New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-23

II
them The sight of those traps was the ssinn as
seeing the owners. far as the certainty OF tnon
sailing in the Strathmore was concerned h ha1'
closing the door, came away, picked up my o"e'
and entered my own cabin. -, ;,
The Qht was feeble, owing to the scuttle or WIN
dow being in the shadow OF the quay wall not 1T ~
nevertheless was able to sec that was not 10
have the cabin to myself Luggage that dld NOT pg-
long to me stood near my box, and in the pun, oulia
under mine was collection of articles lnclunlng
waterproof coat, gun-case, bundle CONSISTING VI
an umbrella, walking-stick, sword-stlck, stc. !
good deal disappointed, as had recSo r'as
upon beng alone Evidently the StTathlhore Mao
taking ont full complement of passengers. me
consideration now was, what sort of companion was
to have "a cheerful amiabe fellow; WHOSE SU,
ciety would be a pleasure, or sea-sck' growing
old hunks whose company would DO PelP0'""i
| ailliction. , .Lo, No
ticing name painted on the top OF box some WHAT
resembling mine bent down to see nat II , VAS
and read, in large white letters: kegin 'i0'0
cOmbe, esq. CABIN Passenger, per StrathmOre'
could hardly credit my senses. stOoo up aI h
stared around ne. then took another squlnt at tne
card. and, lost in amazement, looked at me 'aPs y,
the bunk and came once more to the card. hegl-
| nald MorecOmbew There it was. PLAIN enough,
and | stood erect, absolutely. dnmfounded, b eti
stop! how was to be sure without seeing the le,-
| low that This Reginald Morecombe was FlorenGes
| admirerR Might there not be another man OF lhat
| name among the millions who populate Uredt
Britain, and through the operation OF one OF tloso
strange cOniunctiOns of circumstances which some
times happen in this life, might not he have chosen
the StrathmOre to sail to Australia in and had the
! boxes bnt not being able to see inside them found
nothing more suggestive than the name then
| ovpThauled the traps in the bunk, but there was
| nothing TO be learned by looking at the gun-case
| and the macintosh. Nevertheless, though cOni'i
not have taken my oath that my companion Wouiu
| prove Mr.. Hawkes. young friend, was 80 per
| fcctly convinced in my own mind he was nobody
else, that was much COMPOUNDED. amazed ann
nonplussed as if had entered the cabin and found
| Was this the explanation of Hawkes. singular
willingness to send his daughter away on a i1 S,e
| voyagcR Did he hope, by boxing up her and MI
! M0recombe for three or four months in ship, that
the young fellow would succeed IN worrying the glrl
into accounting himi Was it Aunt DamarlSs
scheme she would be here at all events to help the
youth and her house would be open to him at sgd
ney. Aud did Florence know he was to accompany
thrmi If not, why, there would be positive base
n mere trap for her. But If on the other hand, she
knew all about it, why did she keep the news from
| SOphiei Why had she sent me a Keepsake 10 re-
member her by. and messages to cherish, Mh ne al
| the time she aware that she was gong 10 AUS
traa in company with the man whom. her tather
| had chosen for her 10 marry q,
| sat on my box with my forehead IN my hand anu
| my mind in a whir Voices were bawllng Oh deck,
feet were stamping overhead, people were noEinE
! reached me that we should be warping ont OF dock
i'm n few minutes and such was the state OF Devil
dermcnt into which | had been flung by the conylc-
ton that my cabn-mate was TO be no DINER 'nn.i
| Hawkes. young friend by the astonishing per
| tnaclty old Hawke was exhibiting by the deteI-
! miuation of Mr.. M0recOmbc. who was gong 70
abandon society for sea-sickneSs and a long voyage
| in the hope of winning Florence. and by the fear
| that the gir had all along known he was 10 JOIN her
aunt that | declare, for some moments 1t was JuSi
| the spin Of a coin whether | should jump ashore,
! send for my traps at Gravesend. and drop az
| thoughts of Florence Us completely as aoauuoh'"
This was my mood when, casting my eyes toward
the hunks, which were butt one above thc olIl'I
! the absuTdIty Of the situation III Whch MoISe"mpJI
| and would be placed by occupying one cdDln au'l
slccpiug one atop of the other. struck me; burst
| INFO "A lit of laughter and rOared so Justify thdt
| Yer q pIokluQ
could have done me more good the llnou oi Hiell !
ncnt seemed 10 cleanse INV mind ana leave room loi
the old dcyil-luay care spirit TO assert user "S'
Without more ado opened my box, bundled suGl
things rs required To have at hand INTO one oil tn'
two small chests Of drawers with when the caOh'
was furnished, and then. pulling 0nt Wrlthe'
case began a letter to my uncle. W men II Cdhi''
however, to using pen and collecting my thoughts
/ | found 1 was rather too agltated TO say mncn.
! onrncd Inv telling him was gong to Australia, and
WHY ~ though he had known nothing OF my lhten'
tions and then went on to say that was on board
that the Hawkes. luggage was III their caOlh' ah,
! that some baggage labelled Reginald Molecombe
was in my cabin. could not yet positively declare
that tins Reginald Morecombe was Hawkes. friend
but / would let him know IN postscript Wh'n 'h'
man came aboard at GraVcseud. If he proves TO De
Florcnccs admlrer," said !, you VIII uhderst lana
and especially will Sophie appreciate, the profound
cumming old Hawke EXHIBITS by this manmuvre.
only hope that Florence Is ignorant OF the plot uh
happily. shall not be able to tell you now th,s -
Cor | am not likely to see her until we have 0eei
some time under way. If i'll lhy postscript tell you
that my cabin companion is tic Reginald More
| connie please take the earliest opportunity Oh Itt
ting old Hawke know that have sailed IN lh'
Strathmorr" then wound up by thanking him iOI
his Kindness, and begging him to ask sophie ior'
gvcncss of me for COncealmg my intention Ot ac'
companying Florence from her, and brought my let
ter to an end y.ith n proper sentimental flourish
Having finished tins job, leaving the envelope
open for the postscript had promised, pun uh my
h and showed my head ont of the cabln-doOr To see
who might be about before boldly issuing forth
since for all could tell Florence might have come
| aboard " nile | was below. Irue had understood
She was to join the ship ut Gravesend, but her aunt
might have changed her mind and chosen 10 STAR
from the dock; anyhow, could not DE sure anu
the very last thing | wanted was 10 plump ny
against the darling unawares, and iTlghteh her nc
fore her aunt or any body else into betrayal OF Oul
being auld acquaintance ana 50 sly p'uIer Gu ,
cautiously. saw group OF persons taking uedI IN.
companion steps, and an under-steward III CAME,
Jacket rubbing the table; but there was nobody
knew i'm siyht; So ] walked on the mall-teck ana
found 10 my surprise that we were out of the docks
and in tbc river and that a tug had got hold OF III
| and was cantLg our head toward mldStIeaul.
| walked short distance forward 50 rs 10 be able
70 see who was on the poop before going there
Most of the twccn-dcck and stecrago folks were be-
low but few had clambcred on 10 the 1ulwarkS
! and a knot Of them stood on the toIccaStlc waving
| tLcir LJt- and Eaudkerchcfs to their friends who
stood on the walls and heads, watching the none
ship start. took good look ar ana senlls nor
ing but strange faces nothing but strange faces
saving Dan Thompson, who stood alone listening "a
the bawlng of the river pilot. and watching WIN,
out, of course. taking any part IN lho bny SCcnv,
mounted the poop ladder aud went mp 10 my llIehu
Halo, .JackW cried he, gripping my nhger'
heartily; Z" was only just now thinking oI YOU
and wondering whether you were aboard. "heu
did You come told him. Whisper says he
"what's the name I'm to call you 10y Conionnd
me if can rccollect it-somethlng to do with edge
Egcrton-Jack Egcrton,' | replied; and foi
Heavens sake, Danol. don't go aud forget It
Think of cdging dOwn-thats nautical; you can
forget that ..
mo, no: Egcrton-Jack Egerton-I have 1t now
said he. BE easy; Egert0ns the word"
Since I've been aboard" said " I've been rend
cred Ioublv anxious by one of the most bOthcrsomI
things happening that ever you could imagine
was in hope of getting cabin to myself, ana hho
| | am to have a companion 49, . 80,
"Well aud what does that mean ~ cried he, witt
n broad gTm on his jolly nautical red iace merely
that Dan Thompson's mighty popular skipper, De
loved of ladies' and gentlemen. Would you have me
Ill Nth uuInt cabins And. besides. how