The morning call., 1893-06-04


passe niger vessel. 1 then got him to talk
about his own life and of his wife
and children, and while we walked the
evening drew down dark. full of bright
stars, and many small clouds flew swiftly
| ike bursts of steam down the wind.
The brig was now rushing forward at
fine pace. Her whole topsaiis were large
sails, and her main topgallant sail was set,
the weather cleW of the maiusa was up,
the lee clew aft, the staysails were down,
the trysail braled up, and the only sail
aforemast was the fore topmast staysail.
The wind had quartered the brig, and I'M
der her wide wings and over the smooth
western heave that was now smally ridg-
! ing. the little vessel drove along; she split
the sea with a nimbe thrust. aud with
every stoop of her head she wnitpned her
bows TO the height of her hawSepipeS
with the star-bright brine.
SIS is fine little vessel,'' said Mr..
Bates, standing with me at the after end
of the deckhOuse. "Our lighting upon her
is a wonderful and solemn thing, and, per-
haps, after all we shall one day learn that
she was derelict for the reasons related in
that queer letter we found below"
just then Tom came up the ladder. He
held my hands while he asked me if | had
slelt well.
"My nap has made new man of me"
he said. whats the weather going to be.
Bates? There's frsky spit in the water,
isn't there? But there's no weight of
wind as yet to hurt. Let's give her all
she'll take. She walks, by Jericho! A
fortnight of this will be bringing the cor
poral aboard
what shall I do? Make me useful,
Tom. Shall get sup2er?" said l.
Yes" he answered. is the galley fire
| in, Bates?"
AYE. SIR"
Tom" said |. ''Id like to shift these
petticoats for my Childe Harold dress.
You want seaDen; I'll make you one"
You'll keep dressed as you are. Ma
rian." said he.
Very well. dear, but don't rate me for
being SLOW"
then went down the steps to the little
caboose. The fire made a light here; [
lighted lamp, returned to the cabin for
some tea, lighted the lamp there and also
lighted the pinnacle lamp for Will, who
told me he was growing conf0undedly sick
OF steering. | told him I'd take spell at
tne nelm when l had got supper ready.
My labors aboard the convict ship had
thoroughly qualified me. and no old hand
as steward could have gone to work more
adroitly and with clearer perception of
needs. l brought large pot of tea to the
table. rearranged the food that was already
there and added to it, and by O'Clock all
was ready and the interior of the deck
house as shining and comfortable a sea
picture as the eye could wish to rest OIL
quite hospitable and civilized with white
cloth. good cutlery and glass and crockery
equal to the Childe Haro
Before was done, however, Tom and
Bates had clewed up the maintopgallant
sail and furled it. They had also hauled
ne mainsal close up to the yard and | was
In the cabin when Tom asked me to hold
the wheel that Will might help them to
furl that big sail. This they acco m alished
snartly; they were three sailors and
n to ha rio r bn int
ship the briggs faDric of yards and spars
seemed no more than long boats.
Having got hold of the wheel I would
not le! go till one or all of them had
supped. | was not hungry and was much
refreshed by my sleep, and | found sort
of pleasure in grasping the spokes and
controlling the meteoric flight of the little
vessel through the siarclad blowing dark
ness. L SteeTed her as easily as | had
steered Thames wherry and was proud
and than kful 20 be of so much Importance
and use at such time as this. And there
was another feeling that swelled my heart
while l held that wheel. / was as though
Tom was mounted behind me. and l, with
the reins in my hand was laundering him
10 safety away from all risk and possibi-
ity of pursuit across boundless, dark
plain.
Presently Will, with pipe in his mouth,
steps out and lays hold OF the wheel.
''Y ~ again?" said l.
"Ay," said he. but not for long. Get
you in. old woman. They're scheming
watches and want YOU"
Will" said | in his ear. mot another
word against TristanP
''Such rat-hole 20 choosew said he.
mo 'ostofiiee. no bank, no locks. no tea
gardens. He'll let me get home some day,
1 hope. But I'm mum on the matter from
this moment. | don't like your looks when
you threaten me. You'd slit my throat to
please Tom"
boxed his ear and entered the cabin.
l sat down beside Tom, who gave me
some tea, ana l made light supper. H.
told me that he and | would keep watch
till midnight. and Bates and Will till four.
They would then relieve us. We did not
sit long; while | ate our talk was all
about Tristan. He seemed very resolved
We'll heave TO off the island" said he.
and III go ashore or send for Glass
There may be parson on the island BY
this time. hope so; it won't do to go
away to the Cape and get married, Ma
rian. Table Bay is all too public; the
towns full of English, and then this briggs
consigned there ana they'll want the story
of our alling in with her and how it came
about"
They'll print what they hear-they
have newspapers" said the mate.
well see what help the islanders can
give US. I'd sooner head west than east
"One should go west to get married.
Heading east makes time, and the less
time tie better when the jobs over-occa-
Sionaliy," said the mate, with dull smile.
Wed return in the brig TO Tristan"
continued Tom, who seemed not to know
that the mate had made joke, "and Bates
and VIII would proceed for the Cape with
yarn of falling In with the Old Stormy
thatli utterly sink my name out Of the
matter"
So saying he went to his berth and re-
turned with seaman's jacket and good,
almost new shawl for the neck; he
wrapped me up, saying that I'd be Obliged
to stand sometimes at the wheel while he
looked about him; and that of night.
though man be under the line, if il
blows he'll need plenty of clothes at the
helm
l took the wheel from Will, who went TO
a cabin to sleep; Bates lay down in the
berth be had chosen. and Toms and my
watch began. 1t was then drawing on 10
9 o'clock. There was no moon as yet. The
wind blew somewhat strong off the quarter,
but it came warm. The dew was VERY
heavy. and every time the brig rolled the
T. IL ton OF large, beautiful star just
pastthe maintopsai yardarm shot like
summer dash of lightning along the wet
deck. The brig was under very easy can
vas, though the whole topsails and fore
sail swept her along in foam. The sea
throbbed back over tile rails, with here
and there little burst of phos phoric light
in some head of curling yeast.
Sometimes Tom came to the wheel and
held IL. and then we talked shoulder to
H. l.