Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-09
bled. for a procession Of monster rats chas-
ed across his pillow all night long.
CHAPTER TX

BLEED. for procession Of monster rats chas-
ed across his pillow all night long.
CHAPTER TX.
or course no more fruit from the cabin
table found its way into the fo'castle. Even
II the inclination remained the opportunity
was lacking. for spell Of bad weather sue
ceeoed the long. unbroken run of pleasant
sailing, rendering the deck anything but at
tractive to the passengers.
once only Paul and the rosy-cheeked Eng
nsn lass met before Auckland was sighted.
~ was after steady downpour lasting
twenty-four hours, which had kept every
body immured below deck. Chahng under
the confinement. the girl had slipped on her
London goloshes, donned her macintosh,
and stolen out Of the stuffy saloon for a
breath Of fresh air above She passed Paul
as ne cr0uched under the lee OF the port
iifeboat, and at first did not recognize the
young sailor clad In dripping oilshins, who
touched the brim Of his sou-wester as she
scudded along.
"Oh, dear. is that you-Paul?' she stam-
mered with a pretty hesitancy. Il have so
wanted to see you. / think it was just
| splendid in you not to tell. / did not hear
| Of the broken fruit bin until long past din
ner time. and then only by the merest ac-
c.dent learned that you were suspected and
| had been put in that horrid lazarette. /
| felt sure you hadn't said a word to Can't.
Dearborn about my giving you the fruit,
| so l went to see him Immediately. Gra-
| with an expressive shrug. But din't mind
that, for he promised to send the bo's'n TO
! get you instantly. He told me the circus
I men had just owned up to what they had
done. put said l mustn't say anything about
II, as II was foolish piece of business. Did
! he tell you had talked with him?"
Yes. indeed, and"-here Paul looked
| rather foolish-"do you know ! came near
making a horrible blunder? The captain
haon't said word about the circus fellows.
but after telling me the real culprit had
been found he remarked that you had
called on him and confessed everything
| Well, for a minute thought he meant Won
| had committed the burglary. You Should
have heard him laugh when I declared n
was impossible. Then he explained more
| clearly and sent me of to my quarters
| Bot 1t was very good of YOU to go to him
Miss Ethel" declared Paul. earnestly, land
nave anxiously looked for a chance to tell
you how deeply appreciate your goodness"
Nonsense" she retorted at would have
been despicable had 1 kept silent, and /
! should have hated myself ever after 1t is
i, not you, that am indebted, and 1 shall
never. never. forget it." Then. with char
acteristic impusiveness, she held out both
hands toward Paul, and after leaving them
IN his firm grasp for a brief moment sud
denly snatched them loose and darted away
into the mist and. as he felt. out of his life
forever.
As was natural Paul had come in contact
with quite number of the circus people
since his advent Before the mast" from
.iie main guy as tne proprietor was
known down to the humbiest animal at
tendant The knowledge that the troupe in
tended to make tour of New Zealand be-
fore visiting the mainland of Australia had
niied MIN with strong desire to see the
Islands also. To hire out to the circus in
some capacity had been his fixed purpose
from the day they left Honolulu but until
the 1rult-oin incident he had been unable
TO get any encouragement
His manly attitude on that occasion was
oruiteo around among the troupe and proved
an open sesame to the Jolly Irish merit
can can VINO controlled the Great American
CCnsoiioated Arenas. Word came to Paul
soon after that II he happened to be in the
vicinity OF the show grounds when the big
tent went up at Auckland he would be
taken care OF by the marager
10 quit the ship at Auckland was his firm
resolve. The little bulldog continued to
make things SO unpleasant for him that at
tmes ne felt wicked enough to steal up be-
hind bis tormentor and rush him over
board. Luckily he always MANAGED To ra
sist this inclination, but after each fresf,
holSnily he was more tnan ever deter
mined TO break away at the first opportu-
nifty.
Perhaps the second mate OWNED the in
tention of the young sailor. for as the shin
steamed into Auckland harbcr, he ordered
the DO n mate to keep his weather eye
on the lad. who, having signed articles for
sydney, was araenabie to discipline ~ de-
tected N an attempt to lump the ship"
Ons OF the sailors in the port watch
chancing to overhear the mates instruc-
lions warned Pau TO be on the iookout
ana suggested that he throw the little bull
dog OF the scent by waiting until all the
paraphernalia of the circus was unloadcd
on the wharf before he made a move This
aoNce was SO good that Paul concluded
TO profit by IL, so instead of irving to steal
away the first night, as ne originally in
tended, he turned out next morning at day-
light to bear hand in unloading and for
the rest OF the day worked almost under
the nose OF his prosecutor
The ruse was successful. His suspicious
iuhed. the little bulldog relieved the bos'n's
I,ate from 1urtner espior age, and that very
night Paul sfung his valise over his shoulder
srlnned down rope that hung over the
FesSeIs side dropped like cat on the
wharf and quietly disappeared in the direc-
ton or the town.
SnLgly hidden in a convenient LODGING
! mousse, which commanded a view of the
shipping, Paul did not venture forth until
the City of Sydney had cast OF her moor
| ing ropes and was steaming out into the
ocean again. Then, safe from all pursuit.
| ne quickly made his way to the circus
grounds. where the boss" canvasman was
Hello, Chicagor' was the greeting he re-
| away?"
French leave" returned Paul, laconic-
ally.
Want to go to work."
Sure thing"
Grab sIedse. then. and join that gang
SNSi JoAuer, you Ill get all the exercise YOU
want with this OUTFIT
Paul selected a light sledge-hammer from
the pile indicated, and, singing 1t across
his shoulder, trudged to the north end of
the grounds, where five men. under the d.
rectfon Of the assistant boss canyasman a
tall. freckled-faced young fellow called
"Redney," were driving stakes.
Rodney grinned as the lad approached.
Made 1T all right, didn't yer" he said
We'll. git a move on yer and edge in
here
The gang widened and made a space for
the newcomer. Circled around a fresh
stakepin the first man tapped it into an
Upright position, after which each hammer
fell in rapid sequence until the billet was
driven home. and, Rodney calling Delay"
the squad passed ON to the next pin.
This was PauPs Introduction to circus
life. 1t was some days before he became
adept at Singing sledge, and many a time
he missed the pin and broke the con tinuity
of blows by coming down on his neighbours
hammer. But he had been putting on
muscle down in the hold of the City of sgd
ney and his hard labor there now served
him an excellent turn.
The boss canyasnan was right when he
told Paul he would get all the exercise he
wanted The canvas hands were worked
ike horses and treated with even less CON-
sideration than is usually accorded dumb
animals. The majority, however, were but
little better than brutes. A drinking
-lxn lnf nj vtanT t.Nwx .14,. 81