The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-13

The talk between them was not for
long.
Il must beseech you, miss, to go back
from where you came" said Kettle. You
must trust me to carry out this business
without your supervision"
rs your method very dangerous" she
asked.
Il couldn't recommend it ITO the Pru-
Dental Insurance." said Kettle thought
fully.
Tell me your scheme"
Kettle did so in some 40 words. He
was pithy, and Donna Clotride was cool.
She heard him without change of color.
"Ah," she said, 81 think you will do it,
You will know one way or another
within an hour now, Miss. But | must
ask you to take your launch to a dis
tance AS l tell you, have made all my
own boats so that they won't swim, but
If your little craft was handy my crew
would jump overheard and risk the sharks
and try to reach her in spite of all could
do to stop them. They won't be anxious
to fight that Cancelario when the time
comes, if there's any way of wrggling out
of it."
You are quite right, captain, the
launch must go, only do not must be
your guest here till you can put me on the
CancelariO."
Capt. Kettle frowned. Whats coming
is no job for a woman to be in at, Miss"
You must leave me to my own opinion
about that. You see we differ upon what
a woman should do, captain. You say a
woman should not be president of a repub-
lie; you think woman should not be a
sharer in a fight; am going to show you
how a woman can be BOTH She leaned
her shoulders over the rail and hailed the
naphtha launch with a sharp command
a man in the bows cast off the line with
which 1t towed. the man aft put over
his tiller and set the engines a-gOing; and
like a slim gray ghost the launch slid
quietly away into the gloom. You sec"
she said. I'm bound to stay with you
now" And she looked upon him with
burning glance.
But Kettle replied co!dly, You are my
owner, miss, and can do as you wish 1t
is not for me now to say that you are fool
ish. DO / understand you still wish me
TO carry out my original plan?''
Yes" she said, CURLY.
Very well, miss; then we shall be
aboard of that war steamer in less than 10
minutes He babe his second mate call
aft the crew, but instead of remaining to
meet them he took a keen glance at the
barks canvas, another at her wake, an
other at the moored cruiser ahead, and
then, after peering thOughtfully at the
clouds that sailed in the sky, he went
to the companionway and diyed below
a nd cfo ~ hn.
break of the quarterback waiting for
him. And in the meanwhile they Toasted
their eyes, with many different thoughts,
ON Donna ClOtilda la Touche.
Presently Capt. Kettle returned to
deck, aggressive and cheerful, and faced
the men with hands in his jacket pockets
Each pocket bulged with something
heavy, and the men, who by this time had
come to understand Capt. Kettles ways,
began to grow quiet and nervous. He
came to the point without any snowy ora
tory.
Now my lads said he, Il told you
when you shipped aboard this lavender
box in Callao that she was merely a fer
ry to carry you to fine war steamer
which was lying elsewhere. Well there's
the steamer just off the starboard bow
yonder. Her names the Cancelario, and
Mt present she seems to belong to Pres
Quijarra's government. But Miss La
Touche here, who is employing both you
and me, just for the present, intends to
set up a government of her own, and as
a preliminary she wants that ship. We've
got to grab it for her."
Capt Kettle broke off, and for a full
minute there was silence. Then some
one amongst the men laughed, and a
dozen others joined in.
That's right" said Kettle. ''Cackle
away, you scum. You'd be singing a
different tune if you knew what was be-
meath you.'
A voice from the gloom-an educated
voice-answered him:
Don't be foolish, skipper. We're not
going to ram our heads against q brick
wall like that We set some value on
our selves"
DO you?' said Kettle. "Then pray
that this breeze doesn't drop (as it
seems likely TO do, or you'll lose them.
Shall | tell you what | was up to below
just now? You remember those kegs of
blasting powders Well, they're in the
lazarette, where some of you slowed
them, but they're all of them upheaded,
and one of them carries the end of a
fuse. That fuse is cut to burn just 20
minutes. and the ends lighted Wait a
bit; it's no use going to try to dowse
it. There's a pistol fixed to the lazarette
hatch. and if you try to lift it that pistol
will Shoot into the powder, and We'll all
go up together without further palaver.
Steady now, there. and hear me out.
You can't lower away boats and get clear
that way. The boats bottoms will tumble
away so soon as you try to hoist them off
the skids. / saw to that last night. And
you can't require any telling to know
there are too many sharks about to make
a swim healthy exercise
The men began TO rustic and talk
Now, don't spoil your only chance
said Kettle, Shy singing out. If on the
cruiser yonder they think there's any
thing wrong they'll run out a gun or
two, and blow us out of the water be-
fore we can come near them. I've got
no arms to give you, but you have your
I,,,i oh INF mt