The National tribune., 1888-11-15

housed, carrying our whole mainsail and larg-
! est jib-canvas under which the yacht made
very good way, though, had it not been dead
run before the wind up to Attorney 1t wonld
| scarcely have been safe to carry so much in the
/ breeze that WAS blowing. Once fairly clear of
! the island Henderson took the tiller and sat
| beside him on the edge of the well, with our
| feet dangling over the same. The Major and
| Mrs. Wilcox, perhaps at the suggestion of the
latter, preferred to sit near the bow of the boat
where they were out of hearing, though
| plainly to be seen. We had nothing to do but
to keep the boat before the wind, so had every
! opportunity of studying their behavior.
They are keeping up pretty brisk con-
Versation," said ] after while. Il wish they
would settle it all before we get to Attorney;
/ we might save the Memo then"
Thomas Meares," said Henderson solemnly,
" if you regret your offering the fates will not
! accept it. Think of the results we hope for,
and say good-by to the old Memo"
So Non inutile est desiderium in oblatione,
as Aramis said" quoted | laughing. But
assure you, should not regret 80 Memos if [
had them, for the sake of accomplishing our
purpose. Only we shall feel such idiots if We
! lose the yacht for nothing"
Never you fear" said Henderson con-
fdently. Everything has helped US so far
and there is the greatest help Of all coming-a
good thick channel fog. No one can blame US
now if we run the Memo OH Burhon Island !"
looked over the stern, and indeed saw that
the fates to the last had been propitiOus to our
enterprise. A thick mist had already shut
out Guernsey, and hid from our view all but
high headland or two that still lowered above
it. Channel island fogs are peculiar in this re-
spect, that they are almost always accompanied
by a stiff breeze, and we made haste to shift our
jib and take in a reef in the mailsail. In so
doing we were obliged to disturb our victims,
and Mrs. Wilcox eagerly asked if there was
any danger.
Not a bit" said I, winking at Henderson.
"Only fog coming up. If you feel at all nerv-
Gus, Mrs. Wilcox, you had better put this life
buoy around you, and then you will feel quite
Independent of accident"
" l really think you had better" said the
Major pOmpously. 1--WE shall soon be nearing
Attorney, and the Swinge is a nasty channel to
90 up in fog Listen to the fog horn at the
Casquets now!"
Three long and melancholy means, at meas
ured intervals, came across the water Mrs.
Wilcox shivered little and put the life buoy
over her head.
" Not that do not feel perfectly safe with
you here, Maj. Quayle," she said tenderly.
" But you know in case of accident | should be
a great trouble to you, for 1 cannot swim
stroke"
" You could never be trouble" began the
Major calamity, and then looked anxiously
round to see if either of his subalterns were lis
tening. We were both busy-Henderson steer
ing and taking in another reef in the main
SAIL as, shipwreck or no shipwreCk, had no
| fancy for running on to BurhOn Island at the
rate of 10 miles an hour. If only the two for
ward had known the purpose of my innocent
occupation! l found time and opportunity to
whisper the Majors last remark to Henderson,
who had not heard it and was greatly delight
ed with it. By this time the fog had caught us
up and wrapped us round so thickly that we
could not see more than 20 yards ahead OF the
outside. ! began to get little nervous myself
about this period, as it would have been joke
to have been shipwrecled on one of the half
tide rocks that fringe the coast of Attorney in
stead of on Burhon Island. However, Hender-
son was quite confident of his powers of nayiga-
tion.
Ought we not to be getting near Alderney? ,"
asked l, in low voice after while.
Henderson looked at his watch.
Half past fOurI l should say at the rate
we have come up we viii finish our journey,
one way or another, in the next quarter of an
hour. You had better go up to the bows and
look out for Burhon. Don't alarm Mrs. Will
cox. When you see the island look for a
pretty good place to land, and just make mo-
ton of your hand to guide me. Once you see
we are so close that nothing can save the boat
make as much noise as you like"
went forward. The sea was very calm, and
Tue DiCCLc Ildu IdGutF idIGli, sun allu-
gether relish the prospect before u.s. Burhon
Island is not the most eligible place in the
world for shipwreck. 1t lies about mile
and half west of Attorney, and is an almost
naked rock some mile and a quarter in length,
in most places presenting rocky wall, six
or eight feet high, to the sea. But here and
there are shelves of rock sloping gradually
downward, and could we hit one these there
would be little trouble in the calm sea.
Ten minutes or so passed, and l saw some
thing that looked like rock looming through
the fog. Fortunately the Major and the widow
were too deeply engaged in conversation to look
out ahead In few moments more | caught
a glimpse of the familiar contour of Burhon,
and saw a beautiful shelf of rock about hum
dred yards to the left. / waved my left hand
slightly, and Henderson put the helm over.
Another instant, and the rocks were almost
under the bows / caught hold of the mast TO
steady myself against the shock.
Breakers ahead!" I shouted. Hard a
starboard, Henderson,"
The Major jumped up and Immediately fell
| or poor Mrs Wilcox as the bows of the Memo
| shot up on the shelf of rock with an ominous
crashing of timber. Henderson, who had
managed the shipwreck beautifully, let 90 the
! tiler and ran forward just as low green swell
| came in over the stern and filed the boat,
| floating Mrs. Wilcox and her life buoy high
up the incline till she found projecting piece
! OF rock 10 when Sne chung Win the energy OF
despair.
1t spoke well for the success of our under
| taking that the Major Immediately jumped
overheard and followed her, half climbing and
| half swimming. By the time Henderson and
myself had got the portmanteau and its grating
! overheard and swan ashore with them, he had
rescued the widow from her perlous position
| and was carrying her toward the House of
Refuge, a low one-storied building erected on
| the island as a shelter for shpwrecked mari
ners. Poor Mrs. Wilcox appeared to have faint
ed, and my conscience began to prick me for
my share in the matter. Bat Henderson only
laughed.
She will be very glad Of her troubles six
months hence, l can tell you," he said. &" Let
us carry up the portmanteau. 1t foated so
! high that l really believe little water has got
/ in"
By the time we reached the House of Refuge
the widow had recovered from her fainting fiji
and was lying on the floor with the Major sup
porting her head. He was naturally inclined
to be rather savage with US, but Mrs Wilcox
forgave US all at the sight Of the portmanteau
"Those dear boys" she said. How kind of
you to think of saving my clothes Why, il
might have cost you your lives. And oh, what
a happy thought of yours that life buoy was
MIR Meares! Where should be now if you
had not brought it?"
where you are, Madam" said the Major
grufiy. " l can SWIM"
and would you, i'll that moment Of danger