The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-06-15

sea. snugged Inc down amid the coats and
cloaks in my cot, and. obstinately holding
my eyes closed, ultimately fell asleep.
IL was little after when | awoke.
] lighted the lantern, but upon entering the
passage that lead to the cabin observed by
my own posture that the schooner had not
only heeled more to larboard, but was far
Their 'down by the stern TO tho extent of
several feet. Indeed, the angle of inclina-
ton was now considerable enough TO bring
my shoulder lin the pasSage) close against the
starboard side when stood erect The noise
of the gale was still In the air, and the boom
ing and boiling of the sea was uncommonly
loud, walked straight to the cook room,
and, putting the lantern to the Frenchman,
perceived that he was still in heavy sleep,
and that no had lain through the night pre-
cisely in the attitude in which had left him
His face was SO mutfied that little more than
his long hawks bill nose was discernible. 1t
was freezingly cold, and | made haste. to
light the fire. There was still coal enough
in the corner to last for the day, and before
long the furnace was burning cheerfully |
went to work to make some broth and fry
some ham, and melt little block of ruby
colored wine; and while thus occupied, turn
ing my head moment to look at the French
man, found him half started up, staring in
tently at me-
This sudden confrontment threw me into
such confusion that could not speak. He
moved his head from side TO side taking a
view of the scene, with an expression of the
most mimitable establishment painted upon
his countenance. He then brought the fiat
OF his hand with a dramatic blow to his fore
head, the scar ON which showed black rs ink
to the fire glow, and sat erect
Where have l been!" he exclaimed in
French.
Sir" said l, speaking with the utmost
difficulty, 81 do not understand your Ian
guage. am English. You speak my tongue.
Viii you address me in itI'
"Englishm he exclaimed in English, drop
ping his head on one side, and peering at me
with an incredible air of amaZement "How
came you here? You are not of our COM
panyl Let me see''- Here he struggled
with recollection, continuing to stare at me
from under his shaggy eyebrows as.if was
some frightful vision.
81 am a shipwrecked British mariner, said
!, land have been cast away upon this ice,
where found your schooner"
"Haw he interrupted, with prodigious
vehemence, Certainly; we are frozen up-I
remember. That sleep should serve my
memory So" He made as if to rise, but sat
again. 1.-The cold is numbing; it would
weaken a lion Give me hot drink, sir"
filled pannikin with the melted wine,
which he swallowed thirstily.
''Morem cried he. 81 seem to want lifen
Again filled the pannikin.
"GoOdr said he, fetching a sigh, as he re-
turned the vessel; 'you are very obliging,
sir If you have food there we will eat to-
gether."
| give the substance of his speech, but not
his delivery of it; nor is it necessary that
should interpolate my rendering with the
French words he used.
The broth being boiled, gave him a good
bowl of it along with a plate of bacon and
tongue, some biscuit and a pannikin of hot
brandy and water, all which things l put
upon his knees as he sat upon the mattress;
and to it he fell, making a rare meal. Yet
/ all the while he ate he acted like a man be-
witched, as well he might, staring at me and
! looking round and round him, and then drop
ping his knife to strike his brow, as if by
| that kind of blow he would quicken the ac-
tivity of memory there.
''There is something wrong" said he, pres
emily. What is it, sirl This is the cook
room How does it happen that 1 am lying
| heref'
told him exactly how it was, adding that
! if it had not been for his posture, which
Obliged me to thaw in order to carry him, he
would now be on deck with the others, await
ing the best funeral could give him.
"Who are the others?" asked he.
81 know not" said l. "There were four IN
all, counting yourself; one sits frozen to death
on the rocks. met him first, and took his
watch from his pocket that l might tell the
time"
| He took the watch in his hands, and asked
me to bring the lantern close.
"Ham cried he this was Mendoza's-the
captains. l remember; he took it for the
sake of this letter upon it, He lies dead on
the rocks? We missed him, but did not know
where he had gone" Then, raising his hand
and impulsively starting upon the mattress,
he cried, while he tapped his forehead, 1T
has come back! have it'll Giuseppe Tren'
tanove and were in the cabin; he had fallen
blind with the glare of the ice-if that was
it. We confronted each other. On sudden
he screamed out. l had put my face into my
arms and felt myself dying His cry aroused
me. l looked up and saw him leaning back
from the table with his eyes fixed and horror
in his countenance. l was too feeble to speak
too languid to rise. l watched him while
and then the drowsiness stole over me again,
and my head sank and 1 remember no more.