Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-11-10


The carpenter cooked his evil eye Mt
the water, but haznrded no conjecture.
"She can sail-if she can't do moth
ing else" was all he said.
/ flung the log-ship overheard.
Turn" / cried out
I saw the knots fbbing out like a
string Of beads. The reel roared In
the boatswain's hands, and when
Stevens roarcd "Stopl" caught the
line and allowed It TO Jam me against
the rail, as though the weight Of IT,
dragged through the water at the
phenomenal speed at which we were
supposed to be going, would haul me
overheard.
"what's that knot there, Mr..
Stovcnsm / called out Bear n
hand; the line is cutting my fingers In
halvesl"
lie put down tho sand-glass and laid
hold Of the line where tho knot was,
and began to count.
Efficient" no roared.
/ Hooked at Stevens triumphnntly, rs
though | should say, what do you think
Of thatP"
81 told you you wur wrong, Mr..
Roylc," said the boatswain. "lts all
fifteen. BY ilngol 1t amt sailing, it's
onglne-drivin'
The true speed OF the Grosvcnor was
about nine and half knots--cortainly
not more; and whether the carpenter
should believe the report Of the log or
not was nothing 10 me.
LOG II fifteen on the slate, bosom,
and keep the log going every hour" /
said. and went below again.
saw, rs was now my custom at
every meal, that the steward took q
good breakfast 10 the Robortsons' cab
In. and then sat down with Stevens to
the morning ropast.
took this opportunity Of suggesting
that II the wind held, and the vessel
maintained her present ratio Of speed,
we might hope to he IN the Gulf Of
Mexico in q fortnight.
GLOW do You make that outp II
was three weeks yesterday"
"And II might have been n month"
| answered.
but q few days OF this kind of sail.
ing, let me tell you, Mr.. Stevens, make
great difference IN ones caleula-
tons"
"IIow fur off is the Gulf Of Mexicop"
he asked.
"About n couple OF thousand miles"
"Oh. n couple OF thousand miles.
Vol, an what reckoning do you get
out o thatP'
"Supposc you put the ships pace
down at thirteen knots an hourP"
81 thought you made 1t iifteen2" he
qucred, looking az me suspiciously.
"Yes, but don't suppose we shall
keep that mp. For the sake Of argu-
mont | call 1t thirteen"
"WollP" examining his mouth as he
spoke.
stop n Bit" I exclaimed; II want
10 show you something"
| entered tho captains cabin, pro.
cured chart OF tho North and South
Atlantic, including tho Eastern Amerl-
can coast, and spread II upon the table.
"Ihe two thousand miles | have
given you," said ], would bring you
right OH tho Mississippi. See here"
lie rose and stopped over tho chart.
"Tho short cut TO tho Gulf" /
continued. pointing with my pencil.
sis through tho Florida channel, clean
through tho Bahamas, where the navi-
cation is very ugly"
II sec"
IL wouldn't trust myself there with
out pilot on any consideration. and,
Of course said J., looking ut him, 1--WE
don want pilot
II should ruyther think we don't"
no answered, soowling at tho chart.
So" | went on, ito keep clear Of
ships and boats, which are sure to
board us II we got among these stands,
| should steer round tho Carlbees. do
you scop-woll away from them, and
up through the Caribbean Sea, into the
Gulf. DO you follow meP"
Eyes, yes see"
NOW, MIR. Stevens" said l, very
gravely, 81 want to do my duty to the
crew aud put them and myself In the
way Of getting ashore and clear oil
from all bad consequences.
Tho scoundrel tried TO meet my eyes,
but could not, and hG listened to me
gazing tho while on tho chart.
"But l don't think should succeed
II l got among those islands blocking
up the entrance OF tho Gulf; and rs to
tho Gulf itself, you may take your oath
IT'S full OF ships, some of which will
pick you up before you reach the shore,
while others are pretty certain TO come
across the vessel you have abandoned,
and then--look outp'
lie swallowed some coffee hastily,
stared at the chart, and said, In surly
voice: "What are you driving atP'
"lnstcad of our abandoning tho shiT
la tho Enlf Of M,xipA ~ \ uufl 4
opinion is that, In order TO assure oui
safety, and lessen the chatice Of detoc
ton, We ought to abandon her cleai
of these islands, to the nor ard OF them
of this coast here-Florida, pointing
to the chart.
you thing SOP" he said, doubtfully
after long pause.
II am certain OF Il. We ought L
land upon some uninhabited part o.
the coast, travel along 1t northwarC
until We reach q town, and there rep
resent ourselves as shipwrecked sailors
Ask your mates II | am not right"
perhaps you are" he replied, still
very dubious, though not speaking
distrustfully.
"lf you select the coast OF Florida
clear of all these Islands, and away from
the track of ships, I'll undertake, will
good winds, to put tho ship of II IL
nine or ten days, But I'll not answe
for our safety II you oblige me to nav
lgate her into the Gulf Of Mexico"
He remained silent for some tim
and then saidi
'Its Fish and two others as chose
New Orleans, have no fancy fol
them half-and-half places. What
wanted was to get away into the Gull
of Guinea, and coast Glong down t
Congo, or that way. / know tn,
coast, but never was In Amerlkey
and" he added, fetching the chart I