The news & observer., 1897-02-07

done her work, and that's the square
truth. 1t will take all she can manage
to reach shore with dry docks. LOOK, she $
in now nearly to her fOrecastel head.
Luckily, the shores not steep to here, or
else"
From beneath there came bump and
a rattle. and the steamer for a moment
halted in her progress, and white
crested wave surged past her rusty
fanks. Then she lifted again and
swooped further in, with the propeller
still squattering aStern, and then once
more she thundered down again into
the sand, and so, lifting and strlk-
ing, made her way in through the surf.
Gradually her stern was forced round,
and she was beaten up the beach broad
side on, with the green and white water
at times making a clean breach over
Ter. She was past all control. More
than one of the hands was swept from
her decks and reached the shore by
swimming But as the ebb made the
hungry seas left her stranded dry under
the mornings light, a crowd of in
surrcctionists waded out and climbed on
board by ropes which We're thrown to
them. They We're men of every tint,
from gray black of the pure negro to the
sallow, lemon tint of the blue e-blooded
Spaniard. They were streaked with
wounds, thin as skeletons, and clad more
with nakedness than rags, and so wolfish
did they look that even Kettle, callous
little ruffian though he was, half re-
GREETED bringing arms for such crew
to wreak vengeance on their neighbors.
But they give him small time for senti-
men of this brand. They clustered round
him with leaping hands, till the morning
sea fowl fled affrighted from the beach.
Ell Senor Captain Inglese was the savior
of Cuba, and let every one remember at;
alone, with his unarmed vessel, he had
sunk warship of their hated enemies,
and they prayed him, in their tiorid COM
pliment, to stay ON the island and rule
over them as king.
But the little sailor took them literally
whats this?" he said. ''You want me
to be your blooming king?
lei rev." they shouted; "El rey de los
Cubanos."
"By james," said Kettle, "Tll do it. l
was never asked to be a king before,
and the chance may never come again.
Besides, I'm out of berth just now,
and England will be too hot to hold me
yet awhile. Yes, I'll stay and boss you,
and if you can act half as ugly as you
hook, well give the dons lively time.
Only remember, there's no tomfoolery
about me. If I'm king of this show, I'm
going to carry full kings ticket, and
if there's any man tries to medale with
out being invited, that man will go to
his own funeral before he can think
twice. And now, we'll just begin busi-
ness at once. Off with these matches and
break out that cargo. I've been at some
pains to run these guns out here, so be
careful in carrying them up the beach.
Jump lively, now, you black faced scum :
Carnforth listened with staring eyes.
What sort Of broil was this truculent
little scamp going to mix in next? He
knew enough of Spanish character to
understand clearly that the offer of the
crown was merely an empty civility; he
understood enough of Kettle to be sure
that he had not taken it as such, and
would assert his rights to the bitter end
And when he thought of what that end
must inevitably be, he sighed over Owen
Kettles fate.
But the person he was chiefly sorry
for just then was Martin Carnforth, nj.
p. He remembered with clearness that
few hours before he had offered ket-
tie personal service, and he saw no prac-
tical means of avoiding the pledge.
Poor man, he'd a lot to go through be-
fore he got back to London town.
(THE END.)