Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-01-12


broke into a cold sweat.
After the admiral had asked me a
question Or two about my previous
services and my voyage in the Mercia,
he looked at his watch again.
damn the fellow he growied.
More than ten minutes after his time;
and he knows how busy I am. told
him when he called yesterday and left
these books Cad. I'll examine you my
self. What book is this?''
I had no difficulty in telling him. 1t
was book which DIR. Joyce had often
read with us-the Koran.
And this?''
could not quite make it out; never
had seen it before; but I made a bold
guess.
s.The Thousand and One Nights
''Humph! You seem to read we'll
enough. And now take this sheet OF
paper, AID write down in Arabic: The
man who makes an appointment and
does not keep it is damned son of a
gun, and it would serve Pcggi right to
gi7e him a round dozen for his want Of
punctuahty.'
l could no more write this extraor-
binary sentence in Arabic than in Irish,
but l had fortunately learned the
Arabic alphabet, so took a pen and
wrote every letter of it, finishing up
with a few hieroglyphics of my own in
vention.
'sYou will do" said the admiral, al
most respectfully, as he glanced with
puzzled eyes at the paper. 'You can
read at sight and write to dictation.
Damme if thought you were half as
clever. Do you know any other Ian
guages?"
Il know French almost as well as
English, and some Hindustani."
1.-The devil you do! Cad! wish did!
Well, you are promoted to command
er, and will commission the kangaroo,
six-gun brig. She is ready for sea, and
you mus. report yourself at Portsmouth
and hoist your pennant not later than
next Thursday
Here the door opened and an at
tendant announced DR.. Poggi, little
man with a Jewish cast of countenance,
who came bowling and scraping into the
room.
"You are too late, doctor. I have ex-
amined the gentleman myself"
81 beg your pardon, admiral am
very sorry. took a wrong turn and
missed ny way, and did not discover
my mistake till"
.sYou should not take wrong turn.
You should not miss your way. When
a man makes an appointment he ought
to keep it. Your fee was to be two
guineas. You have not earned it, and
you won't get it. Here are your books.
Good day, sir. You will receive official
notification of your appointment, Mr..
Roy. Thursday morning, remember"
81 shall not forget it, SIR
And then, to my surprise, the admiral
offered me his hand, which / respectful
~ shook.
Hurrying after the discounted teacher
of languages, overlook him in the
street. ''You have done me greater
service than you are aware of. Let me
be your payrnaster." said, putting
into his hand couple of guineas-
A stare of blank surprise was quickly
followed by a look of keen intelli-
gence; then, with muttered THANK
you," he dropped the money into his
pocket and shambled off.
It was more than in my widest
dreams had dared to hope for. Pro
motion, a ship of my own, an expedi-
ton In which there would doubtless be
hard fighting, chances Of prize-money
and further advancement! And to
think that I owed it all to bit of
Arabic learned from an old missionary,
and the failure of that shambling Ital-
ian to keep an appointment!
Even the necessity of leaving An
toinette did not seem much of draw
back. If returned a post-captain las
of course should), would marry her
first and look for the treasure after
wards Having come to this resolu-
ton, I hied me to Fleur-de-Lys court to
say good-by. As should have to start
for Portsmouth early next morning.
and my preparations were still to make
had no time to lose.
To BE CONTINUED.