New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-06
CHAPTER NXIV.
nnMN CHANNEL,

n,
,ono. aud the muflcd Tapping of canvas, More
r.ef. were being taken IN, and the increasing Vio-
lo,cc of the wind was TO be felt III the weight Oh
IA. sr,s that lifted the vessel. We were Oookeu
for a regular Channel busting: black nlght was
drawing up, aud | pretty well knew tha' 'noi'
would b, too much anXcty felt on deck by pho',
skinner aud mates TO allow room for thoughts Vi
Mr. Morccombc. The first dlnncr-beH rang 81
balf-pa4t >; it was then quite DARK Tue ouuuS
Iamp, alght the glass of the scuttle III my c"","
like ebony. and the wind roaring IN thuhoeI OUT
side | stepped out, and found the uoc'oI 'NiA"e
t. Captain Jackson in the cuddy
HWeU. Mr. Egcrton," said he u suppose no h"u
read this name on my box, "how's your SICK
friend =
q Mich foo bad TO be left aone-thats my opin-
;o, eaid I GGo and look at hun, doctor, VIII
Won and if you think proper get one OF Inc ste"
ards 70 tend him. for he'll expire, II he's not lil'ed
in some of his fits" and there being ten minutes 10
snare before the second bell announced that dinner
va. served. trotted up the companion ladder to
have a look around
The wind seemed to be coming with the hardness
of a gale as put my head into 1t clear OF the COM
panion The evening mad come down IN shado"
as hl.ck as storm. and the darkness was made
the thicker for the clouds OF spray which were
swcpt ON the breaking cre>ts of the sea and whrlcd
ship WINS under doublc-Tccfcd topsails and rccted
torcs,u tho wind was abeam, and under this small
canvas she was pressing forward, rolling most
upeasily over the ugly quick, short SurgeS. lhore
WIS not q star to he seen, not ships lantern nor
shore light The water was as black as INK, among
the froth; there was never CLEAN IN u that /
could see A bright lookout would be needee9 Oh
such a night AS this in those narrow waters ana IN
The hnZr of light that came up through the glass OF
the foremost skylight cOnld see the hRureS O1 inc
nIiot and the mate walking athwartsmps TO ana
fro pausng 20 windward TO take sgulht at the
sen ON that side aud then TO leeward iOr look ~
the pOndcrOus shadow that lay on Lhe wafer pc
twXt the main and lore shlOnds fOT"uu thc
sbin was in darkness for the sdc-lgnts were H.
visible aft and no sheen was IN The ar from them
van cnuld inst make out the bands of tOpSalls glln-
iuerinc like the pinIOns of monstrous Olrds as thoy
swaycd overhead; but nothing above them was |"
be seen 80 that the screaming ana WANING tnnS
came down out of the hidden rigging was Klhu OF
wonder Every now ana again q Iu f VI uI%i ,R
swept up in burst of wind, but the showers urieu
as fast they fell, and the deck OF tIc poop Ms
stretch of gray from the break OF II 10 the "hcel
where a yellow haze Ovcrhung the pinnacle anu
gave an outline to the figure that was grinding al
the spOkes behind II.
down Channel at about seven knots as might
guess by fixing my eye on any Ichpng Suil"oo W.
waite 10 loewaId and watching II since away On
the quarter; there was satisfaction III tllN, 1I 90
long a, tho wind enabled us 10 Keep our llopVonI
pointed toward the Atlantic why, IL might DlOm
tull "A yale for all cared 50 Went Oeio"' anu ~
n minnie or two the second dluner-bclI rang anu
those of the cuddy passengers VINO were not seslCh
came out of their cabins aG Se'eu inc
went round the table TO her ana she pctehueu lot
10 see me- coming but l knew better. Ihoro must
he some reflection of mo IN her SHINING, OeAulIIui
eyes, or ~ hHt did the little SMILE mean
Yn, will remember that ! described the tables as
forming this shape-I-th TOP cross running tIh,
wart We'll, in the centre OF this thwhrtshIP 5tpIo
WAS the captains place, and when he loohed Loi-
ward he commanded the length OF the IOTG ana al
table There wore two seats on eilnGI t "a Hi
IL. lAatf tO
their places whom went up to Florence and asked
her which WAS heT seat
knowing grin. Miss Hawke site next to me; her
aunt is on my right: | like 10 divide the ladies
You had better secure that corner MI'-EagOOIo-
Is it - SAID he pointing TO the seat on Florence
left and these being the shippers orders, you Sec
s,t down Florence being 'tTiXt Daniel a.d mo-
There we're five besides ourselves. Everybody WAS
sick it seemed, but Captain jackson and Ills we
Mrs. O'liricu, Mr. Thompson tucker, ana DIT
joyce. The cuddy fare WAS very good III th"9e
dried fruit, aud such things; aud dinner was not
only a long business. but 1t gave one plenty 10 40
see the picture at thus moment OF tnat ail iI;t
table this first black channel hi9hl am 'cills
Won about the white tahlccluth all agledlh Win
glass and plate the FURNISHED swinging trays tps-
sing coHvuisIvcly III the bright hgHt Oh INC I'1i -
p,nduloun lamps; rippes of radiance running
about the polished bUlkhcads rs the heaNlhg OI tho
ship brought the rays To bear on different points
the passengers eat M with very little aNldlty
rausing often while III the act OF lifting IA spoon or
fork 10 their mouths, when the ship gave an extra
heavy iurCh. and frequently directing tnciI cSCe al
the kylght. the pancs OF which icsciDitu squares
al ebony against the backntss, aud reflected the
shining Table under them Ike looking glasses
Thompson with his Jolly red face, sat eating ana
enjoying his dinner and answering questions about
the weather aud such things and the stewards
truttcd with sOlictudc past the people But these
matters received but little attention from mo. My
darling was close alongside, i had her ali 10 my
self. and | talked 10 her and IL nobody else.
though took great pains 50 to manage MY face
that tho passengers should not guess too much Of
WHAT was passing IN me.
Aunt DAEars, she said, vas not actually i'll. but
felt queer aud III bed, and not likely to get up
for day or two, as II took her about that time 10
Have you heard" said l, " how foarfully i'll Mr..
NuIccOnbo Is e.
30, have not heard about him, nor am in
tcrcsted' she replied, with curl OF her rcd
When. however. I told her how dangerously sci
Le was, aud what the doctor had SAID about hun
aud how there Tlsk OF hs Tupturlng blO"u
vessel and dying IN one OF hls attacks she lo9KeC
III nj me with amaZement. What will lac do Y
she asked A" will be continue the voyagef
b" think not" | answered lie has begged u
be put ashore, but that was not 10 be done IN tht
face Of such weather as this. and with a bidct
night drawing up. If he lives until we fetch the
Isle Of Wight he will probably land with the pilot
She fancied l was joking, by saying, " II ht
lives -; but Thompson, Overhearlng us, assured hel
that / was speaking the Truth. and 10 confirm my
words called out to the doctor, who was at the
bottom of the table, Z" what's the latest report VI
Dir. MOrccOmbe "
9 Hes as bad as bad can be, captain. / looked in
before dinner, Don't mink Ho coulu Oe WOTbe
You'll have 10 put him ashore, sir 4; II he's carried
out to sea t1l be odds If hc don't answer Tor u
with his life" .
Herr the passengers took the subject up, and all
BOrts of questions aud ordinations were let NY.
You sos how il is said 10 Florence. were he
hot cruelty ill., 1 should say ho was well paid
for following sou. But his pursuit ls not Ions
one lie is sure 10 ~ ashore with tho pilot.
oho WAS very grave and thoughtful, and said
sWhat An unex pected termlnstlOnl What VII
Aunt Danaris saYf"