The sun., 1889-11-10
CHAPTER XXI.
THE LIZA ROBBINS.

The gale was followed by several days Of tru
tropical weather. light airs before which ou
stern slided 80 softly rs to leave the water un
wrinkled; then pauses Of utter stagnation witt
the horizon slowly waving ia the roasting at
mosphere as II IL were some huge snake wind
ing round and round the sea and our mast
heads wriRglinR up into the brassy blue lik,
the points OF rotating corkscrews.
rose one morning early. loathinG the mar
row frizzling confinement OF my cabin, whert
the heat OF the upper deck dwelt In the atmos
phore with a sort Of tingling, and where thu
wall. thick as the scantling was and cooled
besides outside by the wash OF the brine. fell
TO the hand warm as q glass newly rinsed ii
hot water. went on dock and found myself
| in cloudless day. The sun was few degrees
| above the horizon, and his wake flowed in Q
| river of dazzling glory to the inverted
| image OF the yacht reflected with mirror-like
perfection In the clear. pale blue profound ovel
which she was imperceptibly stealing. famed
! by draught 80 tender that 1t scarcely lifted
the airy space OF topgallant sail whose foot
arched like q curve OF new moon from one top
sail yardarm to the other.
had noticed the dim gray outline Of what
was apparently o huge shark of our quarter
| on the previous night and won't to the rail to
| see II the beast was still In sight; and was
| overhanRlng the bulwarS. smiling with delight
! tho fresh salt smell that hoated up from
alongside. scarce warmed as yet by the early
| sun. and viewing with admiration the lovely
representation Of the yachts form In the
water. with my own face looking up at
| me too, as though lay O drowned man down.
there when Finn suddenly called out: "A
humpish looking craft, your honor: and I'm a
lobster II don't think by the stink In tho air
that her cargos phosphate manure.
/ sprang erect, and on turning was greatly
astonished to observe q bark OF some four or
five hundred tons approaching us just off the
weather bow, and almost ready within
hail. 1 instantly crossed tho deck to get
better view OF her. She was round
bowed vessel. deep in the water. with
dirty white bond broken by painted
ports going the length OF her. and she rolled as
clumsily upon the light swell as If she were full
OF water. She had apparently lost her foretop-
gallantmast. and the head Of the topmast
showed heavy with its crosstrees over the tall
hoist Of single topsail. group Of men stood
on the forecastle viewing us, and now and
again head was thrust over the quarter deck
rail. But she was approaching us almost bow
on. and, her hulwarks being high. there was
little to be seen OF her decks.
VERY queer SMELL" said /. tasting sort Of
faint acid In the atmosphere, mingled with an
odor of an earthly. mouldering kind, as though
a current of air that had crept through some
churchyard vault had stolen down upon us.
Bones or bird dung, sir; perhaps both.
recognize the smell: there's nicer perfumes
agoing."
Has she signalled you?"
LAY. sir: that she wanted to speak. and then
hauled her colors down when she saw my
answering pennant She's been in sight since
t~ht T,;, 40 lo,- ,rvi,~
the stars, and how we've stole together. blessed
middle watch wouldn't have weight enough to
slant butterfly of its course"
What do they want. / wonder ?" said I ;
rather o novelty for US to be spoken. Finn
seeing that 1t has always been the other way
about. Bless mo! how hot it is Pleasant to
he passenger aboard yonder craft under that
sun there II the aroma she breathes is warrant
OF the character of her cargo"
few minutes passed; tho bark then shift
ing her helm slowly drew out. giving us
view Of her length. AS she did SO
she hauled up her main course and braced
aback her foreyards This looked like busi-
ness for, had her intention been to hail US
merely in passing, our Joint rate Of progress
was 30 exceedingly slow as to render any
manpuvring. such as heaving to, unnecessary.
yacht to be hailed. when Crimp. who had been
in the waist experimenting the washing down
Of the decks, for he was in charge though the
Captain had come up at once on hearing that
there was vessel close to US: sour old Crimp.
say. whom had observed staring with Pc
culiar earnestness at the bark. came aft and
said: Amt this smell old bonesf"
Foul enough for 'un." answered Finn.
"Dummed." cried Crimp. gazing intently
with his GROSS eyes, while his mat of beard
worked slowly to the action OF his jaw upon
quid. as though there was something behind it
that wanted TO get out. IL don't believe that
there crafts the Liza Robbins"
"Wcll. and what then 2" demanded Finn.
why, II so, my brothers her skipper"
Finn levelled his glass He took long look
at the figure of man who was standing on the
bark's quarter. and who was manifestly paus-
more yet to hail US,
is your brother like you. Jacob 2" he asked.
bringing his eye from the telescope.
"Ay, VERY image. only that his visions
straight. We're twins"
"Then there ye are to the life" cried Finn.
bursting into alaugh and pointing to the bark's
Crtmp rested the glass on the rail and put his
sour face to It Yes" he exclaimed. that's
AIRY. sure enough" and without another word
he returned to the waist and went on coolly d.
recting the scrubbing and swabbinR OF the
men.
MIR. Monson," said Finn. who had taken the
glass from Crimp and extending 1t to me as he
spoke, lust take view OF them figures on the
'o'k'sle. sir. will 'ee2 There's three OF 'em |
alone close against the cathead.
They amt blue jackets. are they"
But at that instant we we're hailed. and for
rot Finn's request In listening to what was |
,Rid. |
Schooner. ahoyl"
"Halol" answered Finn.
What schooner is that, and whore are you |
,ound 2" cried the man on the bark's quarter
leck In a voice whose sulky rasping note 80 ex- |
Ictly resembled Jacob Crimp's when he OK
'rted his lungs. that I observed some of our
aiors staring with astonishment. as though |
hey imagined that Muffin had gone to work
gain. -.. ..
The Bride of Southampton on a cruise"
Finn. adding in an aside to me:
no use in singing out about the Cape OF Good