Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-21

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The captain tucked Mrs and Miss Hor.
rOyd under hts arms
tionable tmall eyed grin Of self COM
placency. got hold of Miss ManseI; Mr..
Burn talked with great politeness to
Mrs. Holroyd and her daughter; some
| OF the fellows went down on TO the
quarter deck, where smoking was per-
mitted, and hung in groups, chatting
pleasantly IS though n single Dime
| aboard the Queen had made them AL
good friends.
The close Of the dog watches in fine
weather is the pleasantest hour Of the
day at sea. The moonlight ripples on
the waters, the breeze is soft, and the
stars shine purely. The shadows of
those who sit or stand fan slowly with
the movements CT the ship. This was q
Sery perfect night. The dust os the me.
teor sailed across the southern cross,
and the slow passage Of the sc;ntillant
smoke seemed to deepen to the eye the
hush in the heavenly solitudes. For
ward come man was playing a concer-
tina softly. Several of the passengers, in
Gliding Captain Trollope. Davenire,
Caldwell and HanSey, went along rs
far as the galley and appeared to listen.
Here they found q couple of seamen
pacing with naked feet.
Il say" says Captain Trollope, "are
You pretty strong crew here?"
| One man plrcked a pipe from the scar
that formed his mouth and answered
no.
"Sho-t handed by how many?" asked
Mr.. Davenirc
"By as many as we are" answered
the other man.
flows the salt beef in these parts:''
asked Captain Trollope. lighting q
cigar.
"Ain't got to it yet. Had fresh messes
so far, answered one of them.
81 have known q rotten harness
cask, said Mr.. Hankey, staring at the
two men by the moonlight betwixt his
hard, black whiskers, ''breed the blood
lest mut;ny that was ever heard of at
sea. | say, Davenire, think of the spirit
OF murder lying picked in q barrel of
beef! What romance hunter would seek
for the fiend there? But I'll tell you
what. said he, stepping Up close to the
two astonished seamen, when the
sheath knife's too blunt to fashion to.
bacco jar or even a comb for q sweet
heart ont of the beef that's served to
men to nourish them ard to give them
bone, heart and hands for the halyards
and the handspike, why he broke of
with theatrical laugh and rounding
on his heel sauntercd aft, watched BY
the brace Of Jacks till he was ont of
sight on the poop.
1t was Just about then that the chief
mate, who was in charge of the watch,
uttered an exclamation, and at the same
moment rocket was distinctly observed
to explode come considerable distance
astern. A little later the steady glare
OF port fire showed, and this was fol
lowed by another ard yet another rocket
"That's from the little craft that was
hanging astern this afternoon" said
I
"She must be signaling Us, sir.
There's nothing else in sight"
"WLat could she want with us? Has
mailbag been omitted? Another rock.
ct! Bring the ship to, sir. and let Us see
what's wrong there"
This was done amid some excitement
on the part of the passengers. Even
now in these the first few hours OF
their departure from port the monoto-
ny of the deep was felt. Here was TO be
o picture by moonlight pursuit all
the way from Sydney harbor, some
thing more to look at and think Of thar
the white splendor flowing to the bows
aft here; my lads, and round in on
the main braces! Put your helm a. star
board''
And amid some stamping, harmo
nized by song, the ship was brought Il
the wind, and Mrs. Peacock, who watch
ed the movements of the men from the
side Of Mrs. Storr, on gazing up at tine
heavens beheld with establishment tina,
the moon had changed her position.
A group of the male passengers stood
together Oh the quarter and after loci.
ing one another in the face by tbs
bright light talked softly.
"W,,at can she be-" says the gentle
man named Davenire. staring with al
his might into that part of the sc,
where the fireworks had shone.
"Pshaw! Nothing for Us to troubi,
about" said Mr. Shannon.
"Doocid odd, though. all tho same, >
muttered Captain Trollopc; lust Gu
from Sydney and chased all the after
noon"
Amy message for rs, d'ye Think
softly exclaimed the handsome and de
cayed looking Masters. strolling to Tn,
group.
I'D be glad to see Ter sink il
thought So" answered Captain Tcol
lope
i Hero c-other fellow, with an air O.
aimiessness, approached the knot Of mel
which had you counted them yoy
would have found ten. On the othei
a ~ <t,< A.