San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-03-07

went down the steps, but he remained
in the hatch hidden and gazing
Tho boat continued to hold q course
for the Queen as though her occupants
had made up their minds. It was GER
tain that they had by this time recog.
nized her. Boldock, standing in the
companionway, commanded her with his
glass and was able to distinguish the
faces of the men. They were six, as the
boatswain had said. He who steered
was fine, handsome person, with q
large mustache. The powerful telescope
brought them within q hand reach of
the commander, albeit the boat was still
a mile off. One who sat near the steers
man was a fellow of huge bulk. His
immense figure dwarfed the man next
him.
Miss Mansel had again and again de-
scribed the ten men to Boldock, and he
Immediately said to himself when the
lenses perfectly magnified the forms and
faces of the fellows to his vision, "That
big devil is Davenire, and the gentle
man at the tiller is Captain Trollope,"
and third man he instantly knew by
recollection of the girls description, q
black faced, hung head man, who lay
over the weather gunwale looking right
into the commanders eye under the
shadow of his hat. But Mr. Weston,
who was sitting in the bows, Mr.. Han
key beside him and Mr.. Shannon, who
was seated with his back against the
mast, his arms folded. the correctest
copy imaginable of a shipwrecked fig
ure. Boldock was unable to identify
from memory of Miss Mansel's sketches.
Down helm, now, Trivett," said he,
after long silence, during which the
boat had drawn almost within musket
shot of the bark's bow.
Suddenly the boat dropped her lugsail
and rocked her naked mast with the
whole six men in her standing up star
ing under the sharp of their hands. all
in attitudes of debating and considering.
go now on to the fox Isle, William,
and you, Harry, and be steady with your
yarn if they should hail you. !"
The two seamen assembled the fore
castle ladder and showed themselves.
Harry, the Dane, ahoyr' roared the
thunderous voice of Davenire. "An
hour ago we saw that that vessel was
our bark. Was it the heavy swell car
ried you Off"
AYE, sir, answered the Dane, with
a flourish of his hand.
"Who are those people aft heref'
1.-TWO sailors put aboard us by yonder
whaler, sir" answered the Dane.
Don't you tell any liesl" roared
Caldwell. THAT briggs no whaler."
"Ho, the boat ahoyr' shouted the
boatswain, Trivett, from the head Of
the poop ladder. Begging your par
don, if you'll come alongside, I'll tell
you she is a whaler and give you her
masters name and the quantity of oil
she's got aboard and where she halls
FROM"
"All that's devilish easy to invent"
shouted Davenire. "Are you four men
the only people in that ship2"
Boat ahoyW shouted Trivett.
won't You draw little closer, SO that
we can talk? What are you afraid of? I
thought you were castaway men and
bore down to pick you up"
On this the six gentlemen held a short
consultation, often directing their eyes
at the bark with many marks of suspi-
cion in their looks and gesture. Then
Weston threw an oar over on one side
and Shannon an oar over on the other,
and to a very slow beat of blade-every
face, the rowers' included, turned to-
ward the Queen-the boat warily ap-
preached until she was abeam, within
comfortable talking distance.
Wouldn't that brig help you to
more than two men?" shouted Trollope
to the forecastle. eff she's whaler,
she's full handed"
Hell explain, sir" replied Harry,
pointing at Trivett on the poop.
"She's the Irish Girl Of Hull, Is
months out. She fell in with this vessel
his morning " cried Trivett, who fair
y looked the character Of the rough
whaling mate or superior spouter's sea-
nan he was personating as he stood in
ailor's careless attitude, foot in a coil
f rope, hand on a backstay, dressed
n a sleeved waistcoat, well worn cloth.
reeches and a greasy, gray, felt hat
Captain Button could only spare rs
wo men, but seeing your boat coming
long he counted ON my finding in you
be extray hands we require to navigate
his beautiful and valuable ship, which
tell you is flush to the matches with
'ool.
"How long have you been aboard?''
owled Caldwell, with his hand at the
de of his mouth.
mot yet had time to take a look
round," answered Trivett. ''This here
Zip wants men. There's no going be-
w aboard 500 ton when there's only
,wer to a crew. Amt that a sextant
Use in your starn sheets?'
Yes, it was a sextant case and inside
was sextant that had belonged to
10 late Captain Benson. When the
ngbOat had gone ashore with stores