Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-13

too good to die"
Fore topmast crosstreesr' roared
Trollope. Don't you hear me ask you
how does the land bear?''
How am l to give it you in points:''
answered Caldwell. "All that know
is it's there and he shot out his arm,
indicating place on the sea about three
points On the lee bow.
Hankey sprang off the poop, and.
running forward. danced aloft. The
canvas of the topsail swelled against a
soft, vast white cloud. Above stood the
naked head Of the mast, clearly exposing
the forms of Mr.. Caldwell and MI.
Hankey as they jockeyed one arm OF
the crosstrees pi!lion fashion, their legs
swinging, their shapes sharp as ink
streaks against the cloud.
Land in your eye, is it," cried Wes-
ton, rushing off the poop on to the quar-.
ter deck and gazing up at the men,
"Sclid enough to get married on, bet
your dollop on that. Solid enough tc
build a church on and be buried in, -
yelled Hankey. ''Hurrah!"
He had taken the binocular glass
from Caldwell, and. in the ecstasy OF
that hurrah, he knocked his companion !
hat Off
plague take You for the clumsiest
hand in the ship!' growIed Dixie.
The hat, being of straw, fluttered
lightly to the deck. Its descent was
watched by the people below with a
sort of horror. Nothing SO suggests the
fall of O man from aloft as the dropping
of his hat. His head might well be in
it, you think. Caldwell came sluggish.
ly as bear down the rigging, leaving
the glass with Hankey, whom Trollope
now hailed.
II say, old chap. do You see any sign
of the brigantine?''
That's just what I'm looking for, -
answered Hankey, standing up and
holding on by one hand and carefully
sweeping the horizon of the waters with
the lenses.
"Brigantine in sight?" shouted Shan.
non from the wheel.
Nobody made answer till Hankey,
looking down, sang ont, II see nothing
like q sail, but there are many tips of
white clouds which are deucedly bother
some, and I won't swear that one OF
another mayn't be q ship yet"
Caldwell sprang like toad of the
rail ON to the deck, picked his hat up
and put it on his head.
Its the land and your island, Troll
lope, said he, with a note of gloomy
congratulation in his voice. 81 make
you my acknowledgements. Your skill
as navigator is exquisite.
Trollope touched his cap and wound
his mustache with half a smile, half q
sneer.
But there's no Ship" continued
Caldwell, land unless Saunders has hid.
den his vessel away behind that blotch
yonder he's missing his road or gone
down in the gale"
Several of the men, catching at Cald
wells hint, gathered about Trollope
and shook hands with him and wert
noisy in admiration of his navigation.
Its little early to suppose tina
because we don't see the brigantir
she's gone down, or that Saunders ha
| missed the road" exclaimed Trollo,
presently, turning upon Caldwell.
Why, man, the blessed island itself
isn't i'll sight yet from these decks
Who wants to depress u.s." said Dav.
| enire.
Il am the first man to see the island,
all the same" said Caldwell, and with
look dark with liver, nerve and tenn.
Fer he turned to the rail and stared
away out to sea.
Captain Trollope staid awhile aloft.
lie was scoundrel, but a man Of i'm
aglnation and taste and could not fail
to enjoy the magnificent prospect of sea
which tIembled and sparkled in It's
countless miles Of brine far beneath
him and away to the distant blue slope
scarcely clothed with cloud. The air w
! here blew with a refreshing GOODNESS.
The oblique glance Of the sun painted
haii the squares CT the canvas to the
man royal a delicate crimson, which
paled III the other half into gray. The
vaue at the masthead burned, and al
the tarry shrouds and backstays were
tipped III each turn of strand with gold,
The ocean was sheet Of gold under
the sun, and many dark shadows OF
cloud seemed to sleep upon it like is
lands. Trollope thought one looked az
firm as land and watched it anxiously
till he saw that it moved. He yazed
down and beheld lines of blue swiftIy
turning int, light, curving. numerou:
as the strings CT harp from cithe,
bow. the swelling cloths of the main
topsail and topgallant sail conceali,
the northern horizon. He Judged tn:
the ships speed was about . knot,
and that the island might be atove &c
miles distant.
| 1t would be impossible fer them ts
make it ty daylight. He resolved
therefore, to sail another 70 or is mile:
and then heave the ship to till dawn
Yet he staid first TO intently survey
the liquid path Of the ship as far rs ths
glasses carried his sigh then uos. care
fully he ran along the horizon 10 whezt
the mainsail blocked it on either hand
He saw 10 ship, nothing but swarmins
mockeries Of sail. graceful as feather!
and deceptive by lingering.
1t will be terrible, he thought. as b,
slowly descended the rigging. if Saup
ders is not at the island, and on gain