Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-03-15

kick up a devil OF row, THESE carrOnaues.
By - they are not above thousand
yards away l think 1 could pick the first
fellow off-him as is rowing stroke" tax
ing up a rife.
Don't be fool, Tom," said, quietly.
at would be the height of folly to make
any sort Of hostile demonstration-to show
fight, l mean-until and unless we are
quite sure that these men mean mischief.
For Heavens sake, let US make friends OF
them if we can. If we make enemies of
them we are done for. There are hun
dreds, perhaps thousands, more ashore,
aud we might as well try to fly as to get
the ship out of the bay"
LAS you like, sir. look on you as my
superior officer, and Tom Bolsover always
obeys orders. But keep your weather eye
open, for as sure as any of them painted
devils puts their feet on deck we are dead
men"
1 made no answer. All my attention
was concentrated on the boat. When she
came within hailing distance the man with
the pigtail (who had been steering) gave
the tiller to his companion and stood up.
He was tall, and wore a swOrd-so far as l
could see, the only weapon in the boat.
"Goodp' l thought. Their intentions
WuSJ De pedCelul
The man with the pigtail put his hand
to the mouth.
"What ship is thats" he asked, in a loud
clear voice, and with faultless pronuncia-
ton"
English, by Jingor muttered Bolsover.
"Boy and man, Pve been at sea two-and-
thirty year. and so help me"
1.-THE DIANA bound from Liverpool to
hot try
Is thisl''
ave call it the Fair Island"
"And the inhabitants?"
1--WE call ourselves English"
BY this time the boat is under the coun-
ter.
evil you come on board'" l said. But
wait minute, and we will lower you
ladder"
"Thank you, we don't need a ladder"
says the younger man; and clutching a
rope which hangs over the ships side, he
hauls himself up, and vaults over the bull
wark with the agility of a professional &C
robat His companion follows suit, al
though little more leisurely, doubtless
owing to his greater age and somewhat
heavier build
Then they draw themselves up to their
full height, doff their cooked hats with q
graceful sweep, and make low bow.
Ireturn the salute in my best style, but
the contrast between the manner of their
coming on board, and their dignified bear
ing, their cooked hats, pigtails, white
breeches, and notified faces, is so exceed
ingly droll that | can hara y keep my cOun-
tenance, while old Tom, almost exploding
with suppressed laughter, bolts inconti-
nentIy down the fore-hatchway, where he
can give free vent to his mirth without any
breach of politeness.
What especially tickled him Git certainly
tickled mel is probably the fact that our
affable and agile guests are not merely
painted; they are actually piebald. Their
yariegated hue is as much part Of them
selves rs their pigtails and their noses.
Judging by the way they stare at me (af-
ter recovering their perpendicular, 1 ex-
cite their curiosity as much as they excite
mine-which is perhaps quite as well, for
their inspection gives me time to compose
my countenance and recover my presence
of mind.
Your most obedient servant" says the
elder of my visitors, bowling again.
Yours truly" l answered, bowling in
return.
Then another pause.
"Welcome on board the DIANA gentle
men," | add, for they look as if they ex-
pect me to say something more. at af-
fords me infinite pleasure to make your &C
quaintance"
(Not, perhaps, the very best thing to say
in the circumstances, but the best | can
think of on the spur of the moment)
Your pleasure, sir, cannot be greater
than ours" returns the senior piebald.
Never before has anybody from the old
home favored the Fair Island with visit.
Our people, sir, will give you warm well
come. Might ! make so bold as to inquire
to whom | have the honor of speaking"
my name is Sidney Erie"
mine is WaterlOw Field. Allow me to
introduce to you my friend and kinsman,
Mr.. Amyas Fame"
81 presume you are the captainr asks
Mr.. Field.
'No; am only a passenger"
'Ah, the captain is below, l suppose"
Very much so. He is dead, and his
body lies ut the bottom of the sea-"
Poor fellow! And the mater"
"He also is dead. In fact, the boatswain
and myself are the sole survivors of the
'Diana's' passengers and crew, all the rest
are dead"
God bless mel What did they die Off"
yellow fever"
And you and the boatswain only are
left How terriblel That was the boat
swain who went to the fore part of the ship
just now, suppose"
Eyes; Old Tom; and right good fellow
he is"
al am glad to hear it. He seems also to
be merry fellow"
"MerryI Not particularly. Rather the
reverse, in fact. Why do you think he Is
merry2'
Because l hear him laughing"
Hear him laughingi Impossible! Why,
he is down in the fo'castle, and we are on
the poop"
"Oh. yes; 1 hear him quite distinctly. Do
not you, Amyas?"
''Dstiuctly. He is talking to himself,
too. What is it he says?"-listening at
tentively. by the Lord Harry Boy
and man, I've been at sea two-and-thirty
year. Now he laughs again; what at, 1
wonderf'
There was no hmnbug about it. They
really could hear man talking In the
forecastle-or perhaps they were clairvoy-
autSl
Your sense of hearing is much more
acute than mine; cannot hear word"
| said. And then, fearing that our visitors
might hear something to their disadvant-
age, blew a call on MY whistle, as l gem
orally did when l wanted Tom and he was
out of ear-shot.
You informed US just now that the
DIANA was bound from Liverpool to
MOntevideo. How, then, may | ask, did
you find your way hither'" asked Mr..
Field
1--WE did not find our way at all The
ship found it for Us. We came by chance"
And you actually made the passage Of
the Painted Rocks in safety That was in
deed an extraordinary chance. No sea
going ship ever did the like. But you shall
tell us your story on another occasion. We
are come, my dear sir, to ask you to &C
company us to Fairhaven, the modest cap
ital of the Fair Island, there to make the
acquaintance of our people and be present
ed to our queen"
You do me too much honor, gentlemen:
shall only be too delighted. You will go
with me, Of course, Toms" Gle had Just
come aft.)
Where you goes, go, Mr.. Erie. I am
ready. But, l say''-sotto Uoce-"did you
evers Boy and man, Eve been at sea two
and-thirty year"
This would not do at all. People who
could hear laugh rs far off as the fore
castle collli hear a whiSDer six feet AWAY.