The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-08

"Mtss Colepepper, may / haus the pleas
Are of a tuaM Nth you dshoref"
and exhausted, and threw themselves
down upon the warm deck planks,
where they lay in state of limp, trio.
king moisture till they had recovered
q little.
"You seem pretty well used up. il" said
the doctor. who had como up and was
regarding them anxiously "We must
try another crew.
"No use, gasped the captain. III
| you'd that lubber Cain and the Dutch
man in the boat, they wouldn't get the
warp taut No; we'll go on again as
before when we've got our winds back
/ bit"
DR.. Tring went aloft, peered keenly
around him for awhile and returned.
1.-THE channel soon widens," he re-
ported. "Another half mile and we
shall be out Of the worst of this in
fernal bottle neck. think we can get
canvas on her again then and beat
out"
This was encouraging So they got
back to their boat work again with
fresh spirits and breath. Both were
nesded, for the wind presently fresh
sned somewhat, raking the ketch dead
on end. Their muscles were tired; the
sun as he rose higher in the heavens
beat down upon them even more heav-
lily, and when at last the jib squeaked
up and the Eureka's bow fell off to be-
gin the beat the undergraduate for one,
Oxford oarsman as he was, was feeling
that if they had had TO go on for 20
more strokes he must have collapsed.
They were not out of the wood even
then, for the channel was still perilous-
ly narrow and the shoals were more Of
ten than not but few feet from the
counter when she went about. II was
ticklish work, therefore, but they man.
aged it without touching the ground
once, although the margin of safety be-
tween the ketch's bottom and the
sharp. Jagged coral teeth must more
than once have been a mere matter of
foot or two. But at last they opened
out good broad lagoon. and, running
across to its farther boundary. rose the
islet which they had gone to so much
trouble to seek.
1t was still good five miles off, and
the intervening navigation was by no
means plain. But the ketch was in shel-
tered water now. for the outer line Of
reefs broke all the heavier seas. and the
waves Of these inside channels, not hav-
ing go far to run, never attained any
great height. In one way this was an
added danger, for heavy surf is warn
ing easily understood; but, on the other
hand, there was little chance now Of
piling the ketch up badly. She was
creeping along at very steady pace.
and II she did chance to take the ground
they could probably heave her off with
out damage or trouble.
But, for all that, there was no dimi-
mutton Of the caution with which she
was navigated. Whether or no there are
danger and damage to be feared from
such thing, your true sailor has the
utmost horror of getting his craft unin-
tentionally ashore. 1t is an indelible
slur upon his senmanship, and no
amount Of after skill can wash out the
stain.
1t was work that required nerve too
A timid pilot might well have blanched
at the Dreaming, believing surf which
was often but few fathoms away from
his lee, and had DR.. Tring lost his head
for a moment it might have meant
death to every one on board. But the
doctor 8 GOODNESS never deserted him. He
rolled and smoked his interminable ciga-
rettes through all that exciting day
and, as Captain Colepspper remarked,
might have been skippering a brick
barge on the Oxford canal for all the
nervousness he showed To which the
doctor replied that he much regretted
his constitutional defects, but that
nerves, in the feminine sense Of the
word, had been forgotten when his 9TH
er attributes were dealt out to him.
"It's a great nuisance" said h.
Il feel desperately sighted
hat I'm not ut times jumpy and jerky
ike other people, and never experience
,old thrills along the vertebre, or sud.
len perspirations, or, in fact, any single
me Of the various luxuries which the
possession Of nerves gives to most PEG.
lie. But the fact remains, am dsbsr-
ed from all these pleasures. You
leedn't laugh, Miss Colspspper. az.
ure you I do regret it, though for work
ike today's it perhaps has Its compen-
ations"
So the doctor continued to smoke
uietly at his post amid all the dangers
I that passage. During the whole aft.
rnoon they threaded their way through
ortuous channels and narrow lagoonA
nd at last, just as night was beginning
0 close In, they opened out deep bay,
those waters Tapped the shore they had
ono to such pains to seek
DR.. Tring pointed to q small strip Of
ebbly beach, which shelved sharply
own into the deep water.
''There, should imagine, IL the ex- /
ct spot which the Mr.. Piper who gave !
is name to the island probably chose |
II careening dock" said he. "We
mt do better than follow the excellent
rates example. 20 far as to make use
the same place; eh, Colepeppers Over Il
18th the anchor. Hansl'' '
The heavy kedge was hsaved over the :,
de and fell with splash into the blue
alter. About six fathoms OF the cable n
n ont after 1t, and the Eureka swung Z
und to the anchor. :
"Miss Colepepper. may I have the 4
easure Of walk with you ashorsa" o
ked the doctor with a courtly bow. q :.
An unknown Island to explored Who !,
owss Perhaps ! shall be able to give B
q an adventure u
<To Be contlnusd.)