The Red Cloud chief., 1899-04-07
CHAPTER XIv.-Continued.)


upon the directors of the company,
who promised him a ship on his re-
turn from the voyage he was about to
enter upon, making a condition that
he should become part owner of the
vessel. To this Philip consented, and
went down to visit the Vrow l. ~lterina,
the ship to which he had been appoint
ed as first mate. She was still un-
rugged. AMI the fleet was not expected
to sail for two months. Only part OF
the crew were on board, and the cap
tain. who lived at bort, had no yet
arrived.
So far as Philip could judge. the
Vrow Katerina was a very inferior YES
sci; she was larger than many OF the
others, but old, and badly constructed;
nevertheless, as she had been several
voyages to India. and had returned in
safety. It was to be presumed that she
could not have been taken up by the
company IL they had not been satisfied
as to her seaworthincss. Having given
a few directions to the men who were
on board, Philip returned to the hostel
ry where he had secured apartments
Cor himself and Anime.
The next day, as Philip was super
Intending the fitting of the rigging, the
captain of the Vrow Katerina arrived,
and, stepping on board of her by the
plank which communicated with the
quay, the first thing he did was to run
to the mainmast and embrace 1t with
both arms, although there was no
,mall portion of tallow on 1t to smear
the cloth of his coat.
"Oh, my dear Vrow, my Katerina!'
cried he, as IL he were speaking to a
female. How do you do l am so
glad to see you again; you have been
quite well, l hope? You do not like
being laid up in this way. Never
mind. my dear creature! You shall
soon be handsome again."
The name Of this parsonage who
thus made love to his vessel was Will
helm Barentz. He was a young man,
apparently not thirty years of age. of
diminut7ve stature and delicate proper
tions. His face was handsome. but
womanish. His movements were rapid
and restless, and there was that ap-
p%earance In his eye which would have
warranted the supposition that he was
little Eighty. even II his conduct had
not fully proved the fact.
No sooner were the ecstasies Of the
captain over than Philip introduced
himself to him, and informed him of
his appointment. "Oh! you are the
frs mate of the Vrow Katerina. Sir,
you are a very fortunate Next to
being captain OF her, first mate Is the
most enviable situation In the world"
Certainly not on account OF her
beauty" observed Philip: "she may
have many other good qualities"
mot on account OF her beauty!
Why. sir. I say las my father has said
before me, and 1t was his Vrow before
1t was mine) that she is the handsom-
est vessel in the world. At present
you cannot Judge; and besides being
the handsomest vessel. she has every
good quality under the sun"
81 am glad to hear it, sir" replied
Philip; at proves that one should
never Judge by appearances. But is
she not very old?"
"Old! not more than twenty-eight
years-just in her prime. Stop, my
dear sir, till you see her dancing on
the waters, and then you will do moth
ing all day but discourse with me upon
her excellence, and l have no doubt
that we shall have a very happy time
together"
provided the subject be not ex-
hausted,' replied Philip.
"That It never will be on my part;
and allow me to observe, Mr.. Wander
decken, that any officer who finds
fault with the Vrow Katerina quarrels
with me. I am her knight, and | have
already fought three men In her de-
Tense; trust l shall not have to fight
a fourth"
Philip smiled; he thought that she
was not worth while fighting for; but
he acted upon the suggestion, and from
that time forward he never ventured
TO express an opinion against the beau
tiful Vrow Katerina.
The crew were soon compete. the
vessel rugged, her sails bent, \and she
was anchored in the stream, ~strround-
ed by the other ships compoSns the
feet to be dispatched. The carlo was
then received on board, and. as SION as
her hold was full, there came, tdPhil-
fps great vexation, an order to receive
on board one hundred and fifty SOL
diers and other passengers. maR OF
whom were accompanied by heir
wives and families. Philip worked
hard, for the captain did nothinglbu
. praise the vessel, and at last they had
embarked everything, and the feet vas
ready to sail.
1t was now time to part with Arli,e.
who had remained at the hosiery, AID
20 whom Philip had dedicated eveE
spare moment that he could obtail
The feet was expected to sail in tW
dave and II was decided that ou tM