The Holly chieftain., 1899-06-23

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long before You expect to get through
the islands this trip There may be
time enough to do something"
about IL or IS days. from the time
we arrive at Ynp to the day we leave
Guajan. But, don't you see. that won't
help us any. Guajan Is the Last stop;
I go straight back to Manila from
there. You might get from zap to.
Guajan on one of the catamarans, but
the natives are no navigators, and It
would be pretty risky business"
ut would be out Of the question to
make Guajan first, suppose?"
Rather. OF course It might be
done, but at the risk of losing my COM
mission and getting into hot water be.
sides. You zee, the regular trip for
years has been to make Yap first, be-
cause the Caroline and Peiew govern
ments there include two lieutenant
colonies n gobernadors, against one
in the Ladrones. From Yap the ship
goes to Pouynipete, or Ponape, the
largest island in the Carolines, and
from there to Guajan. This trip. as it
happens, I'm instructed to take in
Kusaie also, at the east end of the
group; so you see a change of course
might raise considerable unpleasant
ness"
"If these islanders were afflicted
with either push or discipline, 1t
might. But they seem to take life
pretty easy-don't trouble themselves
about little things. Couldn't we think
up valid excuse for changing the
course machinery or coal = some
thing OF that kind7"
"Coal wouldn't do. We're carrying
more than enough TO get back on, and
| there's little or none in the islands. Al
for machinery-m'-w-e-l-l- Look
here, Harry; W. can't put thing like
this through without assistance. Well
have to take some one into our conf.
dence, though it may not be necessary
to do so entirely. Now, McPherson
my engineer, has sailed with me, of
and on for several years, and is under
| obligations to me besides. The nature
OF those obligations l won't discuss;
It IL sufficient that while don't take
any stock In average human nature,
can rely upon his doing anything in
the world for me; and If we should get
hold of that money I'd like Mac to have
= share of 1t, even II it were only n
small one. We won't tell him the
whole scheme at first, but he can help
US more than anyone else. and will
keep his mouth shut, too. What do
| yousay? Shall we let him in?"
by all means. From what I've seen
of Mac like him very much; and, as
you say, we need all the assistance we
can safely get"
| Halstead sent ono Of the quarter
masters below for Mcpherson, and in
a few minutes he appeared in the door
way. CHANGING along the deck to see
that no one was within hearing, the
captain closed the door and said:
"Mac, I've known you and Stevens SO
long that thought you should'be bet
ter acquainted with each other. We
were talking of the voyages you and
have sailed together, and thought
we'd like to have you join with us in u
little speculation. Whether there will
be much of anything In 1t OF not we
can't say; in fact, 1t wouldn't be fair to
raise your anticipations by going int @
the particulars. But we are willing to
agree that If The scheme should be
successful we'll do what's right.
guess you know me pretty well, and I'll
answer for Stevens. Now, are you will
ing to help us with no more of an ex.
PLANTATION than that?"
"Aa think ye medina ask me thit,
Haalstead. Ye kin max yerser easy
thit Aa'll do onything ye saay wi lit.
tie adoo aboot it. We be three amang
FARMERS oot in this part O. the nrld,
an Aa fancy we'd best pull tagither."
That's what I thought you'd say,
Mas. Now, 1t seems to me necessary
that Stevens should get to Guajsn as
soon as he possibly can. He will go
ashore there and start things moving.
Whether we will be able to communi-
cate with him again this trip is rather
doubtful; but II we don't, you and i
have got to put it Up for another voy.
age out here when we see Ramirez. II
the compan'a happen to have the otLer r
boat ready. it'll be no fool Of a job,
either. The question just now is, b how
are we going to change our course
without getting into trouble with the
government? With some ironclad,
reasonable excIse, we might do it.
How much coal have you?"
"Saemthing oonder thoosan' ton.
Tha government i'll pay for but nine
knots an hoor, an thit'll leave a
plenty for emairgencies, oover an
nbuve what Aa'll burn in tina foor
| wiks."
"Then you could safely shove her up
to IL or 13 knots, If we wanted to hustle
a little. without running short?"
| 6Avs cop ho l.,