The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13

Il cont BfnTc OF tho NrGnEcfA, 08 though ne C0uI0
see what was behind Thorn and was planninr
20 overcome all obstacles. An hour before
Martin Carnforth had been cursing the tediuI
OF his expedition. A little chill wont through
him now. Before many more hours were past
he had a strong notion he would DO scared st Y.
before when things went Contrary TO his plans
Slowly The night d5agged through, and BY de.
10 dull Sn' sulphur EpsSi e yellow. fh SDO a coal OF Crimson
to a great hsif-dish, Of scarlet; and then the
rest of the sun. was shot up, as. an orange, pip Is
slipped from the fingers; and IT was brilliant
For fuli an hour the yacht had been under
way at half steam, with lead going, ,%circling
the shout Of breakers and tho scream OF sea fowl.
inside, beyond. the hedge of spoutipg waters,
ger at anchor.
The water outside WINS as clear as bottle gr ,en
trance to the lagoon was " a narrow canal be.
IN the ring OF. c%roaming stuff. 1t was not likely
for piiotasoHor be trustsd il they offered; %
Kettle steamed the yacht to some half mile OF
went of in her himself, with a crew and n
couple OF leadsmcn, to survey the channel. lie
perch on the forccrosstrees. where he could see
the coral floor. through the clear water beneath
and conncd the yacht in himself. Cernforth
Tue coral floor. with its wondrous growths,
came up toward him out of the deep water. The
great ocean swoiis, and the reef ends on either
sid. doomed like a salute of heavy guns. The
sides, and the spindrift pettored in showers upon
her deck planks.. The stink of the place grew
stronger every minute.
smooth water, slowed &c. half speed. and with
hand lead going diligently, steamed up 20 an
sandy islets. A white whaieboat put of from
the lugger: rowed by three kanakas, and by
f from ar ber t had Ss stsnped cable nn tS %as e sis1sd q man
LADDER and was looking about him on deck.
He was a biggish man; in striped paiamas,
crumpled pith helmet well down ON the back
OF his head. His face was burned to a fine
over his chest at the end Of a pio,e OF fine
sinnet was a gold.rimmed eyeglass, which gilt
Ter Tered ,o lis K g d Il. SsIm wao1 20 1t K ssqSht !Eos sun;
Rather warm" said Kettle. I" have not
going to keep steany."
The visitor glanced r,und and sized up the
iYiiHS eiy G to for eaS t fSso present. SYn You've SeG a nice ssY little
boat, and q likely looking lot Of men; SScHll
"uumph, it's an unlucky number: Well,
Captain, II l were you l wouldn't stay here too
long. The weether's a bit uncertain you know,
ave want some pearls and shell before we
Il might have guessed that, Well, it's a null
sance. from our point Of view, because we
thought we'd the lagoon to ourselves and in:
don't be toe greedy Il You stay. TOO long. the
S' Take a,as care arc. my nHpiie ed." snapped anq Kettle. I'm
a man that accepts threats from no man."
.0h. all right" said the stranger carelessly.
glass into his eye and whistled.
Capt. Kettle made a formal introduction.
my owner. sir, Mr.. Martin Of New York"
"Humph," said the visitor. You used to be
Carnforth up at Cambridge didn't youi N.
Carntorth, remember. and NJ. might possibly
Capt. Kettle smiled grimly and Carnforth
sw95e; uo .os.s o, o.o,,.u
Carnforth. 1 see your name in the Australian
papers now and again, and got a notion you
NO" said carniorth. I'm ali right there.
the way, it's awfully rude Of me. i haven't
"Neyersmind my name" said the visitor cool.
ly. Il don't suppose you'd remember me. 1
You did your best to torment my life out: 1
took q big degree and made a fizzle of after life.
o You got 81 pl Tos sss a Ms, See1 iISIo a s smnngS ia c sae.
mon, and. besides, I was here first, and I resent
"oh, rubbish, man; como below and have a
Thanks. no. 1 prefer not to be under the
liz dropped his eyegiass and walked to the head
a.sini tip, SIsaf d hs 'ai Then nI1 he F WENT y asrs 4
InrI his whaleboat and the brown men pulled
Ii back to the lugEer.
"Maybe we'hI find out" said Kettle. Il tried
had my way he'd be on board now. kept snug
till we were through with our business here.
He'd have been a lot safer that way
done the high.handed like that on ths, little he
said. Wonder who he can Ne. thought Some
BRo G;%ss eegg%Sr e,i yh snsw So[ni ,I ! .5Ga % Sn pp and at c tsat
memory. However, ii he chooses to come
won't worry. And now, Captain, pearls! Tho
sooner we get to work the more chance we have
of getting q cargo. under matches and slipping
"Rieht-o.' said Capt. Kettle. They've got
the other two sand banks, and by the stink,
this empty one near us and set about fishing
this very hour and plant our shell TO rot there.
Carnforth. but It'll be q sight more valuable"
Then began a period Of frantic toll and labor.
Every man on board was ION shares for /.
buccaneers incentive. Half of the profits went
to the ship and the rest 10 the crew. Each
Carnforth himself, in addition to his earnings as
owner. earned also as an ordinary. seaman and
f%Tn,e an h hour before daybrcsak to an hour
after sunset he was away In the boats, under
the dews Of morn and eve, or the blazing torrent
u lLlluuhs bblibIilhC I.fSiN v hc INV
into, his bed d%og-tircd and exnlting in his
for the fierce toll. He was unshaven. sun
burned, blood smearcd from the scratches of the
shell, filthy with rank sea mud. But withai he
"f Kettle toiled d'p With equal vigor. working vio-
lcntly himself, and violently exhorting the
Others. Neither his arms nor his tongue ever
tired. But he was always neat, seldom unclean.
Dirt seemed to have an antipathy for the man,
and against his dishcvelled owner he looked
like a Park dandy beside a ragpicker.
At the other side Of the lagoon the white man
from Cambridge and n white friend and their
crow OF zen KanakRs worked with similar, in
dustry. The ring OF the lagoon was some half
mile In diameter, with lanes OF deep water run
ming through its floor whore divers could not
work. There was no ~clashing OF the two par
tues. One of these water lanes seemed TO set
crossed II. On each submarine territory there
was enough shell to, work on for the present.
and each party toilcd with the same frantic
energy and. spread out the shell on the sun.
baked sand banks and poisoned heaven with the
scent OF decay. But there wac no. further in
tercourse between the two bodies OF men, nor.
Indeed, any attempt at II. How the others were
doing the yachts party neither knew nor cared.
Theirs was a race against time for wealth. and
not one striver among them all had leisure to