The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1899-07-14

island where there weren't not an
other stick of growth there should be
such vast tree as this For vast it
was. As big, I may say, as one of our
old English oaks was it, with huge
trunk and with great branches growing
out straight from that trunk, begin
ming at about the height of nine feet
from the ground. The leaves was not,
however, leaves like the oak leaves, but
long and thin and looking more like
fingers than aught else, and of dry
brown color. And they grew not thick
ly together, but very sparse and scant,
SO that easy could enc see the top and
the heavens above and perceive that in
its branches We're neither fowl of the
air nor bats nor nothing.
"And now, mateys. the sun was high.
in the heavens and the storm was past
and the heat was terrible-so terrible
indeed and fierce that the men who
were still aboard the Loving Friend
petitions the captain to be allowed to
come ashore and sleep beneath the
branches of that tree, where they would
get air and shade both And the cap
tain, seeing no call for to refuse. grants
instantly their request, and, setting
only the watch necessary. all on us
comes ashcre-including the captains
wife, a sweet and delicate, Young thing
he had lately married-and we spreads
ourselves ont at full length on the
sands, and there we sleeps and dozes all
the day until the quick nights of these
parts falls upon Us.
ssBut with the night there seemed to
come but little less GOODNESS than had
previously been in the day. and some
was for remaining all night on shore
under the tree. and the good skipper
gave his permission free enough for
them to do it. Some, however, who pre-
ferred their befths in the fo'castle to
the sand and sbingle of the island went
back to the ship. but / was one who
staid ashore.
'Well, the night fell swift upon us,
and, having slept much and refreshed
ourselves during the day. we was not
oversleepy at night, and SO we sat talk
ing and Earning, and sometimes giving
friendly halloo to the men on the ship,
and asking them how they did, and we
fetched out rations ashore, with our
rum andsome tobacco, and were as com
Portable as with the heat we well might
be. and, gradually, one by one, the men
dropped off to sleep, me and seaman
named Coils being the last to keep
awake, and now strange thing hap
pened.
s'Collis and was a-sitting side by
side, not lying down like the rest, and
was idly tossing the stones beneath us
about-aiming at whittier one than the
rest that was some feet away-when
Coils turns fierce upon me and saws.
what makes you touch my hair like
that?' and moves off a bit away from
me, as though offended like.
'''Touch your hair, mater says 1.
why have l got three arms and hands !
l am a-chucking stones, amt IL
''Collis looked at me moment, unbe-
lieving like, and then he says, All the
same. you touched my lifted it
up like. Don't do it no more
"Now. Coils was the man what had
been aboard to fetch the food and rum,
and thinks to myself that when at
the stores he had taken drop extra
for himself. So I says no more, but
only laughs. But blow me, ehipmates
all In this here room in Portsmouth
town. if there weren't echo to that
laugh close by into my ear. But it were
kind of gurgling, cruel laugh. which
didn't sound like mine. At least.
hoped not. Then Coils gets up. after
staring at me again FOR moment, and
says says he: 'Bos'n. good night.
I've changed my humor; I'm a-going
aboard and with that he starts of
down the sand to the ship. it being
now low tide. and see him a-clamber.
ing up her side by aid of a rope chuckcd
him by the watch.
"Well, was a-pondering deep upon
that laugh heerd. when, bust me, il
didn't feel something a-dragging Of
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