The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-20

whose speciality, if they possessed enc,
was supposed to be surveying.
THE Badger was a paddle-whee}ed,
brig-rigged old tub, sure enough. But
she was British: and as l stared and
stared through the glasses at the white
ensign and the good red cross flying
from her peak, / was tempted often to
swim off to her as she pulled and churn-
ed away, fussing around after her boats
like an old hen after her chicks.
"But when looked at the black, three
sided fins sticking up at high water
right alongside our piles, | felt my: toes
Jingle, and thought better of it, trusting
that some day she'd send boat to- give
us a call, when | determined that go L
would if all the Dutch in the East Lndies
were to try to stop me.
"That Peter guessed my thoughts and
notions | could see from the means, yell
low-brown, ginning face of him. AID I'd
try to get his dander up sometimes.
Look at that, Peter" I'd say. "That's
my countrys flag. There's no slaves I'M
derneath its folds, sweating and tbiling,
half starved and taxed to deaths doors
like there is under yours. Hip! hip.
hooray! Rule Britannia and God save
the queen! and to hell with all: half
breeds" He didn't understand ALI of it,
of course, but he used to shake bis fist
at the Badger, and look as nasty as a
hatful of snakes.
"Twice while I was OH watch-eas we
used to call the intermittent, sleepy
lookout we kept at Mat Aris-tha Bit
zens boat came ashore, and | could hear
the officer and Peter each time having
a long confab together. During the
night the old bag always used to have
coffee ground and hot water on the fire,
so that we could make our own. if We
wished for a drink.
"One night, shortly after the Dutch
officers last visit, coming in and housing
Peter to take his watch, | brewed my
self a cup before turning in. 1t tasted
very bitter, and / didn't finish it, but
almost before I'd time to undress | was
dead to the world. / woke in "a fright
dripping with sweat, and shaking all
over. Now, in the lighthouse was
bottle of lime juice I'd brewed myself;
my throat was as dry as the lubr1cators
of GOLFERS engines, and the thought
of that drink tantalized me till / made
shift to crawl out of my hammock, and
stagger along the bridge to the little
house where also was 'chatty's of cold
water.
"To my utter establishment, looking
up, l saw that the light was outs Open
ing the door, | entered, and, ha3f chok
ing, felt for the water bottle. 1t was
empty. Striking match, / saw that
the floor was soaking wet. Putting uT
my hand to the wicks they only frizzed
and spluttered at contact with the flame
Also the spare lantern that We always
kept ready trimmed had disappeared.
STEPPING outside on the platform
stared around, headachy and very shaky
still. The night was black as pi5ch-one
of those nights you often get oat there
that feel almost like black velvet and as
thick. And there wasn't star to be
seen, as sometimes happens at the change
of the monsoons. The jungle, TOO, was
still as death-there was no sound or
land or on the sea. The whole world
seemed fast bound in sleep and darkness
Presently my eye, rowing along shore
came to the CLEAN of light some hall
mile away, about ON level with where
ours should have been, only much farther
inland-a big light / saw it was, as my
eyes got the sleep out of them, and burn
ling steadily.