San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-21

said Davenire in his heavy voice ana
strong manner, "while the islands in
sight, and while we talk over what's to
be done"
"Put it to the vote them" said Troll
lope coldly.
Three went with Davenire. the rest
with Trollope. Davenire, with face
savage with discomfort. leaned his huge
bulk upon the rail and stared at the is
land that was sliding ON to the quarter.
Had not we better get some break
East before we begin to talk?'' said Pc
ter johnson.
aye" exclaimed Burn. 'This is
hungry place, and whole ham shan't
fill me this morning"
When they had breakfasted and had
lighted their pipes. they went on to the
poop. They had argued necessarily, and
they argued as they went up the steps
and gained the deck
Mark Davenire sat down upon sky.
light. and after looking at the island
called to Trollope:
"Shall we reach in and get the boat
over that some Of us may go ashore and
see what sort Of place 1t is?"
"Why notS" answered Trollope. 81
like the idea"
"Stop minute" said Shannon, who
sat upon the deck sucking short pipe.
who's to be left in the ship while the
boats ashorer'
Lets discuss that point while we're
reaching in for the island" exclaimed
Davenire.
"Aye, but you're not going to answer
the question by swinging the topsail
yard,' said Shannon In voice irri-
tating with insistence and opinion. 81
for one shan't leave this ship unless all
hands of you go along with me"
''Then let all hands go ashore" ex-
claimed Davenire, following with
frown the flight Of cloud Of smoke
from his lips.
Who'll tend the ship9" said Shan
non.
''The two seamen," answered Dave
nire.
with all that sail set?" shouted
Shannon jeeringly, and he fell back up.
on the deck fourishing his inch Of sooty
clay at the canvas with great noise of
forced ironicsl laughter.
"Trollope kept the two men expressly
to watch the ship while we were
ashore, said Caldwell. cutting pipe
full of plug tobacco on the rail.
- Eyes, but with furled canvas and
royal yards on deck and topgallant
masts housed or struck" answered
Trollope. dropping his words slowly be-
tween puffs at his pipe.
''This is going to be a deadlock. isn't
iti' said Hankey.
Their helplessness, begotten by utter
absence Of faith in one another, had so
absurd side that some of the men saw
it, and loud laugh followed on Han.
keys words In fact, their posture Of
mind was exactly expressed by the atti-
tude Of the ship as she lay upon the
wide sea with no other motion than
such as she got from the long undula-
tions of the swell; the yards Of the
main were abaok, the vessels head was
about north, and her drift was some
thing easterly. The loss of her fore top.
gallant mast. too, with the mutilated
look 1t gave her. was like putting the
moral Of the missing brigaptine into the
picture of the idle bark,
Silence fell upon the men. They suck
ed their pipes. they looked at one an.
other, at the island; then Trollope, fold.
ing his arms, said in his cool. con.
temptuous way: "Well. gentlemen,
what is your pleasureY We can't lie rot.
ting here like Coleridge's painted ship.
"No." oozed Burn. 'I've been turn
ing the thing over, and there's nothing
for it. in my opinion, but Trollope's
scheme"
You'll have to come to it,, said
Trollope, grim with conviction and tenn
per barely kept under. "If there's to
be no confidence whatever, the sooner
we run this ship ashore yonder the bet.
ter, for then every man can take his
whack and 60 into corner of the is
land, with his loaded revolver upon his
pile, and starve while he waits for some
thing to i'm up and be found years
hence by Shalemen, skeletons of men
hugging mounds Of earth"
"See here" exclaimed Davenire,
holding himself erect expanding his
vast chest and starting with declama-
tory air. "it's quite certain that we
don't possess the confidence in one an
other which Trollope would excite. We
ought to go ashore upon that island. 1t
Is wonderfully fine weather. but this is
the sea, gentlemen. II we are to keep
the sea in this ship, cruising for fort
night, according to Trollope's pro-
gramme, should like to know that my
share Is safe ashore. preserved from all
peril. easily accessible and visitable.
But I want to see the island, and the
whole Of you, have no doubt, wish al
30 to see II. How Is that to be contrived
consistently with the fattering opinion
we entertain Of one another? Well"
said he. with a glance at the green spot
Of land, 1--WE must sail in as close as
the ships safety will permit. We must