The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-05-27

right below us in mid-ocean there.
And how far is it?" asked Camilla.
Twelve or thirteen hundred miles,
said the colonel. who was also looking
on with interest.
Hardly so much as that; | wish II
were,' said Dick. But | am afraid
eight or nine days from the outside viii
take us there"
And from there" asked Camilla, still
porting over the chart. how far is it to
st. Helena?"
II can't say exactly. To the Cape 1t
is about two thousand five hundred
miles, but that is the straight course.
by which you 60 some way outside OF
st. Helena, and don't even pass near
enough to see the famous pigeons"
What are they"
"Oh, they're only a kind of pigeon
peculiar TO that island; but they're
rather well known for their beauty II
because they're found nowhere else.
They often come circling around a snip
at an immense distance from the land.
and the sailors catch them to take home
to their friends; but they mostly die
before the voyage is over,
Have YOU ever seen them" asked
the colonel. ''What are they like?"
They're small gray birds, very grace
full and light on the wing. with bright
pink legs and a curious band Of white
under the eye"
No replied Camilla: didn't you
hear Captain Estcourt say h a they are
peculiar to st. Helena"
But surely they must rave made
their way across at some time or other.
the two Islands are not SO very far
apart"
1T is curious" said Dick, but / as
sure you that there are none to be
found anywhere else. If / saw n OF
them. 1 should know for a certainty
that l was off st. Helena, though a
moment before / had been thinking my
self in the Pacific or the North Sea-"
He rolled up the chart and returned
il to- the colonel. who went off with 1t
to his W cabin and did not appear for
some time.
Dick and Camilla went on deck, and
enjoyed the sun and blue sky after so
many dark days.
do you know" she said, that | did
not always enjoy that perpetual rush
Of wind and rain? And If I hadn't seen
thai you were quite cheerful about it.
1 should have really been quite alarmed
at times"
Dick smiled. Il was more timid than
you. I expect: I was by no means as
cheerful as / looked
Then there was danger?" she asked.
There was a lee shore, and there
were nights in which We could see moth
ing"
Then how could the ship be steered?'
She couldn't; she drove before the
wind. which happily was in the right
direction; all the steersman could do
was to stand to his helm and be al
ways ready for a sudden danger"
What work. she cried. Then it
was really one man who saved us all?"
"Oh, no." he answered. that's too
much to say: let's hope he would have
saved US if he had had the chance"
How cap o speak so lightly of
him." she exclaimed. warmly. HE is
a hero, and l shall thank him myself"
Dick was silent. and looked away.
tombstone was passing near, and
Camilla called to him
What is your steersman's name?"
she asked, as he approached.
Dick had made some hasty excuse,
and was gon in a moment.
We've been taking the wheel in turns
of late" said tombstone; but on the
worst nights Captain Estcourt wouldn't
let her out of his own hands"
She nodded and turned away. John
stone passed on with an approving
shake Of the head.
My word.' he r1uttered, ''he would
ha a fnp1 70 cticE ~ cc,,,,la. nnyy. ho'Il
be better paid than me by a long sight"
AS for Camilla, this episode brought to
a decisive end the struggles which had
been going on at intervals in her mind
since she came on board the Speedwell.
She was convinced, and glad to be
convinced, that Dick was indeed the
man she had thought him of old. What
ever had been his reasons for joining
in this expedition, they were not, she
felt certain, either weak fondness for
herself or disloyalty to the colors un-
der which he served.
With this conclusion, which was
rather due to instinct than reasoning,
and was but half-consciously present
to her mind, her old feelings toward him
resumed their place, and the restraint
which she had hitherto endeavored to
put upon them broke down completely.
Eight days passed in great content.
The colonel troubled them with his So
ciety less than ever. When he was not
alone in his own cabin. he was general
ly in that of Captain Worsley. Of whom
he gave reports to the 49, ewtce a
day.
1t appeared that the medicines On
board were insufficient; the Speedw
carried no surgeon, In spite Of I
twelve weeks regulation. which express
ly includes the Cape; and the patients
condition was. therefore. unsatisfactory,
and at times even critical.
Hearing this, Dick foresaw that the
remainder of his voyage would prob
ably be spent in the sole company of