Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

18 oxcitement, and to hear with horror that Michael Devlin was on the Mochado. The "Chronicle " was on the 'phone to the coastguard station. The Mochado was ablaze, but owing to fog it was impossible to give the exact location. " We'll have to handle it from here," decided the city editor. " This is a big .->tor.v, and we want to put it over big. Send someone out in an aeroplane. Get pictures! Do something!" One of the sub-editors came rushing up to report that the coastguard station did not think anybody could be alive on the Mochado, as there had been no messages for over an hour. "Higgins, take a cab to the airport," decided the city editor. "The 'plane'll be waiting to fly over the Mochado. Steve! Steve! Where's the photo grapher ?" A man in shirt-sleeves dived out of a room. "There aren't any left, chief. You sent 'em out to get pictures of that train deraihnent." "You can't handle a camera by your- self, Higgins." The city editor looked at the chief reporter. "What a chance for a scoop, and just because there ain't any gosh-darned " " How's the chances of horning in on this?" quietly spoke Barton. "I won prizes at college for photography." He glanced at the bowed figure of Ann Devlin. "I could take these pictures." "Good for you, Barton," grinned the city editor, and bellowed for someone to bring a camera. A boy appeared with a camera. " Sure you know how to handle this?" cried the city editor. "Absolutely, chief." Barton squared his shoulders. It was a tonic to see the admiring looked that flashed from Ann Devlin's eyes. There was some- thing in this hero stuff. Pity he had to turn down that job as D.A. How would Ann take it? "Dick, you can't go!" Tcss Graham ru.shed up to him and clutched at Barton's arm. " I won't let you. It's too dangerous!" "Dangerous my eye ! I've been up in tlie "Chronicle " 'plane a dozen times." I Ho spoke a little defiantly. "It's the safest crate in town. I'm just going along for the ride. Now, don't you worry, Tess. If there were room enough I'd take you flloug, too." Higgins got in touch with his wife, and that sweet woman insisted upon getting into a car and coming over to the ofhce at once. She was glad Tim was going, because it was his duty, but she wanted to be at the office so she could hear how the night flight got on. It would not be possible to sleep when Tim was in danger. They waited till she arrived, then Tim and Dick left. "The old girl will take care of Ann and Tess," Timothy panted as they raced down the stairs. " She'll be as worried as either of 'em, but she'll just smile to hide her anxiety." Barton and Higgins got to the air- port. They donned flying togs and each man was fitted with a parkichute. They clambered into the 'plane, and the pilot took off down-field. After two hours' flying the pilot pointed and they saw a red glow far belovy. It was the Mochado. The machine planed down through wisps of fog, and after a while they got a better view of the blazing ship. The stern was a roaring furnace, but the bow was not alight yet. The fog suddenly lifted and they got some wonderful pictures. They flew low and Dick managed to iccure one of the large fishing steamer Addie, trying (o get alongside the bow, I June 13th, 1936. BOY'S CINEMA where a number of people were waving their hands and screaming for help. " W'e've got enough pictures," yelled Higgins. "Let's go home." "Just one more," yelled back Barton. "I want to got people jumping from the Mochado to the Addic." The pilot brought the machine round in a quick turn. Barton had handed the plates he had taken to Higgins, and now ho loaned over the side to get « picture that would be a startler. He undid his waist-strap in order to lean farther over still, and at that moment a gust of wind or an air pocket caused the ship to roll. Dick Barton and camera slid over the side. Luckily his groping hands caught a guy wire, and he hung, dangling, in mid-air. Dick knew he could only hold on for a few seconds. "Let go and pull the ring!" bellowed Higgins. Dick dropped and then jerked the ring of the paraclmte's rip-cord. He felt himself pulled up with an enormoui jerk. Quickly he was dropping now towards the sea and the blazing Mochado. Higgins and the pilot saw the parachute flop into the water. The reporter gave a cheer as he saw th? Addie appear out of the gloom and saw the white blob that was the parachute dragged to the side of the fishing steamer. The pilot hastened back to the city, and Tess Barton fainted when slio hoard the news. The Mochado Fire DICK was lifted on board, and except for the unpleasantness of wet clothes, was not hurt in the least. Piovidonce had flung him out of that 'plane. He must try to get on board the Mochado and rescue old Michael Devlin. The Addie came slowly near the blaz- ing wreck. The heat was tremendous. He saw several people with their clothes alight leap into the sea. As the Addie drew nearer and nearer the bow of the Mochado, the people clustered there seemed to go mad with fear and excite- ment. The3' fought like wild beasts to get close to the rails. The crew were trying to keep order, but it .seemed quite hopeless. Twice thej' lieard the crack of a gun. Before the Addie touched, several people leapt, and several misjudged and fell screaming horribly into the sea The captain of the Addie had told his crew to hurry everyone aft as they scrambled aboard. 'That would enable the rescue work to proceed quickly, be- cause it would bo impossible to stay more than a few minutes, as otherwise his own ship might catch fire. Barton had told the captain that ho would volunteer for any work, and was detailed to assist the crow. Eagerly he scanned the faces of the people that swarmed aboard the Addie, but he saw no sign of Michael Devlin. Someone shouted that several passengers were trapped down in the cabins. Dick leapt from the Addio on to the deck of the Mochado. Several of the seamen bravely followed liis example. So fierce were the flames that already one of the life-boats swinging from llie davits of the Addie had been licked by the flames and was blazing. Several men rushed along the deck. They were mad with fear and .screamed horribly to be let pass. One man tried to fell Barton with a life-preserver. Dick landed two or three punches, and that checked that mad rush. There were still some women and children to be iielped a,board the Addie—those scum coidd wait. "Where's your captain?" Barton shouted at one of the crew of the I Every Tuesday Mochado. "Are there any officers to control this mob?" "The captain's dead," was the answer. "The other officers were the first to quit. I'm bos'n. There are one or two trapped below." "I'll go with you," «ried Barton. They dived into the smoke. " Hurry ! Hurry !" the captain of the Addie was yelling. " My boat'll catch fire. Hurry ! Hurry I" Down in the second-class saloon they almost foil over the sprawled figure of a man who groaned feebly. Barton managed to lift the body on to the seaman's shoulder. "I'm all right," the sick man muttered. '"Save the old man over there." Feebly he pointed. "Ho saved Pete and Hans, and was trying to help me when the smoke overcame us both. Over there—old man Devlin." "Devlin!" gasped Barton. "I'll get him !" "You can't make it!" cried the sea- man. "I've got to go. You take this follow up and send help if you can." The seaman staggered up the stairs. now well alight, and finally got through the smoke to the bow. "The Addie was about to oast off as two of her boats were alight. Willing hands relieved the seaman of his burden. "They're all out!" shouted Bomeone. "Cast off!" ordered the captain. "Wait!, Wait!" hoarsely panted the seaman. "Two men are below deck!" "I've got to think of my ship and the passengers," the captain yelled back. "I'll have a small boat stand by." In that hell of flame and smoke Dick Barton groped round till he found the prone figure of Michael Devlin and managed to get the heavy body acros.i his shoulders. As he reached the stairs the Addic backed slowly away from tlie blazing Mochado. The pilot got Higgins safely back to the airport, and the reporter ru.shed off to the offices of the "Chroniclo" to report all that had occurred. Tess made an awful .scene and swore that Dick had been killed and that it was all Higgins' fault. It was Mrs Higgins who managed to calm the distressed girl. On the teletype the names of the survivors came through, and Michael Devlin and Dick Barton were not on the list. Ann bit her lip and tried In be brave, but Tcss sobbed like « child. An hour passed and then a boy came in with a radio message. It was from Barton. ■'Dick's safe and so ia your father," Higgins shouted to Ann. "They've been picked up by the Addie. I'll read out Dick's message. "'Devlin saved two lives and then got trapped. I got him out. What he told me of roa.sons behind fire will melt your presses. Tell Witherspoon I withdraw lesignation and will prosecute numbers gang to the limit.' "■ Higgins fini.shcd reading out the message and stared in bewilderment at the city editor. "What in the world could the fiio have to do with the numbers gang?" A Callous Crime NATURALLY there was a large crowd present when the survivor.* of the Mochado were landed. Dick Barton seemed a changed young man. The fact tliat he had done .some- thing rather big had been like a tonic to him. He realised he had been lazy and useless. The chance to make a