Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-09-29
CHAPTER TIT

forcsccn, and though tho underwriters
did not get back the insurance they had
paid on tho Shah the George NJ. Wash
ington was never turned into tangible
profit by those who had stolen her.
1t seems that Mr.. Knowles, tho for.
mcr first mate, had taken the s;arboard
lifeboat safely enough into Key West,
had found himself out of BERTH was
given the offer of a captaincy Oil guGno
bark then i'll Panama, whose late mas.
ter had died of coast fever and had
jumped at the chance. lie got cast
down to Aspinwall III freight steamer,
crossed the isthmus by railroad, and
left Panama for tho south the very day
we pulled our anchors out of that bay
of Cuba. 1t was not much of Il coiuci-
dence that he should he coming into
Callao roadstead through tho north
channel past San Lorenzo island when
we were steaining in through tie south
cln.
We were in first and had brought TO
an anchor, waiting for tho health Off
Ger. | was half dead with work and
heat and had come up out of the engine
room and was sat in a chair under the
bridge deck awning, getting a spell Of
rest. There was'a glare from the water
which hurt, so by way Of ease / kept
my drowsy eyes on little old bark
that was coming in under lower top.
sails, with just enough breeze TO give
her stceragcway. She was bending so
as to pass within dozen yards of us
and ] watched her with eyes that did
not see. Presently the sound of voices
came duly to my ears.
1.-The color Of her sides is different
the tunnels different. those stump top
masts are different and the wheclhousc
is unshippcd from the upper bridge.
Still she's remarkably like my old ship
for all that. "
But she's got starboard lifcboat
1t was the starboard you went off in,
wash T it, captain"
That's not II lifeboat in those star.
board davits. That's quarter boat
they've shifted from aft. And the aftor
davits have been unshipped. Look, you
can SEQ the sockets Of them. BY gum,
matcy, believe it is the Shah ard no
ether"
l was beginning to wake up. The
conversation went on.
Cant be, captain. Look at tho
name all over her-Gcorge II. Washing
ton. That's no name for British ship
/ can't 7ny. though. come to lool, =. hc-.
that sho does look like a blazing
Yankee"
"Yankce be hanged! Look at these
main shrouds. ratified them down my.
self in Pensacola, and we put in wire for
every third ratline."
Whatever for?'
"Suro Ican't say. Some crank the old
man had. Perhaps he was of his nut.
lie died directly after Of yellow jack.
But wire il was, and if you look there
you'll see it for yourself. BY gum, it i,
tho Shah, suro ~ death. Slio's been run
away with, and for bet it's that
mcaly mouthcd Blake that's done it.
However, Blake or whoever it was I'm
going to lay information 50 soon as ever
get ashore TO the custom house. I'd q
good berth Oh that ship, and l don't
think much of tho man who kicked me
from there to come and be skipper Of
this Sinking old dunghill here"
l was awake enough by this time and
had recognized Knowles and was be-
ginning to wonder why he he'd not rec
oCnized me. But then remember
that, first Of all, was sitting in deer
shadow, and, secondly, was wearing {
five weeks beard so | lay still where
was till the guano bark had dragged
slowly past over the swells, and then
got mp and slipped into tho charthouse
There was no need to tell my news
Captain Blake had heard every WORD
that had been said through a port above
his bed place.
Iic looked at me as coolly as though
everything was smooth. Its boastly
nuisance isn't it, Mac, just when We
wcro so near lingering our dividends
too:"
Then shall l loso my wagcs?"
asked.
Il guess, Mac, you can earn nothing
moro out Of this cruise at present than
n hemp ncclltie. "
"Oh, I'm clear Of that, ut any rate
Man, do You not remember / was forced
into the business against my will?"
"Quitc So Go ashore and tell that t.
the authorities. They're certain to be
licve your bare word on tho subject"
"Phew" whistled. 1t hadn't strucl
me that way OF course l had got M
sort of tale that would be believed
when it came to putting it in BARI
words.
"No, my son." said Blake cts {
case of all sticking together yet, ant
with luck we II not only save our necks
but VOL realize on tho ship"
We've only two days more coal. "
81 know that"
"Then what's your plan, captain"
I'm tell it you later. For tho pres
emit go away right now and make steam
again. l guess we've littlo enough tim,
to waste. There's cruiser over yonde
that can put to sea in two hours, ant
they'll send word to her direct,
! Knowles gets ashore with his news
Away with you now and make you
sweeps hump themselves, or else they !
hang"
There was every inducement for hur
ry, and every one knew that. Legranc
was down helping me, and so was tn,
carpenter. We coaxed the steam up b,
! every means we knew, and when at las
Legrand was able to go on the forcdecl
and heave up it was none too soon. TIL
cruiser astern Of us was bustling will
life, a naphtha launch was coming Il
us from the inner harbor as fast as sh