The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1897-11-12

CHAPTER XVI.

lies at anchor in the offing. The vesse
Is plainly visible through the opel
, doorway of large boat-house on TN
shore, one of the buildings attache'
to a fishing station on the coast OF TN
island
The only person in the boat-house a
this moment is a man in the dress o
a sailor. He is seated on a chest VIII
a piece of cord in his hand, LOOKING
out idly at the sea. On the rough car
penter's table near him lies strange
object to be left in such place-a wo'
mans veil.
What is the vessel lying at anchoi
in the offing? The vessel is the ANA
n-dispatched from England to res
cue the surviving officers and men OF
the Arctic expedition. The meeting mas
been successfully effected, on the
shores of North America, three DAYS
since. But the homeward voyage has
been delayed by storm which mas
driven the ship out of her course. TAX
ing advantage, on the third, day OF the
first returning calm, the commander OF
the Amazon has anchored OIL the coast
of Newfoundland and has sent ashore
to increase his supplies OF water before
he sails for England The weary pas
sengers have landed for few hours, 10
refresh themselves after the discom-
forts of the tempest. Among them are
the two ladies. The veil left on the
table in the boat-house is Claras veil.
And who is the man sitting on the
chest. with the cord in his hand, look
ing out idly at the sea? The man is the
only cheerful person in the ships COM
pany. In other words-John want.
Still reposing on the chest, our friend
who never grumbles, is surprised by
the sudden appearance of a sailor at
the boat-house door.
"Look sharp with your work there'
John Want!" says the sailor; Lieu
tenant Crawford is just coming to look
after you"
With this warning the messenger
disappears again. John Want rises
WIN a groan-turns the chest up on
one end-and begins to fasten the cora
round it. The ships cook is not
man to look back on his rescue with
the feeling of unmitigated satisfaction
which animates his companions in
trouble. On the contrary, he is I'M
gratefully disposed to regret the North
Pole.
"If I had only known"-thus runs
the train of thought in the mind OF
John Want-"if l had only known, be-
fore | was rescued, that | was to be
brought to this place, believe should
have preferred staying at the North
Pole. was very happy keeping up
everybody's spirits at the North Pole.
Taking one thing with another, | think
must have been very comfortable at
the North Pole-if l had only Known
it. Another man in my place might
he inclined to say that this New
foundland boat-house was rather
sloppy, Shiny, draughty, fishy sort OF
a habitation to take shelter in. An
other man might object to perpetual
Newfoundland Goldfish, and perpetual
Newfoundland dogs. We had some
very nice bears at the North Pole.
Never mind! it's all one to mel
don't grumble."
"Haye you done cording that boX?'
This time the voice is voice OF
authority-the man at the doorway is
Lieutenant Crawford himself. John
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cheerful way.
eve done it as we'll as l can, sir
but the damp of this place is beginning
to tell upon our very ropes. l say
nothing about our lungs ! only say
our ropes"
Crawford answers sharply. He seems
to have lost his former relish for the
humor of John Want.
pooh! To look at your wry face,
one would think that our rescue from
the Arctic regions was a downright
misfortune. You deserve to be sent
back again"
81 could be just as cheerful as ever,
sir. If was sent back again. l hope
I'm thankful: but l don't like to hear
the North Pole run down in such a
fishy place as this. 1t was very dry
and snowy at the North Pole-and it's
very damp and sandy here. Do you
never miss your bone-soup, sir? 1 do.
II mightn't have been strong, but it
was very hot; and the cold seemed to
give It a kind of meaty flavor as it
went down. Was it you that was a
coughing SO long, last night, sir? l
don't presume to say anything against
the air of these latitudes-but / should
be glad to know it wasn't you that was
a-coughing so hollow. Would you be
so obliging as just to feel the state of
these ropes with the ends of your fin
gers. sir? You can dry them after
ward on the back of my jacket"
"You ought to have stick laid on
the back of your jacket. Take that
box down to the boat directly. You
croaking vagabond! You would have
grumbled in the Garden Of Eden"
The philosopher of the Expedition
WAS not a man to be silenced by re-
ferring him to the Garden of Eden.
Paradise itself was not perfect to John
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