Margaret Penrose

“ The shark swam close to the motor boat, and then with a threshing of the water, and by wild leaps and bounds, sought to free himself from the sharp hook. But it had gone in too deep.
"No, you don't, old chap," cried Jack, as he took hold of the slack of the line.
He regretted it the next instant, for the shark darted away with a speed that made the tough string cut deep into Jack's palm.
"Oh!" he murmured, as he sprang back from the rail.
"Better be careful!" warned Joe. "They're mighty strong."
"Oh, cut him loose!" urged Cora. "Do, Walter! We don't want him aboard here." ”

“ At the sound of it, the hermit was galvanized into life. He dropped what he had been eating, and slowly rose from his crouching attitude. Then he turned slowly, so as to face the group of intruders on his island fastness. He seemed to fear they would vanish, if he moved too suddenly—vanish as the figment of some dream.
"Poor fellow," murmured Cora. "Speak to him, Jack. Say something."
"I'm afraid of' frightening him more. Wait until he wakes up a bit."
"He does act like some one just disturbed from a sleep," spoke
Walter. "Maybe you girls—"
"Oh, we're not afraid," put in Bess, quickly. ”

“ She was silent a moment, as though trying to think of the most simple manner in which to tell her story.
"You said your father was a—a prisoner," hesitated Bess, gently.
"Did he—"
"He did nozing, Senorita!" burst out the girl. "He was thrown into a vile prison for what you call 'politics.' Yet in our country politics are not what zey are here—so open, with all ze papairs printing so much about zem. Spanish politics are more in ze dark—what you call under the hand."
She seemed uncertain whether she had used the right word.
"Underhanded—yes," encouraged Cora, with a smile. ”

“ We have been camping out, and no more ideal place for such a life can be found than a West Indian coral island in December."
She looked back amid the palms, among which grew in a tropical luxuriousness many beautiful blossoms, with birds of brilliant plumage flitting from flower to flower.
"And you look so well," commented Cora, for indeed, aside from traces of sunburn, the refugees were pictures of health.
"We are well," declared Mrs. Robinson. "But of course we have been terribly worried about you girls, and Jack, too. How are you, Jack?" ”

“ It was not until Cora and her mother lifted the girl, that they realized what a frail burden she was in their arms.
"She's only a girl, yet she has the face of a woman, and with traces of a woman's troubles," whispered Belle, as Cora and Mrs. Kimball, preceded by Janet to hold aside the draperies, left the room.
"Yes. And I wonder what she meant by speaking of her father and Sea Horse Island in the way she did?" spoke Bess. "It sounds almost like a mystery!" ”

“ Jack went on, eagerly. "It's worth trying, isn't it, Walter?"
"I should say so—yes, by all means! But what sort of a craft can we get to cruise in?"
"I just heard of one!" said Jack, eagerly. "The Tartar. She's a big motor boat, and will be just the thing for us. I'm going to see about it right away. Who's with me for a cruise in the Tartar?"
"I am!" came from Cora.
"We're not going to be left behind," said Bess.
"Count on me, of course," spoke Walter, quietly.
"And, Senor Jack—may—may I go?" faltered Inez. ”

“ In the craft, which was one of the lifeboats from the Ramona, were two sailors, nearly dead from exposure, and one from hurts received."
"How was he hurt?"' asked Jack.
"He was shot, Senor."
"Shot!"
"Yes, it appears there was mutiny aboard the Ramona, as well as the horrors of the storm and shipwreck."
"Mutiny!" murmured Cora, a look of horror in her eyes. "Poor, poor mother!"
"You had better hear the story directly from the sailors," suggested Captain Ponchero. "I will summon the unwounded one. You will find that more satisfactory." ”

“ It was now Thursday, just after lunch, and the girls were waiting at Cora's house to go down with her, or, rather one of them (to be decided later) to meet Jack and Walter. There was no need of a physician to help Jack home, though Dr. Blake promised his services when the sufferer should have been safely quartered in his own room.
"Isn't it good of Wally to come home with him?" ventured Belle, thoughtfully gazing at her long, thin hands, that were still tanned by the summer's sun.
"Perfectly fine!" exclaimed Cora. "Oh, you can always depend on
Wally," and her eyes lightened up. ”

“ There was, too, the necessity of work—hard work, if they were to go off on an unknown and uncertain cruise. And work is, perhaps, even better than hope, to mitigate grief.
So, though the sorrow would have been a terrible one, and almost unbearable, were it not for the ray of light and hope, they were able to hold themselves well together—these young Americans in a strange land.
"Jack, perhaps you had better go and thank Senor Ramo at once," suggested Cora. "He may be able to give you some good advice, too, about fitting up the Tartar for the cruise. ”

“ A search had been made in Chelton for the mysterious man who had tried to make off with Inez's valise, but all trace of him was lost. He might have been merely a passing tramp.
The girls were in a constant flutter of excitement. There was so much to do, and so many new garments to secure. The two motor cars were kept in constant use, Bess, Belle and Cora darting back and forth in their respective houses, or to the Chelton shops. Occasionally they made a trip to New York for something which simply could not properly be had at the home stores. ”

“ Is her name Inez, Mrs. Kimball?"
"Yes, Inez Ralcanto. She is a Spaniard. But I had rather let her tell you herself, as she is anxious to do. As soon as yow are rested—"
"Oh, we're not tired!" interrupted Walter. "That is, unless Jack feels—"
"Oh, never too tired to listen to a pretty girl—especially when she is called Inez," broke in the invalided hero. "Still, perhaps Sis and the twins had better have a first whack at her. I fancy we fellows would look better with some of the car grime removed," and he sank rather wearily into a chair. ”

“ Inez went with her new friends to the docks. She seemed to have forgotten her own grief in ministering to the girls, and much of her former timid and shrinking manner had disappeared.
They found a large and powerful motor boat that would take them out to the ship, and, indeed, a staunch craft was needed, since there was still a heavy swell on, from the recent storm.
"Are there many boats like this in San Juan?" asked Jack of the man at the wheel, who spoke very good English.
"Not many. There's only one as good, and that's much larger. She's the Tartar—and she's a beauty!" ”

“ The man who had caused this little flurry of excitement, had, by this time, gone down to his stateroom. Other belated passengers were hurrying aboard, the last consignment of freight was being brought to the dock, and preparations for leaving were multiplying.
"I might as well wait until I can see him, you can point him out to me again," said Cora, "and then I'll show him to Mr. Robinson. He can speak to the captain, and find out who the big man is."
"Very well, Senorita," assented Inez. "But I do not wish to give annoyance. I have already been such a burden—"
"Nonsense!" Cora cried. ”

“ Jack, and Walter exchanged glances.
The sea was running higher now, under the influence of an ever-increasing wind, and it was no easy matter to lower a small boat from the cutter—a small boat containing three men.
"It's just as it was before—when they came to us for news," exclaimed Bess. "I wonder if they bring us news, now."
"They certainly aren't bringing any of our people," said Cora with a sigh, for, though she had discounted the hope that Bess had expressed, yet she could not altogether free herself from it. It was evident that none save sailors were coming toward the Tartar. ”

“ The young people had taken a liking to Joe Alcandor, the obliging young engineer of the motor boat they had engaged to go out to the steamer, and Jack made up his mind, since he had to have help aboard the Tartar, to get this individual.
"This is a strange ending to our happy holiday," said Cora, with a sigh, as they left the boat and walked up the steps at the water's edge of the marina. The outing, up to now, had been a most happy one, once Jack's improvement in health was noticed.
"It hasn't ended yet," said Jack, significantly. "There's more ahead of us than behind us." ”

“ For a week or more, life in San Juan was an experience of delight for the motor girls. They visited points of interest in and about the city, taking Inez with them. Of course Jack and Walter also went, and the change was doing the former a world of good.
The mysterious "fat man," as Jack insisted on calling Senor Ramo, had not come ashore at San Juan, going on with the steamer. His destination was another of the many West Indian islands. ”

“ Robinson, for on a tall palm, at a prominent height of the island, he had raised an improvised flag.
Double Island was uninhabited, and was seldom visited by any vessels, though in the course of time the refugees would have been rescued even if the motor girls had not come for them. But their experience would have been unpleasant, if not dangerous.
"Well, let's go aboard and start back to civilization," proposed Belle, after Lieutenant Walling had been introduced, and his part in the affair told.
"But we mustn't forget Inez's father!" cried Cora. "We still have some rescue work to do." ”

“ The harbor sharks live on what they get near shore, stuff thrown overboard from boats, and they grow very large and lazy. But, farther out to sea, they don't get so much to eat, and they'll take a hook and bait almost as soon as it's thrown into the water. The men sometimes go shark-fishing for sport."
"It might be sport, under the right circumstances," said Jack, with a rueful laugh. "Next time I'll know better, than to, handle a shark line without gloves."
"So shall I," agreed Cora, as she looked at her skinned knuckles. ”

“ Joe informed the girls. "It's the smoothest engine ever handled. No trouble at all."
"Better knock wood," suggested Jack.
"Eh? Knock wood?" asked the engineer, evidently puzzled.
"Oh, Jack means to do that to take away any bad luck that might follow your boast," laughed Cora.
"Oh, I see. But I carry a charm," and Joe showed a queer black pebble. "I always have it with me."
"One superstition isn't much worse than the other," said Bess, with a laugh. "Now let's get settled. Oh, Cora, did you bring any safety-pins? I meant to get a paper, but—"
"I have them," interrupted Belle. ”