Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-06-15
CHAPTER xXXvI.

NOHClublOHs
l have but little more to add, for
with this last episode the course OF
wild adventures upon which had
been so strangely hurried, nearly
closes
A few hours after the death Of An
tonic, when Hlslop and I, with Lam
bourne, Carlton and other survivors of
the Eugenle we're waiting in the office
Of the British consul, to make some ar
rangements for rewardlng Jose Estre-
mera for his great kindness to us all,
we met Captain the Hon. Egerton B.
OF her majesty's ship Active, who was
so struck with our story that he offer
ed us all a passage to England, an Of
fer we accepted with gratitude.
His ship was leaving the African
squadron, and returning home to be
repaired.
"Rodney-Rodney" said he, ponder
ingly, when the consul introduced me,
you ought to have been a sailor, for
your name is we'll known in the SER
vice." and his words brought the men,
ory OF my poor mothers ambition
back to me, and | thought Of the old
picture which hung in the dining room
at home.
After brief conference with his
shlpmates, Tattooed Tom now came
forward, and twirllng his fragment of
q hat, said that III the noble captain
had no objection, as he, Ned Carlton,
Probart and the other poor fellows of
the Eugenle were out of berth, and
at uncommon low water they would
gladly ship aboard the Active and en-
ter her majesty's service.
Capt B., who saw at glance that
they were all frst-class seamen, read
lily accepted the offer and promised
them the usual bounty, for which they
gave three loud cheers for the queen,
and It came from their threats not the
less heartily that they were far away
from her and In foreign land, all tat
tered as they were, with scarcely
shirt to their backs.
Heaven bless you, my lads" said
Hislop; this is the best thing you can
do; and believe me, Capt. B., you
will find my old shipmates neither
waisters nor green hands, but thorough
A. BIS"
AS they all loved him, another cheer
for Hislop followed, and while the
captain went of to the Active in his
gig, we all adjourned to a posado to
have a friendly glass together.
Soon after, as the war steamer was
to sail that evening, boat under
mldshipman came Off for us, and then
we babe farewell to Jose Estremera,
to his mate, Manuel Gautier, to Fra
Anselmo, and the old governor Of Sura-
baya.
Come, Dick, We have no time to
lose" said Hlslop; let us be off to the
ship while daylight lasts"
l shall never forget my emotions Of
Joy when the boat with Hlslop and the
rest Of us came steering alongside the
Active.
She was so clean, so trlg, so square
aloft; with the bright copper cleaning
In the water below; her black bulwarks
and red portfolios, through which her
slxty-eights and thirtytwos peered
above the brine; the snow-white ham
mock cloths, with the gold epaulets Of
the lieutenant Of the watch glittering
above them; the relocated marines
on the poop and forecastle; the great
scarlet ensign Of "old England" float
ing at the gaff-peak, and that no part
OF the Illusion might be wanting, a
little marine fter, playing shrilly but
sweetly Home, Sweet Home in one
OF the boats that lay alongside, by the
guess-warp boom.
She was so thoroughly British In her
aspect, 30 unlike anything we had seen
In the seas we had traversed, that we
felt ut homo the moment our feet |