The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-01-08

north-they seemed very far away just
then! Close beside us, overhanging our
heads, We're the black sides of the unac-
countable ship, a sort of .grotesque
marine ,catafalque, containing no one
uld tell what; so lately full of life and
stle, and now as deadly still as a
ritable tomb. What did it mean, or
tend? What in the name of mys-
y had become of its late occupants?
ey could not have got away; they
d been under observation from the
ne the ship first hove in sight; and yet
ey could not be heard unless
ne alternative was the thing that I
have described as uninviting. If that
swarm of men We're on board, lurking
in such breathess silence within a few
feet of where We We're sitting, there
was difficulty in persuading ones self
that their conduct boded us any good.
on the other hand, of course, it was
scarcely less difficult to imagine what
benefit they could expect from doing
us any harm. Here they were, hard
and fast on the reef, at the mercy not
only of change in the weather, but of
the inhabitants of the islands. They
must be aware that our visit could
DE intended only in their interest. All
the same, do not mind saying that my
most urgent longing at that moment
did not take the form of a craving to
Chamber UP the ships side and find out
what going on there.
AS for the colonel it Is the business
of warriors not to know what fear is;
and In his case there was the added
consideration that he felt-Whether
reasonably or not matters little-that
her Britannia majesty was being
slighted in his person. At all events,
am able to affirm that, to all appear
ances, the only effect upon my friend
of this ghastly unresponsiveness on
the part of the ships company was to
develop IN him a wrath, the fiery quail
dty of which was but feebly symboliZed
by the glow Of the cigar which was
gripped between his teeth. He re-
peated his hail twice; and then, turn
ing to me, with the deadly calm of one
who has passed beyond the point where
demonstrations of any sort can ade-
quately express his emotions, he said,
in the softest tones / had ever heard
him use: II think I'll just step aboard
and make few inquiries. VIII you re-
main here, Or
If had been an Englishman, or even
negro, think | might have been pre-
vailed upon to let that gallant gentle
man have all the fun to himself; but.
as / had the honor of the Stars and
Stripes in my keeping, al least as much
as he had that of the lion and the uni
corn IN his. i at once replied, in a loud
and cheerful tone: Remain here ?
Well, not If / know myself! / came
out here to see these fellows and you
can bet your life, Colonel Enderby, I
am not going ashore again without
having done it.'
"Ah! then have the kindness to fol-
low me-" said he, in the same unnatur-
ally silky voice. He stepped out on the
surface of the reef and I followed him.
1t was only a few inches above the
water, and was both rough and slim
perry We trod on limpets and sea-
urchins, and Shiny strips of seaweed
twined themselves about our ankles.
something that looked to me like the
IN OF gigantic shark moved to and
fro In the water few yards off.
Charles" said the colonel, 'hand me
out that lantern" Charles did so
"Charles," continued his master. "you
Will remain here until my return. You
are not to come on board unless I sum.
mon you. q thought it highly prob
able that Charles would observe this
injunction) Keep the boat about where
she is-(Suppose, thought /, these fel.
lows should take it into tf1eir heads tc
scuttle off as soon as our backs are
turned; what then ?-and let no one
presume to leave his place, or indulge
In any laughter or horse-play during
my absence"
Charles, undertook to restrain an,
undue hilarity. Indeed, the counte
nances and bearing of the men did no,
seem to me to betray any strong de
sire to break forth in careless mirth
to troll jovial tavern catches or to lear
out on the reef and indulge in break
down; but the light was dim, and ]
may have been mistaken.
And now, l believe we are ready,
added the colonel, with courteou.
inclination in my direction. 80 "
II am certainly" returned I, with tn,
air Of one who has too LONG been chafinl
under inaction: and we turned to tn,
ship.
AS luck would have it, the cordag,