Arizona silver belt., 1896-10-22

| in the center or the pond. SLOWLY the twilight gathered, yelling the distant
 hills, and obscuring the outlines of the marshy shores. The old seaman tuned and fretted. He placed his big com pass on the thwnrt in front of him, and fixed the homcward course by the needle as well as he could, after studying vari. ous fading landmarks with his glass
 His lips were shut very tightly, lest any strong nautical language should escape them in the presence of Benny and Carl. But finally, as darkness closed around, the necessity for utterance so grew upon the old man that he seized his speaking- trumpet, and, in tones that
 made the shores reyerberate, roared ! out:
 "Topsham, aboy! a-h-o-y!" The boys listened in awed silence, but there was no reply to the stentorian ! hail, though thrice and four times re- | peated, Butt as ii the echoes, circling the | pond, had stirred some sluggish cur rent of air and set it flowing again, a slight breeze began to stir the sail of | the Mermaid, and she moved slowly for ward in the darkness. Capt. Nabb's face becHled with de- light, and, tiller in hand. he leaned over | the big compass and sailed away on starboard tack. Give us n song, my
 hearties!" he cried, gayly, to Benny and Carl. Then, strengthening himself up. I he roarcd stanza of rollicking sea
 ballad, beginning:
 Oh, Nancy was sailors lass, As fair a lass as e'er knew! The captain was about to start up the chorus, when there came swish- ! ing sound across the bow of the Mer- maid,
 Look out, captain! We are running asbore!" cried Benny. See! we are
 in the swamp-grass."
 'Shiver my timbersl" shouted Capt
 Nabb, in amazement. He jibed the Mermaid, and she rushed through the shallow water and the bending marsh ! grass till finally she brought up on a muddy spit and stuck fast, while all | the ballast, including the captain, the two deck hands, and the nautical in- struments, pitched forward and brought up in a heap in the bow.
 Well, well!" panted Captain Nabb, as he finally struggled up on thwart. That's the first time ever lost my reckoning"
 And it's the first time I ever lost a tooth!' sputtered Benny, as he leaned over the side of the boat.
 Dear me! That's too badl" said the captain. 'I don't see how it happened According to the compass we should be in clear water, steering a straight course for the wharf"
 "But, captain, you must remember that the pond is crooked,' suggested Benny.
 Bless me! that's fact." cried the old tar. II never thought of it."
 They all got out into the shallow water, and after much pushing and hauling, foated the Mermaid again. Then Capt. Nabb took an observation of the stars, replaced his compass on | the thwart, and yentured upon a new course. This at length brought them into one of the two large brooks, but which one they could not tell, as the water was dead, and il was impossible in the darkness to tell anything of the surrounding country. Then the great navigator, who had been around the world, scratched his l head, and made another calculation; the result of which was that, after sail ing, as it seemed, for hours, these night explorers found themselves in the slug gish mouth of the other brook, quite as uncertain as before which end of the pond they had arrived at. Thereupon Capt. Nabb seized his speaking trumpet and beloved again. and this time he sent forth less defi- nite and confident hail:
 "On shore! Ahoy!" "Ahoy yourselfi Don't deef-en a fel- low. What do you want?' came grufr reply out of the darkness, not 50 yards away.
 Capt. Nabblowered his trumpet rather sheePishly. "H'c have lost our reckon ing, friend" he said, addressing his re- marks to the unknown in the darkness. "Will you kindly give us our bear ings?'
 You're just ten rods up Dead creek" replied the hoarse voice of the unknown, ''anA I wisht you'd back out and quit soaring tAe pouts."
 "Dead creek! Why, that's way at the further end of the pond!" ex- claimed Benny. Its a mile from here to the wharf, and l don't believe you can ever sail us there in the world, cap tain."
 Right you are, youngster!" cried the navigator, heartily, though it was a sore blow to his nautical pride.
 Can't ye find your way home?' came the voice out of the darkness.
 "No!" replied the -girdler and the two boys, in mournful chorus.
 "Ill come aboard and sal ye there for 75 cents." The proposition was mercenary but practical, and had a welcome ring of assurance in it. Capt. Nabb hesitated, looked up at the stars, then at the shivering boys. Hay aboard!" he said. shortly. Half an hour later Benny and Carl were crawling gratefully into bed, and Capt. Nabb was packing his big black chest, moved by sudden, inextinguish. able lr> Dinr for the open sea.-Outlook ALL KINDS OF PiCKuPS.
 In the Bermudas rats often build their nests in trees, like birds and squir- rels.
 At Margate, an English watering place. men and women are not per mittcd to bathe in company.
 A brilliant signal light at Atlantic City is visible l9 miles at sea. Each year it burns 2,2OO gallons of oil The world is crowded only in spots.