Rock Island Argus., 1896-12-19
- CHAPTER 1.
THE BARK QUEEN.

One moonlight night two men stood
ut the extremity Of point Of land that
1utted into the black ripple Of Sydney
bay. The moon rode high and rained a
light that hOafed in the air in mist CT
splendOr; the vision was overwhelmed
by the brilliance; the dark shore on
either hand the spot where the two men
stood sank into visionary streaks lit
tie distance from them, and looking
across Sydney bay was like being at sea
The Circular quay had not been built
in those days. Ships lay moored in
creeks, and here and there you caught
glimpse as of q thundercloud Of mast
and spar interlaced and knitted into
deep shadow, III places touched into
silver CLEANS. In the bay the riding
lights of ships winked against the food
ing moonlight weak as firefiies.
A ship rode opposite the men. She
was perhaps three-quarters Of mile dis
tant, easily to be distinguished as a
handsome little bark, with all her sea
gear rove and her sails slowed, as
though just arrived or shortly depart.
ing. The men looked ut he: while they
quietly conversed. Past her this mo-
ment there went floating, dim as a COL
umn OF vapOr, d large ship, newly ar
rived from the old country. In few
minutes she broke up the silence in tie
bay by the roar Of iron links swept
through iron, and by the hallooing and
bawling Of men as the sails melted in
the moonlight into wreaths and fes.
toons delicate as vapor.
1t was 10 O'Clock. Some chimes came
in faint strains from Sydney town.
They were caught up by the ships bells,
and pretty noise of tinkling, with
clearer, deeper, nearer notes from some
throats of metal up the creek, past the
men, trembled i'll fairy music across
the waters. Hero and there upon the
breast Of the bay crept some little shad-
Ow of boat, framed in dim glitter of
phosphor that would have been bright
light had the neon been dark Scarce
ly had the last of the ships bells rung
out 10 o'clock when noise Of oars
caught tho men.
Here he comes" said one Of them,
straining his eyes in the direction Of
the sound under the sharp of his hand,
as though the sun was in the sky.
"No, nc" answered the other gruff-
y; why, Trollope. that noise means =
gunwale full of tholes. You Ii not see
Hankey till he's here.''
AS the men spoke these words, both
OF them articulating in accents of re-
fnement, low, long white boat came
close in out of the haze of the moon.
Light with man in the stern sheets,
who stood up on catching sight of the
figures upon the strip Of land, apparent
ly staring at them. You saw gleam of
buttons on his frock coat, and the six
men who were rowing leisurely on the
thwarts were uniformly appareled.
"Oars! cried the man in the stern
sheets.
The boat foated to a stand right
abreast the creek, into whose yawning
mouth, glooming swiftly out of the sill
yer into dusk. thickened by the masts
and rigging of ships. the man continued
to stare for some moments as though in
expectation. The two men down Oh the
point where the water oame strumming
with guitarlike note in black ripples
watched him.
What 10 that boat?" said one Of
them.
Either the harbor guard boat, or she
belongs to man-of-war, answered
the other.
What have they got the scent of?
On the track Of deserters perhaps, or
keeping bright lookout on what 8 yon-
der. chg" and the speaker nodded in the
direction of the bark
The man in the stern sheets resumed
his seat, the oars were leisurely dipped,
and the boat vanished in the vaporous
sheen.
Five minutes after she was out of
sight black spot showed close in on q
line with the bark. 1t enlarged swiftly
into little boat, with man scullius
her He was alone. He drove the beat
q short way up the creek, where the
brine brimmed without break of ripple,
and jumped out, keeping hold Of his
boat by her painter. The others Joined
him.
well, Hankey, what's the news?''
I've been an hour with Poole and
have corkscrewed out Of him as much
as think is to be got. A couple of bot
Ties OF champagne made him chatty,
and the captain was ashore and the
chief mate indisposed in his cabin
There are few passengers on board.
She sails tomorrow at 2, and seemed to
Inc while she lies in the moonlight as l
walked her deck the pre:tiest little
craft that was ever handled by n sailor.
Easily to he worked, in my judgment,
by half n dozen men. Her yards are
square for her size, but I'd undertake
TO roll up her main topsail, blowing
hard, with three men,"
The others listened eagerly. The man
spoke with IN educated accent. The
three OF them suggested the broken
ofhcer, the gentleman who had come 10
the colonies for the sold rush, who haa
Jailed and made shift for his life in 90
different directions, sailorizing seeming
~ being one of them, as might be infer
red at all events from Mr.. Hankey' s
talk Of topsails and the others appre-
ciative understanding OF his words
Has she an arms chest?" said one
0f them.
"Yes."