Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-06-29

so lately passed. Too tired even to tell
Guthrie babe her a short good night and
turned into his bunk. In less than
minute he was asleep
When he had had his sleep out he
went on deck. The morning was well
advanced. Tue Eureka was under main
trysail and iib and once more stand
ing along her course. Captain Colepep-
per was at the tiller. The rest of tho
watch consisted of the doctor, Henrietta
and Tom Jelly. They were all heavy
eyed and tired looking plain evidences
that each had passed wearing and
sleepless night, and, in truth, though
the danger was safely past now, it had
been terribly anxious time even for
such tried veterans as Captain Colepep-
per and the two Jellys.
"Well, youngster, said the doctor,
"had your calk outf l hope you re
ready for work again now and can let
us others have our watch below. 1t has
been fearful night, but You were tired
enough to sleep right through il, war
rant. How's Dolly this morningr"
II haven't seen her, replied Guthrie.
$50 / don't suppose she has turned out
yet
"Was she very much frightened last
night p
mot that l could see She was read
ing.
What" cried the doctor. "Reading,
with the ketch hcaving and tossing as
she did last night Colepepper, that
daughter of yours is less afflicted with
nerves than even | am, / believe.
"Aye,' assented the captain, "she g
plucky. Guthrie. my lad, just rout out
that Dntchman--he says he's been
carpenter, among other things-and the
pair of you set about rigging some jury
bulwarks Stanchions and life lines will
do till we get to Madeira. There $
plenty of wood in the hold.
The ketch was deeply laden with a
very "dead" cargo, and she did not rise
easily to the seas. Her movements
were heavy, sullen and sluggish; but
for all that she kept pretty dry. Her
lines were full and ample, for she was
apple bowed round bottomed and full
storned. She did not pretend to be a
race horse or even well paced hack.
She was rather a dray horse of the sea,
sturdy, powerful, slow. But for tho
work she had to do, no safer type could
have been chosen, as the event of the
night $ struggle surely showed
Any craft of her tonnage and lading,
with less buoyant power than she had,
could not have lived through that aw-
ful night, for, as the adventures learn
ed when they touched at Madeira, every
coast which felt that gale was strewn
with wrecks, and at least dozen yes
sells were known to have foundered at
sea. But the Eureka, though she lost
considerable portion of her bulwarks
and was otherwise SCARED and dented,
kept on the surface bravely and carried
her freight. human and otherwise, all
through the blow, with little damage to
any of it.
Without further adventure she made
Funchal bay, Madeira, and lay there
for ten days while the Portuguese car
penters repaired the breaches which the
Atlantic had made. Then the water
tanks were filled, and as large supply
of fresh provisions as the crew of eight
i could get through while they lasted
good was taken on board. And after
that the anchor was tripped once more,
and she stood ont to sea. But her cour>e
this time was westward, and the desti
nation was a certain unbeaconed point
In the sea little to the eastward of
one of the larger West Indian islands.
She did not cross the Atlantic with
out one or two small blows; hut as she
never showed anything less than three
reefed mainsail these did not count for
much In fact as they We're all easterly
they were rather welcome than other
wise. Indeed after her adventure with
the P and o. liner the elements seemed
to have entered into conspiracy of
kindness toward the Eureka, and, to
make up for their past frowns, did
nothing now but smile, and the spirits
Of all on beard rose accordingly.
~ think, said Dolly one bright aft.
ernoon, 't':at it shall be sailing yes.
sci after all. -
Needless to remark, " said DR. Trine,
who was close by. Il agree with you.
But might l be so bold as to ask what
you are talking about? The statement,
standing by itself. was rather enigmat-
ical.
II was winding up my thoughts, doc
tor, by uttering the conclusion aloud.
You know, when we Get the dollars out
Of that galleon | shall be rich. l made
up my mind from the first ] should
have a yacht, and till recently have
favored steamer; but this is so de
licious today that I've decided on a
sailing craft after all
ANY particular rig?" inquired the
doctor gravely. "Or will You wait to
decide on such trihng detail ms that
till we've fingered the old spaniards'
gold and got it snugly slowed in the
bank at homeE"
UNLESS a good idea comes to me I'll
wait, )" she rejoined. "There's no par
ticular hurry.
you're right. Dolly" said the doc
tor with laugh "there ism Guthrie
clear that parasol Of the lady's. It's
fonled the halyards, and, Guthrie, whllo
you re forward, pass the word to that
miserable man Cain not tc stir the te"
with an oniony knife again today. Say
Miss Colepepper doesn't like it, and
then, perhaps, he II remember"
The Eureka was not "A speedy vessel,
but with fair winds and no Gains her