The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-06-14

to hit upon. FlotiIlaS Of irridesccnt mink
sailed nautili scuddcd constantly beside
them, dropping rs constantly aStcrn: and
these made their only company EXCEPT
Tor the nautili. the sea seemed dcSoIate
IN this cui>c. then. they ended their
Eo|ac". which had spun ont to nigh upon
1."" mics. through contrary winds and
the necessity for inccS~ant tackin-: and
III me hight Of ono blazing afternoon
therc foS" the tops of the islands ont Of
Il nWlnkhnE turquoise sea.
These appeared first rs mer" dusty
biack rocks sticking M ont of the calm
nt-F treat Salvage island t. the north
ward. AMI Great Titon Ia the south and
bcyond-but they grew a. the boar
Ieared them. and. presently appeared 10
be built upon a fricze of dazzling fpath-
cry Whltcne>s. The iifcboat swept on to.
reach them. climbing and diving over
the rollers. She had canvaS decks. quar-.
termaSk high. contrived IL throw off
the sprays: and over these the faces Of
i"r people peered ahead. Wild and gaunt.
Salt-cru>ted and desperate.
Hrcat Salvage island drew aheam. and
passed aWay a>tern: Great piton lay
clos" ahead now. fringcd with Il thou
SAND reefs. each with its Spoutin. break
erS. The din of the surf came to them
loudly up the wind. \ flock Of sea fowl.
screaming and circline. sailed ont 10
escort them in. And ahead. behind the
banks of breakers. drawing them on ~
water will draw 4 choking man. was the
rllsted Smokestack and stripped ma~tS
OF q derelict merchant steamer.
lher" IS Il YARN about ali open boat
which had voyaged loo miles over tho
lonely Pacific. coming upon Il green
atoll. and being sailed rcckleSSIy in
through the surf and drowning every
Soul ON board. and the yarn is easily
b"lleveable. Capt. Kettle and his com
lanI"nS had undergone horrible priya-
tons: her" ut last was the isle of their
hopes. and the treasure taS it Seemodl in
full view: but by some intolerahlc fate
they were barred from it by relentless
walls Of surf. Kettle ran III as close AZ
ne dared. and then flattcned in his
sheets and sailed the lifcboat close
hauled along the noisy line of breakers
to the northward. looking for an opening.
II" two Portuguese grumbled openly.
anu when not Il ghost of Il landing
place showed. and Kettle put her about
10 san back again. even the cautious
McTodd put up his word to run in and
risk it,"
But Kettle though equally sick as they
were Of the boat and her voyage. had all
4 sailors dislike for losing his ship. what
ever she might be. and he
cowcd them all with his voice
and threats. and at last his
fOrbearance was rewarded. \ slim pas
sage through the reefs showed itself at
the southern end of the island. and
down it they lodged. trimming Their
sheets six times i minute. with an es-
cUrt Of dangers always close on either
hand. and finally ran into Il rocky bay.
which held comparatively smooth water.
There was no place to beach the boat.
they had to anchor her off. but with Il
whip on the cable they We're able to
step ashore on Il ledge of stone and
then haul the boat off again out of
HARMS way.
1t may be thought that they capcred
with delight ut treading on dry lane
again, but there was nothing Of this.
With their cramped limbs and diSused
joints it was as much as they could do
to hobble. and every step was Il
wrench. But the lure ahead Of them
was great enough to triumph over mi
nor u~niicultieS. Half a mile away along
the rocks was the D~uncanShy head.
and for her they raced ut the top of
their crippled gait. And the seafowl
screamed curiOuSly above their heads.
They scratched and tore themselves
i'll this frantic progress over the sharp
volcanic rocks. they chOkcd With thirst.
they painted with their labor. but none
of these things mattered. The desert
cd steamer. when they came to her,
was living off from the shore at the
other side Of a lake of deep water. But
they were fit for no more waiting. and
each, as he came opposite her, waded
in out of his depth and SWAIN off with
eager strokes. Davit falls trailing in
the water gave them an entrance way,
and up these they climbed with the
quickncss of apes. and then with one
accord they made for the pantry and
the stewards storcroom. The gold
which had lurcd them WAS forgotten:
the Immediate needs of their famiShed
bodies were the only things they re
memhcred. They found Il cheese. 4 box
of musty biscuit and Il filter full of
stale and tepid wat.r, and they gorccd
till they were filled. and swore they
| had never sat to so delicious a meal.
With repletion came the thoughts of
fortune again, and off they went to the
chart house to finger the coveted gold.
! But here was Il disappointment ready
and waitin. for them. They had gone
up in Il body. neither nationality trust
ing the other. and together they ran
sacked the place With horo1ghneSS
| There were papers i'll abundance, there
were clothes furry with mildew. there
was Il broken box Of cheap cigars. but
of money there was not so much as q
bronze piece.
Eth. we'll" said Kettle. sitting back
on the muSty bed clothes. I'VE have had
our trouble for nothing. some ones
been here first and skinned the place
clean" McTOdd bounced upon the
/ counterpane. and caught something
which he held between his black
thumb and finger.
"LOok." he said. chats not Il white
mans flea. That's Spanish or pOrtu-
gee. And neither Tonic nor his mate
brought it here. because they have been
washed clean on the trip. You remem-
! her what | said about fishing schooners
from Las Palmas. skipper:'