The morning call., 1893-02-19

of Goals spare swabs, broom-handes and
oil-eans:. Could you hide down ihere?"
Yes"
what! in backness? Midnight, with
dense fog, isn't il, for blackness alongside
the fOrepeak with a hatch on"
What care | for backness? / know
where the forepeak is it's place right for
ward under the f0Tecastle. Itll be the
place for me to hide in. You'll be able
easily to contrive to help Inc TO drop below
, into it."
You're never in earnest"
Don't say that! ] must be with Tom. l
have sworn TO myself 10 follow him, and
wOuidn 1t be sure way, the only sure
way. Of my being with him, of my getting
to the same place he's bound to, of my end
/ ing all risks OF missing him and finding that
he'd been sent to another settlement which,
without friends to help me, | might never
be able to hear of-wouldn't my sailing in
his ship be the only sure way for him and
me 10 keep together"
The young fellow grew thoughtful as he
heard me. Il don't say" he exclaimed,
that its quite impossible; but look here,
Marian. Suppose. # only for the sake of
argument. / call over the roll of such OBJ
iertlons as occur TO me-"
''DO so"
"Pn suppose that you are dressed as a
boy and that you deceive the eye" | nod
ded. I've agreed to sneak you on board.
but how am to do it?"
"A llttie thinking VIII snow U.s.
81 succeed" he continued. lin getting
you into the forepeak unobserved. How
long are you to BE- kept below?"
"Tll 90 on board" said l. when the shin
is alongside the hulk. Pm your friend a
visitor; you'll be on the lookout for me-
Who'll notice Us? You'll easily walk me
forward under pretense of showing me the
ship. Tell me this, where do you ship your
crew ?"
AT Gravesend."
Are you sureY
Yes, I'm sure. The ships worked by
the Jumpers and rggers till the cnnvicts are
aboard. We then drop down to Grayesend
and await the crew, who arrive in hoy in
charge Of crimp All that | know. You
may take my word for IT,"
'Who occupies the forecastle until the
crew come Oh board?
Nobody. The Jumpers and riggers sleep
ashore" His eyes frightened and he cried:
Il see what you're driving al. You've
thought il out pretty closely, Marian But
you're never in earnest, surely?"
go on with your objections, dear"
We'll suppose your re safely slowed away
in the forepeak; the cOnvicts come on
board. i keep bright lookout and find that
Butler is not one Of them?
II lave considered that" said l. you'll
manage 10 communicate with me- II Tom
is not one OF the convicts must come out of
my hiding place while the captain is able To
send me ashore. II Toms on board Pll not
want TO hear from you till England's miles
astern."
How am / to communicate with You
down in the forepeak?"
"Yon'lI find out dear There are ways.
And aren't you a sailor. VIII 2"
He laughed, but wi bout much merri-
ment and said: Suppose | smuggle you
into the forepeak when we're off Woolwieh
We may be week beating down Channel
and another week before we've got far
enough to suit you to show yourself Head
winds are head winds at sea. How are you
going to feed yourself in the black hole?"
We'll lay in stock Of provisions"
said l.
who's to stow :he grub?"
"You-by degrees"
He laughed again and said: "How are
you going 10 find where the grub is? You're
not to be trusted with light down there,
you know"
1.-The food must be placed where / can put
my hand on it in the dark"
And before we've been twenty-four hours
under way the hatch is lifted and down
drops huge whiskered man called a bo'suu
with lighted lantern right on TOP OF YOU"
NO hatch can be lifted in such a hurry"
SAID !, but that can find time TO hide N.Y.
self. But pray go on spinning these little
cobwebs which you call difficulties"
We knocked up regular barricade al
ready" said he, something bigger than
you're going 10 climb, Marian"
DO you think SO ?" said |, smiling. swell.
I'll heighten your barricade foryou and still
you shall help me TO scale it. IN boy stow
away, l must carry nothing to sea but the
clothes stand up in. But you'll ship large
crew, and you'll have big slop chest, SO
rhere'll be the materials for rig-out when
i want one. / emerge when the proper time
comes and am walked aft to the captain Now
what will he do with me? He may put me on
the articles as an ordinary seaman that must
certainly end 10 my helping the cook or doing
cabin work. But then there's my sex to
fall back upon In case of impracticable du-
ties. / declare myself a woman-let them
invent motive for my being on board;
they'll find me dumb in that. Some Of the
guard are sure 10 be married; the wives
will be on board and there'll be female
quarters for me II | own my sex. But it
will have to be strong forcing of my hand
TO bring me TO it. Once boy, VIII, I'm
boy till step ashore"
He stared at me with admiration and ex-
element, as though he listened to some wild
romantic story of adventure.
"All that is material lies shaped in my
| mind" | went on; ''of course great deal
must be left to chance"
What will father and mother thinkP"
"They mustn't know. Why need they
know. Viii? Put 1t thus; In any case go
] where Tom Is sent That being certain