Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-06-05

ing of the swamps in the center of North
Island. The elder brother, Brian, is thir-
teen years of age. Rather incident though
endowed with an excellent mind, he is
oftener at the foot of his class that at the
head though with his remarkable mem
ory and power of assimilation, it is easy
for him to excel all his other classmates
when he chooses, and it is of him that
Donovan eyiuces most jealousy. AS
natural consequence, he and Brian have
never been on good terms; and the reader
has already seen the effect of this want OF
harmony aboard the Slough" Then
too. Brian was daring, thoroughly wide
awake, remarkably adroit il games and
sports of every kind, quick at repartee,
good-natured, oblging, with none of Don
ovan's pride, and rather careless in his
dress-a real French boy, in short and
very different from his English school
mates. An avowed champion of all the
little boys, and a resolute opponent of the
tagging system-the result had been count
less quarrels and fights, in which he had
generally come off victorious thanks to
his courage and vigOr). Being "a general
fayorite, his companions with some few
exceptions cheerfully obeyed him when
he assumed command of the "Sloughi''-
all the more cheerfully, indeed, as they
knew he had picked up some knowledge
of navigation during his voyage from Eu-
rope to New Zealand.
As for his younger brother, Jack, up to
this time he had been regarded as the most
mischievous boy in the third division, if
not in the whole school, not even except
ing Service. Most of his time had been
spent in playing practical jokes upon his
school-mates and in planning new esca-
pades; but for some unknown reason his
nature seemed TO have undergone a COM
plete transformation since his forced de-
parture from his native land.
These were the lads that tempest had
just driven upon one of the islands of the
Pacific
During this cruise of several weeks along
the coast of New Zealand, the "Slougai"
was to be commanded by her owner
Garnett's father-oue of the best yachts.
men on the shores of Australasia. Many
a time had the schooner visited the coast
| of New Caledonia and New Holland from
| the Strait of Torres to the southernmost
| point of Tasmania, and the seas of the
Molucca and Philippine Islands which SO
| often prove fatal to vessels of the heaviest
tonnage. But this was a substantially
| built and eminently sea-worthy craft,
which bore herself nobly even in the most
| tempestuous weather.
Her crew consisted of a mate and six
sailors, a cook and the cabin-bOy, Moko
| negro lad twelve years of age, whose par
| ents had been in the employ of a New Tea
| land colonist for q number of years. Nor
| must we forget a fine hunting dog named
| Fan, a hound of American breed, that be-
! longed to Gordon. and that never left her
| master.
The day of departure was to be the 18th
! of February. The crew, however, were
| not on board when the youthful passengers
| went down to the vessel on the night OF
| the l4th Captain Garnett was not ex-
| pected until the hour of sailing. The mate
| and the cabin-boy were the only persons
on hand to receive Gordon and his com,
! rades-the sailors having gone to treat
| themselves to one more glass OF whisky.
| Indeed, after all the boys were safely in
| bed, the mate took it into his head to join
| his men in one of the drinking saloons
| near by, where he remained until late
| hour of the night. As for the cabin-boy,
! it is needless to say that he was sound
| asleep in the fOrecastle.
| How it happened they would probably
| never know; but TINS muUu 10 UrI yam, Uur
| yacht was IoOsed from her moorngs, eth
! er through Carel3SSneSS or maleYOlenCe
and those aboard were utterly unconscious
| of il.
The harbor and gulf were enshrouded in
| darkness, land breeze was blowing stiff.
| ~ at the time. and helped on by the cur
| rent, the schooner drifted rapidly seaward.
| When the Cabin-boy woke, the "Sloughr
was rolling and pitching in an incom
! prehensible manner. and Moko FASTENED
on deck only to find that the yacht was
! adrifJ.
On hearing his cries of alarm, Gordon
! Brian, Donovan, and several others sprung
! from their berths and rushed up the com.
| panion-way. In vain they shouted for aid
! The lights of the town and harbor were
| no longer visible. The schooner was al
ready in the gulf at least three miles from
| the shore.
Acting upon the advice of Brian, sup
| ported by that of Mollo the first thing the
| lads did vas to hoist Il sail, hoping to make
their way back to port by its aid But
the sail being too heavy for the youthful