The news & observer., 1897-02-07

blessed country ON the face of the globe
more interfering with her own people
| than England A Yankee can do as he
| darn we'll pleases in the filibustering
| line: but if Britisher makes a move
| that way, the blessed law here stretches
out 90 hands and plucks him back by the
| tail before he's half started. No, Mr..
| Carnforth, I'm not sweet on the chances.
| I'm q poor man, and this means a lot
10 me; that's why I'm anxious. You re
rich: YOU only stand to lose the cost of
| bhe consignment; and if that gets con-
| iscated it won't mean much to you"
| Carnforth grinned. You pay my
business qualities a poor compliment,
captain. You can bet your life | had
money down in hard cash before l
stirred foot in the matter. The weapons
| and the ammunition were paid for at
| 80 per cent above list prices, so as to
cover the trouble of secrecy, and L got
charter for the yacht to bring the stuff
out here which would astonish you If
you saw the figures. No, I'm clear of
| the matter from this moment, captain;
| but I'll not deny that | shall take an in
terest in your future adventures with
uhe cargo-,help yourself to cigarette" "
Then it seems to me-" said Kettle,
acidly. "that you'll look at me just as Il
hare set on to run for your amusementT
The yacht-owner laughed. You put
it brutally," he said, ''but that's about
che size of it. And, if you want further
truths, here's one: | shouldn't particu-
| larly mind if you were caught"
"How's that"
Because, my dear skipper, if the Span
| ish captured this consignment, the pa
rots would want another, and | should
get the order Whereas, if you land the
stuff safely, it will see them through to
| the end of the war, and my chance OF
making further profit will be at an end
"You have very clear way of putting
it." said Capt. Kettle.
Haven't /? Which will you take,
green chartreeuse or Yellow
"And, Mr. Gedge, can't you tell me, sir
how he stands over this business"
20, you bet, Gedge knows when to
come in out of the wet. He's got the
old Sultan underwritten by the insur-
ance and by the Cuban agents up to
double her value, and nothing would
shall have their guns if half the Spanish
cruiser to drop upon you"
Capt Kettle got up, reached for hls
cap, and swung it aggresively on to
one side of his head.
Every WE'LL" he said, that's your
side of the question; now hear mime.
That cargo's going through, and those
rebels or patriots or whatever they are
the Queen of England, no, not with the
navy was there to try and stop me.
You and MIR. Gedge have started about
this business the wrong way. Treat me
on the square and I'm u man a child
might handle; but I'd not be driven by
the Queen of England, no, not with the
Emperor of Germany to help her"
80, look here, captain" said Can-
forth, don't get your back up"
"I'll not trade with you," replied Ket-
tie.
you're a fool to your own interests"
81 know it," said the sailor grimly.
'Ive known it all my life. If I'd not
been that, I'd not have found myself
in such shady company as there is here
now"
Look here, you ruffian, if you insult
me I'll kick you out Of this cabin, and
over the side into your own boat"
''All right said Kettle, "start in"
Carnforth half rose from his seat and
measured Capt. Kettle with his eye.
APPARENTLY the scrutiny impressed him,
for he sank back to his seat again with
an embarrassed Idugn. Ou fe an ugly
little devil" he said.
I'm all that, said Kettle
"And I'm not going to play at rough
and tumble with you here. We've nei-
ther of us anything to gain by it, and
I've a lot to lose. / believe you'll run
that cargo through now that you're put
on your mettle, but l guess there'll be
trouble for somebody before it's dealt out
to the patriot troops.l Cad, I'd like to
be somewhere on hand to watch you
do it."
II 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 | can't
be bothered with dead-head passengers"
"That settles it, said Carnforth. I'm
coming with you to run that blockade,
and if the chance comes, my cantankerous
friend, I'll show you / can be useful.
Always supposing, that is, we don't MUIR
der 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 Borneo's upper bridge, with his hand
on the engine room telegraph, which was
pointed at Full speed astern' Carn-
forth 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.
They had reason for their anxiety.
Not five minutes ago a long, lean tor
pedo catcher had raced up out of the
thickness, and slowed down alongside,
with the channel spindrift blowing over
her superstructure in white hailstorms.
An officer on the upper bridge in glisten-
ing oilskins had sent across a sharp au-
lucrative hail, and had been answered,
"Sultan of Borneo; Kettle, master; from
South Shields to the Havana"
"What cargo" came the next question.
"Coal"
"Whatw
Goal"
llyy1r m