Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-11

depends on Bolsover and me getting the
Diana past the Painted Rocks and through
the mist, to say nothing of navigating her
across the Atlantic, am afraid we shall
have to stay here for the term of our natur-
al llves," L said, gloomily.
And would you regard that as misfor>
tune! Where can you find pleasanter
country than this, or one where you could
enjoy greater measure of prosperity and
contentments The queen and the Council
OF Nine would be only too glad to give you
land and slaves, and build you house. and
with your fair skin and red hair and beard
you would be sure to have eligible offers
of marriage"
MY hair is not red; it is chestnut" I in
terposed, impatiently.
Call it what you like; only mean that
1t is very beautiful hair. Everybody adj
mires it. The girls cannot keep their ewes
of you. And | am sure you will not find
finer women in the world than the Fanes
(my mother was q Fane), and if their COM
plexions cannot be described as exactly
European, they have beauty all their own.
1t is merely a matter of TASTE"
In this opinion | was able cordially To
concur, although 1 did not say (as I
thought that piebald compilations were not
to my taste. AS to Mr.. Fields proposal
that l should settle on the island for good,
| observed that, tempting as it was, l did
not see my way to accept it; that l did not
take kindly to the idea of never seeing
England and my friends there again, and
that If my mother did not receive news of
me before long, she would be broken
hearted. To this he made no answer, and
after some further conversation I repeated
an inquiry had already made more than
once as to the position of the island; and
producing a chart, asked him to give me
at least an approximate idea of its where
abouts.
Not at present" he said, with quiet
smile. You have only been here two or
three days; why are you so eager to know
everything Have patience, my friend"
So returned the chart to my pocket.
and resolved, on the first opportunity, to
put the same question to Miss Nab To
tell the truth, l felt rather disappointed
that she had not invited me to spend the
evening at the Queens House formerly
Protectors House,, as found her dwelling
was called.
Before we separated for the night, Field
informed me that, as the shark-killing ex-
petition would set out at sunrise, we
should have to breakfast by candle-hght,
and that / was to be one of the queens
guests on board her own yacht.
1 am always punctual, and at five the
next morning entered my hosts dining
room, arrayed in my fannels, and we
reached the jetty at the very moment that
the sun emerged from the sea and chased
the shadows from the mountain top.
We had not long to wait. The day was
hardly born when the island queen, fol-
lowed by gay company of male and fe-
male Fanes and their kindred (who alone
were admitted to her intimacy, came
trooping down the hill. She greeted me
very graciously, and invited me to join her
party, an invitation which, l need scarcely
say, was accepted with thanks"
Rather to my surprise, her yacht, the
''Sunfiower," was a schooner of some sew
enty tons burden, solidly built, and well
fitted and found. So soon as we were on
board, the order was given to weigh an
Choir and make sail, and, followed by sew
eral other yachts and a crowd of similar
boats, we moved slowly-the wind being
Gght-down the creek.