Evening star., 1898-05-28

with relish. The worst of it is we can't
start without him, What do you think.
Carruthers?
The speaker was Matthew Quin. AMI
there was a wratnful look in his face that
was due to circumstances of unusual pro-
vocation.
Its just as you say replied Car
ruthcrs. a big. leose-limbed Englishman.
We can't start without the captain You
or don't know the river well enough and
there amt another trustworthy plot 10 be
had fer gold in the town youGer. Hard
luck's the wo-t. for it. Mr.. Quin,
The place was the native town of Goal
para. in the Indian state If Assam, On the
south rank OF the BTahmapuTra river. The
time sunrise of q scorching morning.
about year after GUMS adventure in
Africa with the Portuguese, Antonio Silva
The clumsy old steam barge Star of Delhi
was moored to the landing wharf and the
smcke oOzing from her funnel told thai the
engineer was on dCty below. Quin. Car
ruthers and the nati-e crew were lined ex-
pectantly along the rail. on deck and
down in the spacious hold were Il score
of strong boxes filled with Il choice selec-
ton of wild animals trapped in the hills
and iungles of Assam. Strange cries and
g-Unts mingled with the chatter of The
HiniOo and European spectators who were
assembled on the wharf.
A few words to explain. Several months
before. owing to causes that reed not be
gene into, both the European and Ameri-
can dealers in wild animals We're over
whelmed with orders that they were In
able to fill with the depleted stock IN hand
1t was evident that the firm who could the
quickest import anG unload a cargo of
beasts on the market would make hig
profits.
HamIach & Co. were the first to move.
AMI at twenry-four hours notice Quin was
on his way to India. The astute little man
was aware that Moss & Crawley's agent
was to follow by next steamer with in
strUctions to operate in the province of
BeI gal He knew also that his rival in
this case would not be Antonio Silva. q
fact that he rather regretted, for ne had
ar Old score to settle with the PortugIa
whose whereabouts he had recently tried
iE vain to learn.
Arrived al Calcutta with CarrutherS, a
Skilled trapper in the FIRMS employ, Quin
first arranged 10 have his animals shipped
TO England as soon as he shoull deliver
them In the HocGhly. Then the two trav-
eled pest haste to Assam. engaged assist
ants ard set to work. Tney were success
full from the start. and in fortnight Quin
took the first lot If animals to GoalDara
While there he chartered the Star of Delhi
from the Assam Navigation Company. 1t
was an old vessel. and had seen much serv-
Ice. but it was still sound and seaw0rthy.
The company also recommended a pilot
retired who had been in their employ
for years. Capt. Sandy Nicholl lived on a
little plantation five miles south of Goal
para. and an interview with him resulted
In satisfactory contract, and promise
that he would be on nand at daybreak OF
the morning fixed for sailing. Quin and
CarrutEers reached town on the day pre-
vious t. that with the second lot of ami
mails. and had everything in shape on the
barge by sunset. But dawn did not bring
the Indispensable Capt. Nicholl, and an
hour later he was still missing. Nothing
could be learned of him in the town, nor
could any substitute be found who knew
the devious channels of the Brahmaputra.
Such was the situation with which this
narrative opens. and III
ating 10 Matthew Quin- All depended on
Ills beng the first to ship a cargo of ami
mails from Calcutta to England. and he
felt that every hour was valuable. For
while he believed that Moss & Crawley's
ma II was as yet IN the wilds of Bengal, ne
knew that the long journey which he mus.
make down The Brahmaputra to Calcutta
might give the advantage to his rival.
But when another half hour rad passed
and gum was in mood for desperate
measures, the strain of waiting was re
EeNed A sudden movement among the
crowd upon the bank. who were aware of
the situation, heralded something of in
terest. Then man strobe out ON the
WI arr, ran nimbly across the Plank to the
barge's deck and doffed his cap to luin
He was a youngish man, trim AMI nautical
looking, with d smooth. deeply burnt face
and hair of peculiar brownish-red color
noLnce3.
'Ildeed." growled ouin. why didn't he
cCme himself?'
rms VIII explain, Sir, and from his
Jacket pocket the man produced letter.
Cuin tore 1t open and read the contents
1t was written in the familiar, scrawly
hand OF Capt. NichOll, who stated briefly
that he had been suddenly laid on his back
by an attack of fever. and that the bearer.
Edward Sherwood. would satisfactorily fill
his place.
Il am sorry you were delayed" said
bIe.'
Quin was prepossessed IN the substitutes
favor. and he saw that Carruthers was of
the mind.
You know the river?'' he asked.
Il was born and bred on it, sir. was the
reply
'.And how came Nicholl TO senl your"
He has known me for some years, and |
happened TO stop at his place last night
while on a shooting trip. 1 nave been run
ming a boat on the Irrawaddy lately. and
am of on three-months' leave. IF you
want any references
''All right. you'll do" Quin interrupted.
His wrath had evaporated, and Capt.
NichclI's letter left no room for doubt
suspicion. Get to the wheel, my man."
he added I'm going to start at once
Within five minutes full head of steam
was up. the gangplank was hauled aboard
and the mooring ropes We're cast of. The
whistle screeched, the big side paddles re-
yolved, and the Star of Delhi gracefully
left the wharf. To the accompaniment Of
the cheering spectators on shore and the
howling of the Gagged beasts, the long jour
ed speed and soon the town was lost to
sight around a curve.
The day passed uneventfully, and the
new pilot showed a skilled knowledge of
navigation and of the rivers intricate
channel. At sunset. about eighty miles
having been covered. the barge was plow-
ing along between distant and jungle-Srosn
banks. ( little later Sherwood beckoaed
Quin to the bridge.
II am sorry. sir, but l can't risk going
further tonight" he said. DO you see
yonder island? Well. a few miles below
that are dangerous sands which must be
run by daylight. We had better tie up at
the island till morning. L have stepped
there before
Quin demurred at first. being opposed to
any delay, but when Carruthers and Il cuu-
pie of the native crew bore out the pilot $
statement from hearsay. he yielded with
rather i'll grace.
The Island lay in mid-stream. and was
tcng and thickIy wooded. In twenty min
utes the S-ar OF Delhi was in deep water
slongside the lower point. She was moored
10 q couplJ of big trees. the low. bushy
limbs of which overhuDg part of the ieck
The heat had been trying all day, and after
supper the weary crew turned in. Soon
afterward Quin and Sherwood went TO their
respective cabins leaving Carruthers to