The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-30
nerves than even I am, / believe.

AYE aesented the captain 'She'
plucky. Guthrie, my lad. just rout out
that Dutchman-he says he's been a
carpenter. among other things-and the
pair Of You Get about rigging some jury
bulwarks Stanchions and life lines will
do till We get to Madeira. There's
plenty of wood in the hold"
The ketch was deeply laden with q
very dead" cargo. and she did not rise
easily to the seas Her movements
were heavy, sullen and sluggish; but
for all that she kept pretty dry. Her
lines were full and ample, for she was
apple bowed, round bottomed and full
sterned She did not pretend to be a
race horse or even well paced hack
She was rather a dray horse Of the sea.
sturdy, powerful. slow. But, for the
work she had to do, no safer type could
have been chosen. as the event Of the
nights struggle surely showed
Amy craft Of her tonnage and lading.
with less buoyant power than she had,
could not have lived through that aw-
full night, for, as the adventures learn
ed when they touched at Madeira, every
coast which felt that gale was strewn
with wrecks and at least a dozen ves-
sells were known TO have foundered at
sea. But the Eureka. though she lost a
considerable portion Of her bulwarks
and was otherwise SCARED and denied,
kept on the surface hravely and carried
her freight, human and otherwise, all
through the blow. with little damage to
any Of it.
Without further adventure she made
Funchal bay, Madeira, and lay there
for ten days while the Portuguese car
penters repaired the breaches which the
Atlantic had made. Then the water
tanks were filled, and as large supply
Of fresh provisions as the crew of eight
could get through while they lasted
good was taken on board. And after
that the anchor was tripped once more,
and she stood out to sea. But her course
this time was westward, and the desti-
nation was certain unbeaconed point
in the sea little to the eastward Of
one of the larger West Indian islands.
She did not cross the Atlantic with
out one or two small blows; but as she
never showed anything less than three
reefed mainsail- these did not count for
much. In fact, as they were all easterly
they were rather welcome than other
wise. Indeed after her adventure with
the p. and o. liner the elements seemed
to have entered into conspiracy Of
kindness toward the Eureka, and, to-
make up for their past frowns, did
nothing now but smile, and the spirits
of all on board rose accordingly
II think" said Dolly one bright aft
ernoon, "that it shall be sailing YES
sci after all. F."
"Needless to remark" said DR.. Tring
who was close by, II agree with You.
But might I be 80 bold as to ask what
you are talking about2 The statement,
standing by itself, was rather enignat-
ical."
Fl was winding up my thoughts, doc
tor, by uttering the conclusion aloud.
You know, when we get the dollars out
Of that galleon I shall be rich. I made
up my mind from the first ! should
have a yacht, and till recently have
favored a steamer; but this is 60 de.
licious today that I've decided on
sailing craft after all"
"Any particular rigr inquired the
doctor gravely. Cor will you wait to
decide on such a trifling detail az that
till we've fingered the old Spaniards'
gold and got it snugly slowed in the
bank at homer
"Unless good idea comes tc me I'll
watt" she rejoined. "There's no par
ticular hurry"
you're right, Dolly" said the doc
tor with laugh; "there isn't. Guthrie,
clear that parasol of the lady'a It's
fouled the halyards, and, Guthrie, while
you re forward. pass the word to that
miserable man Cain not to stir the tea
with an oniony knife again today. Say
Miss Colepepper doesn't like it, and
then, perhaps, he'll remember.
The Eureka was not speedy vessel,
but with fair winds and no Gains her
daily knotage in the right direction, as
chalked up on the slate at the foot Of
the companion, showed that she was
making her westing with decent haste.
The weather was warm and mild; never
hot, for the breeze always tempered the
fiercer sun rays; never cold, because
there were no gales Every one on board
found it necessary during the daylight
hours to wear the thinnest clothes-ev-
cry one, that is, except Captain Cole
pepper. The skipper still wore his shiny
black boots and still sported his heavy
blue pilot cloth. Indeed one day when
the sun was literally blazing he turned
out on deck tightly buttoned up in
pea jacket However, as he appeared
comfortable in it and justified himself
by the statement that thick clothing
Kept out the heat, the others soon learned
to take his peculiar attire as a matter Of
course.
The only person who was really I'M
comfortable as the sun began to mount
higher and higher over the mastheads
was Cain Laversha. He literally melt
ed. His great ally was Tom Jelly, and
his only respite from the heat torture
seemed to be when he was sitting down
on the deck and Tom was pouring sea
water over him. Tom, who like an old
shell back was not given to frequent