Evening star., 1897-02-06

somebody before It's dealt out to the pa
triot troops. Cad, I'd like to be some
where on hand to watch you do IT,"
Il don't object to an audience" said
Kettle.
by Jove, I've half mind to come with
YOU
You'd better not" said the little sailor,
with glib contempt. You're not the sort
that cares to risk his skin, and 1 can't be
bothered with dead-head passengers"
THAT settles it," said Carnforth, I'm
coming with you to run that blockade, and
friend. I'll show you 1 can be useful. Al
ways supposing, that is. we don't murder
one another before we get there"
A white mist shut the channel sea into a
ring, and the air was noisy with the grunts
and screams of steamers syrens. Capt.
Kettle was standing on the Sultan of Bor-
neo's upper bridge, with his hand on the
engine room telegraph, which was pointed
at Full speed astern;" Carnforth and the
old second mate stood with their chins
over the top of the starboard dodger, and
all three of them peered into the opalescent
banks Of the fog.
Tney had reason for their anxiety. Not
five minutes before a long, lean torpedo
catcher had raced up out Of the thickness,
and slowed down alongside, with the chan
structure in white hailstorms. An officer
on the upper bridge in glistening oilskins
had sent across sharp authoritative hail.
and had been answered, Sultan of Bor-
neo; Kettle, master; from South Shields to
the Havana
What carso?" came the next question
Coal"
"What?"
Coal"
Then. Mr.. Tyne Coal for the Havana,
just heave to whilst I send away a boat to
look at you. fancy you will be the steam
boat I'm sent to find and fetch back
Tto
ship had hummed with men; a pair Of boat
davits had swung outboard, and the boat
mad been armed and manned with naval
noise and quickness. But just then a bill
blanket like in its thickness, which closed
all human vision beyond the range of a
dozen yards, and Capt. Kettle jumped like
terrier on his opportunity. He sent his
steamer hard astern. with a slightly ported
helm. and whilst the torpedo catcher's boat
was searching for him toward the French
shore, and sending vain halls into the
white banks of the mist. he was eircltus
lfsh coast. -s = Ee1iTf7 :
So long as the mist held the Sultan OF
Borneo was as hard to find as a needle in
cargo Of hay: did the air clear for so
much as single instant she would be no.
ticed and stand self-confessed by her at
tempt to escape, and as a result the sus-
pense was vivid enough to make Carnforth
1eel physical nausea. He had not reckoned
on this complication. He was quite prepar-
ed to risk capture in Cuban waters where
the glamor of distance and the dazzle of
helping insurrectionists would cast a glow
or romance over whatever occurred But
10 be caught in the English channel as a
vulgar smuggler for the sake of CONNER
cial profit. and to be hauled back for hard
labor In an English JAIL was a different
matter. He was a member of parliament,
and he understood these details in all their
niceties.
But Capt. Kettle took the situation differ
entity The sight of the torpedo-catcher
stinened all the doubt and limpness out of
his composition; his eye frightened and his
lips grew stiff; the scheming to escape
acted on him like a tonic; and when an
nour later the Sultan Of Borneo was steam
ing merriiy down channel at top speed
Through the same impenetrable fog) the
little skipper whistled dance music on the
upper bridge. and caught the notion for a
most pleasing sonnet. That evening the
crew came aft In a state of wild mutiny
and Kettle attended to their needs with
gusto.
He prefaced his remarks by a slight ex
hibition of craftsmanship He cut away
the vane which showed dimly on the fore
topmast truck, with single bullet, and then
inueead h,.er deaterousiy reloading his revolver.
bridge with the weapon in his hands.
He told the malcontents he was glad of
the opportunity to give them his views on
matters generally. He Informed them gen
tally that for their personal wishes he
cared not one decimal of jot. He stated
plainly that he had got them on board.
and intended by their help to carry out his
owners instructions, whether they hated
them or not. And finally he gave them his
candid assurance that If any cur among
them presumed to disobey the least of his
orders he would shoot that man neatly
through the head, without further pre-
amble.
This elegant harangue did not go home
to al! hands at once, because being a Brit
1sh ship. the Sultan of Borneo's crew nat
uraily spoke In five different languages,
knowledge of English. But the look Of
Kettles savage little face as he talked,
and the red torpedo beard, which wagged
beneath it. conveyed to them the tone of
mis- speech, and for the time they did not
require more accurate translation They
had come off big with the intention of
forcing him Ut necessary with violence) to
run the steamer there and then into an
English port; they went forward again like
pack of sheep, merely because one man
had let them hear the virulence Of his bark
and had shown them with what accuracy
he could bite If necessary. And that's the
complacently. If they'd been English, I'd
have had to shoot at least two of the
beasts to keep my end up like that
You're MARVEL Carnforth admitted.
heard a man with gift of tongue like
you have got"
I'm poisonous when 1 spread myself"
said Kettle.
Il wish I was clear Of you," said Carn-
forth, with an awkward laugh. Whatever
possessed me to leave the yacht and come
on this cruise I can't think"
Some people never do krow when they're
well on" said Kettle. well. sir, you're in
for 1t now. and you may see things which
Will be of service to you afterward. You
ought to make your mark in parliament
II you do get back from this trip. You'll
have something to talk about that men will
like to listen to. instead of merely chatter
ing wind. which Is what most Of them are
put to, so far as I can see from the papers
And now. sir, here's the steward come to
tell us teas ready. You go below and tuck
in. I'll take mine on the bridge here 1t
won't do for me to turn my back yet
awhile. or else those beasts forrard viii
jump on US from behind and murder the
whole lot whilst we aren't looking
The voyage from that time onward was
for Capt. Kettle period of constant watch:
fulnesS. 1t would not be true to say that
he never took of his clothes or never slept;
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