The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-02-14

nymph Of the island through his tele-
scope standing alone upon the cape
on which be bad already discovered
her father. She was feeding some
tame birds. which looked ike turtle
doves The glass showed the Cap
tain her pure white robe futlering 10
the sea breeze, her long black hair
falling to her heels, her slim and sup
pie young agure, her simple grace Of
attitude as she turned this way and
that, attending to the wants OF her
birds. Before her was the blue
ocean behind Der was the lustTous
green Of the island forest. The Cap
tain's vivid imagination supplied the
inevitable defects of the glass. He
looked and looked antil his eyes and
arms ached And when she fitted
lightly back into the forest with her
birds after her. the Captain shut 10
his telescope with sigh, and said 70
himself. Il have seen an angel -
From that hour be became an al
tered man; be was laDguid, silent.
interested n nothing. General opin-
ion decided that he was going to be
taken ILL.,
A week more elapsed, and the OIL
GERS and crew began 70 taiA OF the
voyage to their market in China.
The Captain refused to fix day for
sailing. He even took oHence at De-
ing asked 10 decide. Instead Of sleep
ing in his cabin, be went ashore for
the night.
Not many hours afterward, Just be-
fore day break, Mr.. Duncalf, snoring
10 his cabin on deck, was aroused by
hand laid on his shoulder. The
swinging lamp. still alght, showed
him the dusky face of the chief 5 sou,
eonvulsed with terror. By Wild signs,
bv disconnected words 10 the little
English which be had learned, the lad
tried 20 make the mate understand
him. Dense Mr. Duncalf, understand
ing nothing, hailed the second officer,
on the opposite side Of the deck The
second officer was young and intelii-
gent lie rightly interpreted the ter
rIble news that had come - the ship
The Captain had broken bis own
rules. Watching his opportunity,
undeF cover Of the night, be bad
taken canoe, and had secretly cruas-
ed the ihe channel 20 the Holy Isl
and No one had been near him ct
the time bat the chief 5 son. The
led bad vainiy tried TO induce ain ID
abandon lis desperate enterprise, aad
had vainly waited on the shore il the
hope Of hearing the sound Of the
paddle announcing bis return. Be
yond ali reasonable doubt, the iuiurl-
ated man had set foot on the shores
OF the tabooed island
The cue chance for his lie vas TO
conceal what be had done uaJil the
ship could be got out Of the harbor,
and thea (if no harm had come u
him in The intervaD 10 rescue him
after 1ightfaIl II was decided 10
spread the report LhG. he had really
been taken i'll, and that he was con-
fined to his cabin. The chiefs son,
whose heart the Captains kindness +
had won, could be trusted TO DO this,
and to keep the secret faithfully for
the Captains sake.
Toward noon the next day tbev
attempted TO take the ship to sea, aid
failed for waat Of wind. Hour by
hour the heat grew more oppressive. /
As the day declined there were omin- .
Gus appearances in the western heav- T.
en-. The natives, who had given
some trouble during the day BIZ their
anxiety to see the Captain. and by {
their curiosity to know the cause of
the sudden preparation for the ships
all went ashore together, !
looking slspiciously a. the say, and
reappeared no more. Just at mid
Eight the ship (still in her snug berth
inside the reef suddenly trembled
from her keel to her masthead Mr..
Duncalf, surrounded by TIE startled
crew, shook his knoty fist at the isl
aud as if he could see it in the dark.
My lads, what did | tell you That
was shock Of earthquake
With the morning the threatening
aspect Of the weather Unexpectedly /
disappeared y faint hot breeze from
the land, just enough to give the ship
steerage-way, offered Mr.. Duncalf
chance Of getting to sea Slowly the
Fortuna, with the maze at the wheel.
half sailed, half drifted, into the opea
ocean. At a distance Of barely TWO
miles from the island the breeze was
felt 10 more, and the vessel lay be-
Gained for the resi- Of the day.
At light the men waited their or
1ers, expecting to be sent after their
Captain in one Of the boats. The in
tense darkness, the airless heat, and
: second shock Of earthquake Just
.eltin tie ship at her present distance
rom the lauG) warned the mate to be
-&IkiVA1- EAtAA u4L=flltt III the
air, said NJ Duncalf. The Captain
must wait till | am surer Uf 5ne
weather" A
Still ho change came with the new
iaY The dead calm continued, and /
he airless heat. As the day declin- ,
ID another omin0us appearance be- .
,ame visible A thia line Of smoke 1.
vas discovered through the telescope, I
isce0diug from the tOpmOst peak Of
he mountain on the main island.
Vas the volcano threatening an erup-
iouy The mate for oue entertained ,
10 dyub, Of it. BY the Lord, the :
lace Is going to burst up - said Mr. :
)uncalL Come what may Of II. :
re mus: find the Captain tonight
Continued
The Boy And The Panther