good job。 Pretty dusty out
there； wasn't it？〃
〃Pretty dusty；〃 grinned Marsh。
They turned away together and were at once pounced on by Leopold
Lincoln Bunn； the local reporter； a callow youth aflame with the
chance for a big story of more than local interest。
〃Oh； Captain Marsh！〃 he cried。 〃How did you get around the pier？
It looked as though the wave had you caught。〃
Orde glanced at his companion in curiosity。
〃On roller skates；〃 replied Marsh。
Leopold tittered nervously。
〃Could you tell me how you felt when you were out there in the worst
of it？〃 he inquired。
〃Oh； hell！〃 said Marsh grumpily； stalking away。
〃Don't i