San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-21
CHAPTER XIV.
BoLDoCK's PROPOSAL.

bO-DoCh . fhOfOSAL
About three weeks after the Ameri-
can captain had visited the Wellesley
that lubberly colonial brig. with her
SQUAD boats hunohed at her motherly
davits, was rolling most uncomfortably
upon large, pea green swell, whose
lofty folds as they swung in stately
procession seemed to be wrinkled by a
breeze Of their own making. The sky
WAS hung with soft dark masses Of
storm cloud, broken and departing. The
heavens between were a faded green,
and here and there upon the horizon
they were painted gray in slanting
patches by falling rain.
1t was about O'Clock in the morn
ling. The brig was under single reefed
topsails and foresail, and the thunder
this canvas knocked out of its heart
against the masts seemed to fetch a
faint, echoing growl from the dark cano-
pies afar. Nothing, not even light
ship, built of wood and sheathed with
metal ever rolled more abominably
than this same brig Wellesley, becalmed
in heavy swell. She dipped her fat
sides to the rail The rush of polished
brine was within hands reach. YCd
looked for the whole ocean to roll
aboard then grooming shockingly in ev-
cry timber, with yells in the wrenched
rigging, and furious beating of help
less canvas aloft, over she'd tumble
deep down to the other rail, leaping
half way back, as if in alright, spring
i ing her round bows out of the heave,
while the brine roared white from her
headboards, then tumbiing bodily over
again amid volleys of snaps and jerking
and straining noises.
This had been going on for some
hours. 1t was impossible to walk the
deck. The seamen staggered and rushed
if they let go. Presently the command
er tightly gripping the hand rail, rose
with wary eye to his neck and limbs
/ through the little ompanion hatch and
stood in it while lie looked about him.
Mr.. Hardy was hanging by the main
royal backstay, almost abreast of the
| red faced officer. The wheel leaped like
something living and vicious in the
strong grasp of the helmsman, but even
as the commander rose the brasswork
ornamentation upon the pinnacle box
was smitten into several stars of glory
by q watery beam of the sun. Com
mander Boldock looked up to see what
made that light, as though surprised ;
then, watching his chance, came out OF
the hatch and drove over to the side OF
Mr.. Hardy, clutching at the stay with
fingers like fishhooks.
81 hope those fellows will have man.
aged to keep their ship alive during the
late weather, said the commander. at
will be very vexatious should we ulti-
mately discover she has gone to the
bottom, gold and all-not that the all
will SO much matter, perhaps, as the
gold.
"Mr. Matthews gives good account
Of the mems smartness rs sailors, con-
sidering who and what they are" an
swered Mr.. Hardy. ''Some Of them
could furl sail as nimbly as blue
jacket. There were ten of them, and,
plus one, that's the number the ship
sailed with out of Sydney"
The commander observed that Mr..
Hardy stopped to dodge and peer and
bob at the horizon, where, following
the direction of the mates stare, Boil
dock saw white CLEAN of sail coming
and going at the edge Of small squall
of gray rain passing slowly.
Eyes, see her, sir, !" exclaimed the
commander, not waiting to be address
ed. He made a bolt for the companion
and cleverly grasped it. He was safe in
The embrace of that cover and took the
telescope of the brackets to
Itant sail.
was ever mo-