The National tribune., 1891-07-16

John surveyed himself with sorry smile,
and then lighting his pipe, after moments
thought, remarked:
"It strikes me thai for
TWO MES IN ONE SUIT
OF clothes We make pretty respectable aP-
pearanco."
Directing the boatmen where to land, we
disembarkcd at the pilots house. which WIS
close to the river bank, and learned from the
Chinese wife that her husband had gone in the
shin, bat expected to be back that evening.
Explaining 70 her our prcdiSament, she at
once paid the boatmen and sent them OIL made
Us at home in the house, and prepared a room
Tor us 20 sleep in. From her we learned that
the steamer was due the following day. We
staid there one day and returned 20 Shanghai
Finding some files Of the daily paper we passed
the day in reading and smoking. our costume
not being sufficiently complete toenab.e rs 10 90
out IS evening wore away aud no pilot came,
we went 10 bed in n disgusted frame Of mind
both at our being LEFT behind and at the prob
ability Of a long delay before we should regain
our ship.
All the next day We kept closely indoors.
About p. N. the steamer came m, and after
whiting TO give time for All passengers 20 leave,
ws emerged from the house and guns on cur
shoulders aud full game bags. walked along the
river front and went on board. The watch
man eyed US with some mistrUst, for
sUCH 4 PAIR
he never before had seen.
We asked. with some trcpidation. if Capt.
Steele was on board, aud our hearts were light
eued when We found he was. Going 90 his
cabin we entered. and after he had finished his
laugh at our plight and heard our story, no
proceeded to array Us in some Of his suits.
Now Joe Steele was stout. nay, even big and
muscular. 50 while his clothes made a pas5able
Fl on John. they fairly hung all over me, for /
was long and lean. Ne all had q good laugh,
eut had best stick to my own clothes, re5um-
ing those had loaned to John.
is 10 the matter OF cash, steele opened his
money draw and said, " Help yourselves" We
were 10 take staterOOms, get our meals on
hoard. aud 20 with him to Shanghai free. take
what money we needed, and pay him when we
got back to the ship.
Under such circumstances our smiles re-
turned, aud when we found that we should
miss the Japan steamer and have three weeks
IN Shanghai before We could possibly reach the
ship, we began 10 regard il as rather joke on
the ship, aud not Oh Us. for
THE CAPTAIN HAD GOSE
hours before his time, and could make no trou-
bic about our not being back before he sailed.
Thst evening the pilots boat returned, and
with il came q small trunk with some clothes
for each Of us. This was a great relief for now
we could dress decently and como out Of our
rooms without being ashamed 10 be seen.
IL was lucky. for the next day three lady
missionaries came on board for passage "a
Shanghai. and in our old Tig-of John in
Steele's big suit. and in my dirty shooting.
cOthes-ws should have been prisoners in our
rOOu.
We reached Shanghai to find the japan
steamer just gone; remained there three
weeks. and had jolly time sailed in the next
steamer. and reported aboard ship just one
month from the date we left il. The Captain
had become considerably worried, for he had
heard nothing from or about us, We having
carefully rciraned from telegraphing. He
could not be sure even that We bad returned
at all and IL was perhaps well that ! bad fi5hed
John out alive. for if he had been drowned the
Captains entirely unnecessary leaving US be
bind would have been pretty severely inquired
into.
Eut as the only disagrecable feature was The
division aud wearing Of one suit OF clothes by
two men, nothing came Of it, and we resumed
the usual routine Of the man Of-war.
10 be c9uiilfifcIl