The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-07

dark night an iron Delaying pin flew
out of the blackness of the forecastle
and whizzed within an inch OF his
sleeping head, but he reused so quickly
that he was able to shoot the thrower
through the shoulder before ne could
dive back again through the forecastle
door. And another time when a DOW
dering gale had kept him on the bridge
for As consecutive hours, and a deputa-
ton of the deck hands raided him in
the chart house on the supposition that
exhaustion would have laid him out in
dead sleep, he woke before their
fingers touched him, broke the jaw of
one with a camp stool, and so mall
treated the others with the same
weapon that they were glad enough to
run away even with the eXasperating
knowledge that they left their task
master unchanged behind them. So
although this ALIENATION crew of the
Sultan of Borneo dreaded the Spaniards
much, they feared Captain Kettle far
more, and by the time the steamer
closed up with the island of Cuba they
had concluded to follow out their skip
per'S orders, as being the least of the
two evils which lay before them.
Carnforth's way OF looking at the
matter was peculiar. He had all a
hearty mans appetite for adventure,
I'D all a prosperous mans distaste for
being wrecked. He had taken a strong
personal liking for the truculent little
skipper, and, other things being equal,
would have cheerfully helped him; but
on the other hand, he could not avoid
seeing that it was to his own interests
that the crew should get their way and
keep the steamer out of dangerous
waters. And so when finally he decided
to stand by non-interferent, he prided
himself a good deal on his forbearance,
and said so 10 Kettle is as many words.
That worthy mariner quite agreed with
him. It's the very best thing you
could do, sir he answered. 1T would
have annoyed me terribly to have had
TO shoot you out of miSchiefS way, be-
cause you've been kind enough TO say
you like my poetry, and because I've
come to see, sir, you're a gentleman.
They came to this arrangement on
the morning of the day they opened out
the secluded bay in the southern Cuban
shore, where the contraban of war
was to be run. Kettle calculated his
whereabouts with niceness, and after
the midday observa ton, lay the steam
er to for a couple OF hours and himself
supervised his engineers, whilst they
gave a good overhaul TO the machinery
Then he gave her steam again and
made his landfall four hours after the
sunset.
They saw the coast first as a black
line running across the dim gray of the
night. 1t rose as they neared it, and
showed a crest fringed with trees and
foot STEPPED in white mist, from out
of which came the faint below of surf.
Captain Kettle, after a cast or two,
picked up his marks and steamed in
confidently, with his side lights devised
and three red lanterns in a triangle at
his foremast head. He was feeling
surprised with the easiness
of it all.
But when the steamer had got we'll
into the blight of the bay, and all the
glasses on the bridge were peering at
the shore in search of answering lights,
q blaze of radiance suddenly fnckered
on to her from astern, and was as sud
denly eclipsed, leaving them for a mo-
ment blinded by it's dazzle. 1t was q
long truncheon of light which spouted
from glowing center away between
the heads of the bay, and they watched
it sweep away from them over the sur
face of the water, and then sweep back
again. Finally, after a little more daily
ing, it settled on the steamer, and lit
her and the ring of water on which she
swan like chip in a lantern picture.
Carnforth swOre aloud, and Captain
Kettle lit a fresh cigar. Those of the
crew who were on deck went
below to pack their bags.
well, SIR said Kettle, cheerfully,
here we are. That's Spanish gun
boat, with searchlight, all complete
He screwed uD his eyes and gazed
astern meditativelv-"Sh got the
heels on us, too, by about five knots, [
should say. Just look at the flames
coming out of her tunnels. Aren't they
just giving her ginger down in the
stoke hold. Shooting viii begin directly
and the other blackguards ashore have !
apparently forgotten all about us. !
There isn't light anywhere"
What are you going to do?" asked |
Follow out Mr.. Gedge's instructions,
sir, and put this cargo on the beach |
the old Sultan goes there, too, |
20 be seem
THAT ounboat will cut you off in a !
quarter of an hour if you keep on this |
course.
with that extra five knots she can
do as she likes with us. so l shant |
shift my helm. 1t would only look sus-
Good Lordr' said Carnforth, "as if |
our being here at all isn't suspicion |
ITSELF
But Kettle did not answer He had, |
20 use his own expression, got his wits
under forced draft" and he |
could not afford time for idle specula-
ton and chatter. 1t was the want of |
The answering signal ashore that upset |
him. Had that showed against the /