Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-11

diggings and coaxed ore enough out Of
the soil to set mp 10 merchant masters
for life with coach and pair apiece and
. footman behind their chairs ct dinner.
He designed the compartment FOR the
gold. named the place-insisted upon
that place-had unreasonable arguments
with old Captain Benson, who was for
slowing the gold in his own private
cabin"
"WhatP' cried the commander.
"That some sailor should be tempted
aft'with jackknife to cut his throat
Think Of trying TO sleep with nigh
$500, 900 in gold under your bed! had
thought better of Benson's Judgment.
THAT sea captain, whose name rec
ollect is Bummell, is pretty nearly a
crank as it is" said Mr.. Matthews
1.-THE find so elevated his wits that they
passed out of his head.
Lifting his hair as they went. no
doubt" said Mr.. Hardy, with laugh
and leer.
"At the present moment" continued
prodigiously rich man. The news'll take
long in fetching him. And mark me.
gentlemen. Bummell on the mere mer-
its of the first report will 60 raving
mad"
II suppose, SIR" said Mr.. Hardy, ad-
dressing Mr.. Matthews. that nothing
was known among the passengers of
those ten gentlemen who have run away
with your ship"
Nothing that ever I got to hear"
answered the mate of the Queen. 1.-THE
fact is they composed nearly all the
passengers. The rest were ladies and one
or two gentlemen-one Dent, a colonial
merchant, q bit of fool; one Storr, an
auctioneer. going home after brief ca
reer Of bad bargains, so he told me-"
While they thus conversed it darken-
ed around, and q scale like q layer of
clouds shaded the dimness that had
gathered over the mastheads. The brig
was heading of to the southwark and
westward-that is, she would have been
heading Of had she been making any
way but leeway through the water
But when it darkened and thickened, the
wind sank out in gasp Of air in the
topsails, the water flowed in oil and be-
gan to shine richly and wonderfully
with fire. The brig now lay sleeping in
q marvellous silence that was full of
mystic light.
Commander Boldock and Mr.. Mat
thews had left the deck before the water
frightened and the sky blackened and
were sitting at supper with Miss Man
gel, when Mr.. Hardy came half way
DOWN the steps to report that dense
fog had settled upon the sea
well, SIR" says the commander,
turning his immense, red, kindly face
round upon his mate, suppose you ease
her Of her royals and flying jib and
roll up your mainsail. If You don't like
the look Of this fog, you might ease her
Of the fore topgallant sail"
"Aye, aye, SIR" answered the mate.
TITS grease calm, and the water is
like bowl of snapdragon.
The commander smiled at Miss Man.
sci, who inquired what Mr.. Hardy
meant?
HE means that there's plenty Of
phosphoric light in the sea" answered
the commander, with q glance at the
cabin windows as il he thought to catch
there sight of the brightness.
There is nothing more beautiful, u
said Miss Mansel, than the fires Of the
sea-"
She spoke with listlessness and wa.
by no means yet recovered. She wa.
still very pale, and when thoughtful ar
expression Of fear-faint indeed, yet de-
/ al,
mouth and the light Of her eyes. Yet, OF
the whole, she looked amazingly vel
for one who not many hours before hat
been throttled. gagged and left to Goa
upon the sea in q swoon. Her whit,
throat bore certain dark marks, which
were probably the impression Of Mr.
Caldwell's fingers. She looked q very
comfortable figure Of fine young WON
an in her dressing gown. The white ca]
was OF her head. her hair was nov
thoroughly dried and rose thick upo,
her pretty head under the light Of tn,
little ewaying lamp. The eyes in Com
mander Boldocks toasted face ofteI
rolled upon her, and Mr.. Matthews, sit
ting opposite. viewed her with the kind
ness Of IN old friend.
The table. though furnished with tn
homeliest OF sea suppers. presented. new
ertheless. a hospitable appearance. Their
was room for q fourth, and then tn
cabin would have been comfortably full
The coarse white tablecloth shore viii
the salt it had been washed in as tn
sand Of the beach shines with the frotI
that dries in it. II was furnished witt
wine and rum in decanters. ham An,
piece of cold salt beef. The commander
glass always seemed about half full
Mr.. Matthews drank water barely col
ored with rum. Miss Mansel a glass O
Boldock's Madeira
do you think the boats will hav
outlived the weather this day. Captain
Boldock?" said Miss Mansel.
Sailors were distributed anon,
them, I believe" answered the com
mander. looking at Matthews. Il shall
expect to hear they have been pickle,
up" E
ut must be frightful to be out in q,
open boat in the wide ocean in dens
black fog throughout . long night.
said Miss ManSel shiyepinQ a she look