The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-09

4 few more won't hurt. II We get
through with this little game. all
right; II we get interrupted ! guess the
only thing left will be to attend our
own funerals I'm not going to taste
: the inside Of Japanese jail at any
price.
II never saw such a fellow as You for
looking at the gloomy side Of things
said Carnforth irritably. a... ,a. "a,
"It's the gloomy eide that's mostly
come my way. sir.
II wish to goodness I'd never been
idiot enough to come out h$e on this
harebrained scheme. ..5 .
"Why," said Kettle in surprise.
.'you We got the remedy to your hand.
You give your orders, Mr.. Carnforth,
and IN bout ship this minute and take
you home"
"And don't you want to go through
with it. skipperf' 49, ~, !
= II don't see my tastes need be men.
toned said the sailor stiffly, "You
are my owner. sir I'm here to do as
I'm bid" g.,
Captain Owen Kettle said the
other. with laugh that had got some
sour earnest at the back, Of it. ''you re
cantankerous little beggar I sailed
with you before and found the most de.
lightful Of shipmntes | sail with you
now. and you keep me always at boat
hooks length away from you. Be
hanged If see what I've done to stiffen
you"
"Sir. said Kettle, ION the Sultan
Of Borneo You were my guest On this
yacht you are my owner There's all
the difference In the world. " .....
"You wish to point out. suppose,
that shipmaster looks upon an owner
as bis natural enemy. as he does the
board of trade Still sIidon't think ]
personally have deserved that "
II am as have been made. sir. and.
suppose. can t help 1t. y
lyon are man with some wonder
fully developed weaknesses, However,
as to going back. I'm not going to
stultify myself by doing that now
Well see the thing through now what.
ever happens. s .l.v..i r. /.
Martin Carnforth nodded CURLY and
got up and walked the deck He was
conscious Of fine sense of disappoint-
ment and establishment He had
started off on this expedition filed with
a warm glow of romance He had been
grubbing along at !istasteful business
pursuits for the larger part of his life,
and adventure. as looked at from the
outside had always lured him strong
ly Once in Kettles company he had
tasted of the realities OF adventure
among Cuban revolutionists, had got
back safely and settled down to bust
ness again FIR time, and then once
more had grown restless. But lie had
the virus OF adventure in his blood,
and he was beginning to learn that it
was cumulative poison. So. once
more he had started-off, but this time
he was being chilled from the outside.
Properly treated the prospects Of the
trip would have been rosy enough.
Handled by Captain Owen Kettle. the
whole affair was made to assume the
aspect of commercial speculation of
more than doubtful sanity, and as he
walked he cursed Kettle from his in
most heart for bringing him to earth
and keeping him there among sordid
considerations
The little mariner himself was seated
in deck chair under an awning turn
ing in the frayed sleeve of a white drill
jacket His sewing tackle stood in a
pictured tin biscuit box on the deck
beside him He ripped the old
stitches with pocketknife and renew.
ed the sleeve with exquisite accuracy
and neatness His fierce eyes were in
tent on the work To look at his nimble
fingers one wonld think that they had
never held anything more deadly than
the ordinary utensils Of tailoring,
Carnforth broke off his walk and stood
for moment beside him. @
'Skipper, he said, you're queer
mixture You've lived one of the most
exciting lives any mans ever gone
through, and yet you seem to turn your
more peaceful moments to tailoring or
poetry inditferently and enjoy them
with gusto
"Mr. Carnforth,' said the little
sailor, II guess we're all discontented
animals. We always like most what
we get least of. i
"Well. suppose that's intended to
sum up my character as well as your
own" said Carnforth. and sat down
and watched the sewing,
The mate, on the yachts upper
bridge, picked up the reef with his
glasses that evening a couple of hours
after shutdown. The night was velvet
black. with only few stars showing.
A sullen ground swell rolled the seas
into oily hills and valleys, and the reefs
ahead showed themselves in blaze of
phosphorescence where the swell broke
into thunderous surf 1t seemed as
though the yacht was steaming toward
the glow and din Of some distant
marine volcano. The watch below were
all on deck, drawn there by curiosity,
and along one bulwark the watch on
duty were handing the deep sea lead.
At intervals came the report. trolled in
q minor key, of mo bottomr"
The engines were running half speed
ahead. and presently they stopped, and
the order was given for the yacht to
lay to. where she was till daybreak. A
light breeze had sprung up, bringing
with it queer, slender faint into the
sweet sea air.
For long time Carnforth had been
anuffling diligently. I'm sure smell
something" he said at last.
otis there, said Kettle. "Have
you ever been in north country Nor
wegian port, sirT'
"By Jove, yes, skipper It's just the
same. Decaying fish. "
"There's no other stencil like it on
this earth You know what it means
here2"
II suppose some other fellows are in
the lagoon before u.s. and they re rot
ting out shell. ....
"That's it, said Kettle, land we're
going to have our work cut out to get
4 SVlE-