The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-17
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CHATTER xn-Continued.

~ A
ior. and Mr.. Holhster and Capt. Wills
were requested to enter upon the con-
sideration of new route TO be followed
by the Molly's Hope on her next cruise.
s.Then YOU incline to think, captain
said Mr.. Hollister, that the Dread
naught did not endeavor to reach Singa-
pore by crossing the Philippines and
Malaysia"
.I do" replied Willis; Ito my mind,
it's improbable; yes, impossible"
ssBut assuming that she did take that
route" pursued Hollister, "how comes
it that this piece of the wreck should
have been found in the Arafoora sea to
the north of Melville island?'
T can't understand 1t. ! can't ex-
plain it." answered Willis "All that L
can say is that the Dreadnaught was
seen off the southwest coast of Celebes
island, after she had passed the strait
of Macassar. Now, if she entered this
strait she did so from the north and not
from the east, and hence could not have
come in through Torres strait"
This question was discussed at con-
siderable length, and il ended in the ac-
ceptance of Capt. Willis views.
Mrs. AlJaire had listened in silence to
this discussion; but her knitted brows
indicated with what tenacity, what
persistency she clung to her belief that
John and his companions were still
among the living. No; she was deter
mined to stand steadfast until actual
proofs of their death should be fur
nished her.
81 agree with you, my dear Willis"
cried Andrew Hollister, that the
Dreadnaught on her way to Singapore
crossed the Java sea-"
part of the way at least, Mr.. Hollis
ter, for it was between Singapore and
Celebes island that the vessel was
wrecked"
s.That's so, but still how was IL possi-
ble for this piece of the wreck TO drift
as far as the Australian coast IL the
Dreadnaught went to pieces on some
reef in the Java sea?'
.sThere is only one way to explain it,"
replied Capt. Willis, land that is by as
suming that this fragment of the ship
was drawn through Lombok or some
other one of the straits which connect
the waters north of these islands with
yhe Timor and Arafoora seas"
"Do the currents set in that wayP"
"Yes, Mr.. Hollister, and would go
90 far as TO say that the Dreadnaught
after having been dismantled in tor
nado may have been sucked into one of
these straits and finally been cast on
some reef north of the Australian
coast"
you're right, my dear Willis" cried
Andrew Hollister, ''it's the only reason
able hypothesis, and the conclusion is
irresistible that if a fragment of the
wreck has been picked up to the north
of Melville island six years after the
disaster it must have been recently de-
tached from the reefs on which the clip
per ship went to pieces"
This explanation was qualified to carry
conviction to the mind of any intelli-
gent seaman.
"Since it is more than likely" added
Mr.. Allaire, whose gaze still remained
riveted upon the map unrolled before
her. ''that the Dreadnaught was driven
ashore on the coast of Australia, and
since none of the shipwrecked crew
have made their appearance here or
prisoners"
THAT is not impossible, Molly" in
terrupted Mr.. Hollister.
Mrs Allaire was on the point of pro-
testing vigorously against the implica-
ton contained in this answer, when
capt. Willis broke in with:
"We have yet to determine that this
fragment of wreck picked up by the
Golden Gate really belonged to Capt.
Johns ship"
slave you any doubt of it?' inquired
Molly.
1--WE shall soon be able to solve that
uuestion," cried the merchant, "for
have ordered the fragment to be for
warded TO u.s."
"And have given ORDERS" added Mrs.
Allaire, "that the Molly's Hope be kept
I'm readiness to sail at any moment"
Three DAYS after this conversation
Zach French, the boatswain, reached
San Diego and presented himself at
Prospect cottage. Thirty-seven years OF
sge, strongly built. with face Drowned
by exposure and eyes full of determine
ton, this man had something frank and
pleasing about him. You felt that he
belonged to the kind that never shrinks
back nor hesitates, but goes straight 70
the place where he is told TO go. The
welcome that he received from Mrs
Allaire was so full of gratitude that
the honest sailor quite lost the use o!
his tongue.
my friend" she exclaimed, after her
feelings had somewhat quieted down,
''it was you who saved my life, you
who did all In your power 10 save my
poor babe, what can do for your"
French insisted that he had only done
mis- duty. A sailor who wouldn't dc
what he had done would be no sailor al
all-hed be a mere hireling His only
regret had been that he was not able &c
save her child. But he couldn't accept
anything from her for what he hac
done. He thanked her for her kinC
wishes, and with her permission h,
would call 70 see her while he We