Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-10-12
formed our chief amusement.


tive watchfulness on our part. We
were like party of special CORE
spondents taking notes of an import
ant campaign. We received from
one another news of victory OF de-
feat, of attacks foiled, of successful
strategems, of bold strokes, of new
moves, with as much earnestness as
if our own interests were at stake |
of us hurried forward with joyful
face, it was not to tell of confident |
prophecy on the part of the skipper
that we should have an easy time in
the monsoon, OF that we should make
Alden ahead of schedule time; but
to relate some splendid stroke on the
part of Mac, or an admirable count
er. delivered by Goodhew.
Occasionally, there were uninter-
esting lulls in the conflict, and dur
ing these periods we were driven to
our wits end for amusement, and the
time passed slowly and heavily; bat
when the battle was in full swing,
the long hours of the tropical day
sped but too quickly. Our doctor
took an especial interest in the dra-
ma, and by his official position was
enabled to see far more of its ins
and outs and by-play than we out
siders and often when matters seem
ed to slacken bit, would infuse
fresh life and fire by some adroit,
mischievous remark.
Open hostility soon became the or
der of the day between Mac and
Goodhew. Hitherto, they had been
simply cold and distant to each other,
interlarding their conversations pro-
fusely with ssSirs' and Il beg your
pardons ;" but by the time we reach
ed Penang, they were hardly civil to
each other. The climax was reach
ed at Penang. According to the u.s.
ual custom, party was made up to
visit the celebrated waterfall. Most
of US went,-Skipper, Doctor, Mrs.
Fuller, Goodhew, Mac, and half a
dozen of our outsiders. We arrived
at the waterfall after the well-known
broiling ascent, rhapsodlzed over it,
sketched the joss-house, partook of
a sumptuous tiffin beneath its roof,
and were about to return to the quay,
when Mrs. Fuller espied a dead buzz
zard floating in the waters of the
pool.
ssOh, how I should like a few
feathers from that beautiful bird y
she exclaimed.
Mac and Goodhew rushed to exc
cute the commission. We outsiders
never dreamed of interference, as we
foresaw an important scene in the
drama. Mac was armed with his
walklng-s stick, Goodhew had seized
long bamboo stem. Mac was upon
one side of the pool, Goodhew on
the other, and the buzzard 1oated in
the middle between them.
The faces and figures of the two
men were perfect studies of sternness
and resolution they stretched and
craned, they knelt, they ffoundered,
they hoped up and jumped down
for the time being the entire universe
of each of them was concentrated in
that palm shaded pool. But the bird
stuck resolutely in the middle, in
spite of coaxing and Topping and all
sorts of cunning endeavors to watt it
to one side or the other. Suddenly a
puff of wind carried it towards Mac.
: His face lighted up with joy and he
uttered a smothered "Hooroo J" In
a moment his walking-stick was un-
der it, he was slowly but surely pull
ing it towards him, when there was
a vision of a sort of fishing rod in
mid-air, momentary struggle and
splash, and Goodhew triumphantly
dragged ii towards him. Mac made
desperate dash at the retreatine
spoil, missed his footing and fel
plump into the pool. Our long-re
strained feelings were no more to bt
kept in, and the laughter which fol
lowed awakened the echoes of the
solitary Penang waterfall. To emerge
from the water hatless, dripping an(
: vanquished, was hu,niliating enough
for poor Mac; but when he looked
y at Mrs. Fuller, and saw that she wa
endeavoring to stife immoderat
laughter with her pocket-handker
. chief, his cup of misery was full, ant
: without another word he strode of
ahead of US on the path leading t.
: the settlement, and was soon lost t.
. view.
Il We sailed that evening for Singa
IL nore. Mac was not visible. Mex
evening, however, as we were sitting
: on the deck after dinner, smoking
: our cigars and gazing at the peerles
. panorama of the tropical heavens, w
L saw him on the deck. We hushe,
y our talk, for we felt that something
! was pending. Goodhew was sittin!
a by Mrs. Fullcr's chair-that is, poo
IS Macs chair-at some distance fror
= us. Mac seeing this, strobe up ant
down the deck behind them. Pres
, emily Mrs. Fuller rose, wished II
- goodnight, and disappeared below
We nudged one another, watches
round the corners of our eyes, an
le listened.
u Mac strobe up to Goodhew, VIII