The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-26

ship. She floated stately and grand in tow
of the tug; the Government stores In her
were a comparatively light lading, and she
sat tall. presenting a frigate-lIke height oil
side. She was massive aoft In her sea-
going trim, sails bent, running rigging rove,
royal yards across. A small red ensign al
her peak stood with the wind like painted
board there. 1t was ebb tide, somewhat
slack, and she came along on the laneuid
stream of it, head TO the breeze with white
water splitting at the blight Of the hawser
betwlxt her and the tug.
AS she glideu abreast l stared at her with
devouring eyes. Oh. she was the Childe
Harold, right enough | was sailors
child, and knew ship alter seeing her
once. as you would know face. Was VIII
aboard? l would have given my lett band
then for five minutes use of telescope TO
make sure. l saw a few figures on the
poop. and three or four red coats of SOL
diers on the forecastle. but she was too lar
distant for the sight to distinguish the
pe0ple. / stood watching un til the tug had
floated her abreast of the Warrior, by which
time / heard clock strike 0. | then
walked quickly toward my lodgings, hall
frozen with having stood for about on hour
and half in that bitter morning wind
ard in the atmosphere OF the November yell
low river.
Though without appetite forced myself
to make what would be called good break
room; l rang the bell and toasted myself
before the fire While | waited until the maid
had cleared away the breakfast things;
then went into my bedroom. unclothed and
dressed myself in the sailor dress. This
done L mixed some SCOT and rouge and
lightly rubbed the compound into parts OF
my face. The effect was good; you won ID
have supposed | was fresh from the ocean.
The clothes had taken off L made into
parcel and addressed 1t thus:
To the care OF The Commander,
Government transport Childe Harold.
on Woolwicb.
This had made up my mind to do while
lay thinking during the long and stormy
watches Of the previous night; it was just
speculation, and good or bad would amount
10 little or nothing. The landlady of the
lodgings on finding / did not return might
send the parcel 10 the ship; IL not, no mat
ter The captain on receipt of 10 might
hand 1t to the steward to hold, concluding
there was blunder somewhere; II he re-
jected ii and sent it back. still, as say, no
matter | valued not the clothes one far
thing, but / had reasoned, il the parcel
found its way on board and my sex should
be discovered, there would be my clothes in
the ship ready Tor me.
Having addressed the parcel | put the
little packet Of candles and the other few
matters had bought into my pockets and
counted my money. / had between 81 and
95, two guineas of which | had received tor
my hair. and | need not tell you that this
was even more money than 1t was prudent
| should have if | was TO act the part OF
stowaway supposed to be driven from home
by poverty. that is TO say If l should come
to be searched, which on board q convict
ship was extremely probable.
/ paused to consider il more remained to
be done. then opened the door aud
listened. and finding all quiet slipped down
the short stairs, passed into the street and
walked quickly in The direction of the dock
yard.
And perhaps l should repeat here that
had paid the woman of the house in adj
vance for her lodgings. and that l had
departed leaving her in my debt so to call
it, for / had purchased everything had
eaten and left enough behind me in groceries
and the like to last her for a week.