Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-08-03
DICK RODNEY:
Or. The Adventures of
An Eton Boy.
BY JAnHo GRANT.

An Eton Boy.
BY JAMH0 GRANT.


all this into suspense and utter bewil.
derment.
She was large. square-rlgged YES.
sel-a ship running close hauled on
the port-tack Ito use a man-o'-war
phrase). and with nearly all her can
vas set.
She was about four miles OF the reef
at the entrance Of the bay. and was
bearing directly toward II. Her can
vas glimmered like snow In the moon
shine. and We could see the red lights
OF her cabin windows fash at times
upon the sea astern. and the whiteness
OF her long flush deck. as she.careened
before the breeze.
Yet how was II. we all asked. that
there was not I breath OF wind with
US?
Perhaps she brings II with her."
suggested Hislop.
And how II came to pass that she
appeared right In the ofiing and out.
side the bay all Ut once!" asked TEN
Lambourne.
''She must have rounded the hiHh
blum while We were all palaverins."
said Probart.
Nothing more was said for n time,
but whether l, was the effect OF !mas.
ination or Of an oycrstraincd cyesi.ht
I know not. she seemed TO mel; as II
were In the brightness OF the moon.
shInc-to become 80 indistinct tina, wc
could SEQ tho line OF the horizon
through her topsa!is: and next Il
seemed as II her hull. her spars and
rigging were edged with bright pris-
matte huek.
II Is impossible for me TO describe
the blank astonishm-nt. or rather the
intense CONSERVATION. Of our men on
the DISAPPEARANCE OF this vessel. which
was tho object Of so many hopes and
wishes.
Som. tim. elapsed before tn. poor
fellows rallied sufficiently TO speak on
the subject: and meanwhile. there
flashed upon my memory some stranE,
and weird old Celtic tales. which a
Highland boy a; E;oa vas wont to
tell us. Of ships which in tho days o.
ossian ,Eayersrd the steep hills and the
salt iochs OF MoEyoa With equal Ia
eiii,y.
IL, is a shlp-oF rather the repre-
sen'ailon Of ssE!'able ship-shieh
canao; be far OF the island. aud 10
making for IL a, this memea,.- said
Hislop. .mphaiieaiiy.
How far do yGu think she Is. siE."
asked Hush Sha,-. faoekingiy.
Perhaps tu-aty miies-prThaps \
hgadFoa-lt is impossible To say
So thoroughly a1Fo our eotspanioas
scared By tho Treeni spectral appear
ancc. which they connected sa some
way With the dreadful character of
Antonio 81 catano. that they al once
commenced With aiacFiiy tho pFepasa-
,iaHs for putting 10 sea.
4, may be that somewhat Of the pro-
Isssinnsi rrs;icssaSss OF sailors con-
aEmsi their resolution.
They were already tired o, their So
jouFa on the island. and. inspired by
tho desire OF reaching Tristan aa Gun
ha. which Is Inhabited by aboa; eighty
families o. Portuguese. English and
mulas,gcs. among whom Hsslop as
sursd them they might iiaEpr long
enough before they were taken of! by
a passing shIp-qui;S as long as II they
remained on the Isle Of Aipheaso-and
where for subsistence they would be
forced to work as day iaboFcTs In the
savaauas and on the highways.
As for the Island Of Diego Alvarez.
our Scotch mate. who seemed TO know
everything. assured them that IL pro-
duced only moss and sea grass. and
that II cast there they would die Of
starvation. Moreover. without chart
or compass. how could they hope TO
steer with certainty In any directioar
They all nigh; perish in detail by
the most dreadful deaths in their opeu
boat. saspinz with uslucuehed thirs;
under the blaze Of tropical sun. He
said much more: bu, they would listen
TO nothing save their oWn fears and
restless impulses.
I, too. was weary OF the island: and
though feeling ali the dependency
that follows a severe disappointment
on the disappearance OF the illusory
ship. I in no way shared the wild and
ill-reEulated wishes of the crew.
though assured that would be com.
PEELED to follow their desperate for
tunes.
HIslop and I still fingered: 80 We
NNhG N'aH FNhNhAEAthhF AAdA
not come on beard at once they would
zheve of! without US. Thus compelled.
We stepped in most reluctantly and
seated ourselves in the stern. and he
assumed the tilier. The oars were run
through the rowlocks. and Lambourne
was about TO shove OF. when Probart.
who had the bow oar. suddenly re-
membcred that he had left his hatchct
near our viswam. and asked me to
get IL.
jumped ashore. and was proceed
ing along the beach for Il. when sud-
denly I was confronted by Antonio.
who from a thlcket had been watch
ing our operations and departure.
His tawncy skin-for he was naked
to the waisi-his ferociOus aspect. his
head of matted hair, his colossal