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swooping； invisible monster that pursued them。
Carroll and Mina Heinzman had a good time。 They liked each other
very much； and always saw a great deal to laugh at in the things
about them and in the subjects about which they talked。 When；
however； they turned toward home； they were forced silent by the
mighty power of the wind against them。 The tears ran from their
eyes as though they were crying； they had to lower their heads。
Hardly could Carroll command vision clear enough to see the road
along which she was driving。 This was really unnecessary； for
Prince was buffeted to a walk。 Thus they crawled along until they
reached the turn…bridge； where the right…angled change in direction
gave them relief。 The river was full of choppy waves； considerable
in size。 As they crossed； the SPRITE darted beneath them； lowering
her smokestack as she went under the bridge。
They entered Main Street； where was a great banging and clanging of
swinging signs and a few loose shutters。 All the sidewalk displays
of vegetables and other goods had been taken in； and the doors；
customarily wide open； were now shut fast。 This alone lent to the
street quite a deserted air； which was emphasised by the fact that
actually not a rig of any sort stood at the curbs。 Up the empty
roadway whirled one after the other clouds of dust hurried by the
wind。
〃I wonder where all the farmers' wagons are？〃 marvelled the
practical Mina。 〃Surely they would not stay home Saturday afternoon
just for this wind！〃
Opposite Randall's hardware store her curiosity quite mastered her。
〃Do stop！〃 she urged Carroll。 〃I want to run in and see what's the
matter。〃
She was gone but a moment； and returned； her eyes shining with
excitement。
〃Oh； Carroll！〃 she cried； 〃there are three vessels gone ashore off
the piers。 Everybody's gone to see。〃
〃Jump in！〃 said Carroll。 〃We'll drive out。 Perhaps they'll get out
the life…saving crew。〃
They drove up the plank road over the sand…hill； through the beech
woods； to the bluff above the shore。 In the woods they were
somewhat sheltered from the wind； although even there the crash of
falling branches and the whirl of twigs and dead leaves advertised
that the powers of the air were abroad； but when they topped the
last rise； the unobstructed blast from the open Lake hit them square
between the eyes。
Probably a hundred vehicles of all descriptions were hitched to
trees just within the fringe of woods。 Carroll； however； drove
straight ahead until Prince stood at the top of the plank road that
led down to the bath houses。 Here she pulled up。
Carroll saw the lake； slate blue and angry； with white…capped
billows to the limit of vision。 Along the shore were rows and rows
of breakers； leaping； breaking； and gathering again； until they were
lost in a tumble of white foam that rushed and receded on the sands。
These did not look to be very large until she noticed the twin piers
reaching out from the river's mouth。 Each billow； as it came in；
rose sullenly above them； broke tempestuously to overwhelm the
entire structure of their ends； and ripped inshore along their
lengths； the crest submerging as it ran every foot of the massive
structures。 The piers and the light…houses at their ends looked
like little toys； and the compact black crowd of people on the shore
below were as small as Bobby's tin soldiers。
〃Look thereout farther！〃 pointed Mina。
Carroll looked； and rose to her feet in excitement
Three little toy shipsor so they seemed compared to the mountains
of waterlay broadside…to； just inside the farthest line of
breakers。 Two were sailing schooners。 These had been thrown on
their beam ends； their masts pointing at an angle toward the beach。
Each wave； as it reached； stirred them a trifle； then broke in a
deluge of water that for a moment covered their hulls completely
from sight。 With a mighty suction the billow drained away； carrying
with it wreckage。 The third vessel was a steam barge。 She； too；
was broadside to the seas； but had caught in some hole in the bar so
that she lay far down by the head。 The shoreward side of her upper
works had； for some freakish reason； given away first； so now the
interior of her staterooms and saloons was exposed to view as in the
cross…section of a model ship。 Over her； too； the great waves
hurled themselves； each carrying away its spoil。 To Carroll it
seemed fantastically as though the barge were made of sugar； and
that each sea melted her precisely as Bobby loved to melt the lump
in his chocolate by raising and lowering it in a spoon。
And the queer part of it all was that these waves； so mighty in
their effects； appeared to the woman no different from those she had
often watched in the light summer blows that for a few hours raise
the 〃white caps〃 on the lake。 They came in from the open in the
same swift yet deliberate ranks； they gathered with the same
leisurely pauses； they broke with the same rush and roar。 They
seemed no larger； but everything else had been struck smallthe
tiny ships； the toy piers； the ant…like swarm of people on the
shore。 She looked on it as a spectacle。 It had as yet no human
significance。
〃Poor fellows！〃 cried Mina。
〃What？〃 asked Carroll。
〃Don't you see them？〃 queried the other。
Carroll looked； and in the rigging of the schooner she made out a
number of black objects。
〃Are those men？up the masts？〃 she cried。
She set Prince in motion toward the beach。
At the foot of the bluff the plank road ran out into the deep sand。
Through this the phaeton made its way heavily。 The fine particles
were blown in the air like a spray； mingling with the spume from the
lake； stinging Carroll's face like so many needles。 Already the
beach was strewn with pieces of wreckage； some of it cast high above
the wash； others still thrown up and sucked back by each wave；
others again rising and falling in the billows。 This wreckage
constituted a miscellaneous jumble； although most of it was lumber
from the deck…loads of the vessels。 Intermingled with the split and
broken yellow boards were bits of carving and of painted wood。
Carroll saw one piece half buried in the sand which bore in gilt two
huge letters； A R。 A little farther； bent and twisted； projected
the ornamental spear which had pointed the way before the steamer's
bow。 Portions of the usual miscellaneous freight cargo carried on
every voyage were scattered along the shoreboxes； barrels； and
crates。 Five or six men had rolled a whisky barrel beyond the reach
of the water； had broached it； and now were drinking in turn from a
broken and dingy fragment of a beer…schooner。 They were very dirty；
their hair had fallen over their eyes； which were bloodshot； the
expression of their faces was imbecile。 As the phaeton passed； they
hailed its occupants in thick voices； shouting against the wind
maudlin invitations to drink。
The crowd gathered at the pier comprised fully half the population
of Monrovia。 It centred about the life saving crew； whose mortar
was being loaded。 A stove…in lifeboat mutely attested the failure
of other efforts。 The men worked busily； ramming home the powder
sack； placing the projectile with the light line attached； attending
that the reel ran freely。 Their chief watched the seas and winds
through his glasses。 When the preparations were finished； he
adjusted the mortar； and pulled the string。 Carroll had seen this
done in practice。 Now； with the recollection of that experience in
mind； she was astonished at the feeble report of the piece； and its
freedom from the dense white clouds of smoke that should have
enveloped it。 The wind snatched both noise and vapour away almost
as soon as they were born。 The dart with its trailer of line rose
on a long graceful curve。 The reel sang。 Every member of the crowd
unconsciously leaned forward in attention。 But the resistance of
the wind and the line early made itself felt。 Slower and slower
hummed the reel。 There came a time when the missile seemed to
hesitate； then fairly to stand in equilibrium。 Finally； in an
increasingly abrupt curve； it descended into the sea。 By a good
three hundred yards the shot had failed to carry the line over the
vessels。
〃There's Mr。 Bradford；〃 said Carroll； waving her hand。 〃I wish he'd
come and tell us something about it。〃
The banjo…playing village Brummell saw the signal and came； his face
grave。
〃Couldn't they get the lifeboats out to them？〃 asked Carroll as he
approached。
〃You see that one；〃 said Bradford； pointing。 〃Well； the other's in
kindling wood farther up the beach。〃
〃Anybody drowned？〃 asked Mina quickly。
〃No； we got 'em out。 Mr。 Cam's shoulder is broken。〃 He glanced