Gilpin observer., 1899-08-17
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Conclusion.

I have but little more to add, for
with this last episode the course of
wild adventures upon which l had
been so strangely hurried, nearly
closes.
A few hours after the death of An
tonic, when Hislop and |, with Lam
bourne, Carlton and other survivors of
the Eugene were waiting in the Office
of the British CONSUL to make some ar
rangements for rewarding Jose Estre-
mera for his great kindness to us all,
we met Captain the Hon. Egerton B
of her majesty's ship Active, who was
so struck with our story that he offer
ed US all a passage to England, an Of
fer we accepted with gratitude.
His ship was leaving the African
squadron, and returning home to be
repaired.
"Rodney-Rodney," said he, ponder
ingly, when the consul introduced me,
you ought to have been a sailor, for
your name is well known in the SER
vice." and his words brought the men,
ory of my poor mothers ambition
back to me, and / thought of the old
picture which hung in the dining raom
at home.
After a brief conference with his
shipmates, Tattooed Tom now came
forward, and twiriing his fragment of
a nnt, said that "if the noble captain
has no objection, as he, Ned Carlton,
Prooart and the other poor fellows OF
the Eugene were out of berth, and
at uncommon low water. they would
gladly ship aboard the Active and en-
ter her majesty's service.
Capt b, who saw at a glance that
they were all first-class seamen, read
ily accepted the offer and promised
them the usual bounty, for which they
gave three loud cheers for the queen,
and it came from their throats not the
less heartily that they were far away
from her and in a foreign land. all tat
tered as they were, with scarcely
shirt to their backs.
Heaven bless you, my lads" said
Hislop; this is the best thing you can
do; and believe me, Capt. b, you
will find my old shipmates neither
waisters nor green hands. but thorough
A. BIS"
AS they all loved him. another cheer
for Hislop followed. and while the
captain went off to the Active in his
gig, we all adjourned to a posado to
have a friendly glass together.
Soon after, as the war steamer was
to sail that evening. boat under
midshipman came off for us, and then
we bade farewell to Jose Estremera,
to his mate. Manuel Gautier to Fra
Anselmo and the old governor OF Sura-
baya.
Come, Dick, we have no time to
lose" said Hislop; let us be off to the
ship while daylight lasts"
shall never forget my emotions OF
Joy when the boat with Hislop and the
rest of us came steering alongside the
Active.
She was so clean. so trlg. so square
aloft; with the bright copper cleaning
in the water below; her black bulwarks
and red portfolios. through which her
sixty-eights and thirty-twos peered
above the brine: the snow-white ham
mock cloths. with the gold epaulets OF
the lieutenant OF the watch glitterlng
above them: the red-coated marines
on the poop and forecastle; the great
scarlet ensign OF "Old England" float
ing at the gaff-pcak, and that no part
II the illusion might be wanting.
little marine fifcr. playing shrllly but
3weetly "Home. Sweet Home" In one
If the boats that lay alongside. by the
yuess-warp boom.
She was so thoroughly British In her
,sprct. so unlike anything we had seen
n the seas we had traversed. that we
felt at home the moment our feet