The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-07
be Ship s .Ndvenfure.
BY W. CLARK RUSSELL Copyright 1892 bys S Mcclure COY
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL.
rhantcr XI.-rhe Captain,s Birthday.

Now in this business of transferring
the four men Hardy noticed that the
captain made 10 reference to Miss Arm
strong. Another captain would have ask
ed her if she wished 20 go home perhaps,
indeed would have sent her home with
out asking her Was it because Capt.
Layard knew she had no home? Hardy
hoped it might be that. but suspected ii
was not SO. This shin wanted no stew
ardess; the girl was one more 10 feed,
and owners do not love liberaity in their
captains In short the mate came to the
conclusion that the captains benevolence
in keeping the girl and giving her a pas
sage to Australia for nothing was due to
haliucunatiOn, and the thought was un-
easiness itself both for Julia's sake and
the ships.
1t was the day blowing the tranship-
ment of the men that he found an op-
portunjty during the captains absence to
take a turn with the girl and talk to her.
The sun was shining a little hotly, and
the clouds We're sailing fast Each round
of swell, as it came undermining the
ship out of the northeast, was ridged and
wrinkled with arches of foam, and the
day was alive with the music in the rig
ging. with the speckled wings of sea-brdys
in the wake, and the smoke-like shadows
of vapor heeting through the sunshine
on the water.
After the couple had talked little
Hardy said:
How does the captain treat you?'
Very kindly" she answered.
81 keep an eye on him." he said, but
it will not do to seem TO hang near when
he is talking to you. He might round
and become fierce, for from madness You
may expect anything. What is his talk
about?"
Chiefly his lest child"
seaman yyb was in the main ri
ging putting a fresh sezing to rat
line looked at the girl, and thought deep
in himself oh, lovely, what a fgurel But
what that whiskered heart admired most
was the coquetGsh cock of her head,
the grace Of one hand upon her hip, the
charm of her motions as she walked, her
posture when she turned aft or forward
on the return that was like a pause in
some sweet dancers movements Yes,
Jack can keep a bright lookout when a
gill heaVes in sight, but the mighty
Charles Dickens is right in holding that
Jacks Nan is often the unlOVeliest of the
fair.
Does he go on thinking that you know
where his child is?' said Hardy.
Yes. 1t is a fixed deusion, though ]
can not humOr it-it is too sad-in spite
of your wish"
THE oldest part to me-" said Hardy,
'is the reason he shows in his profession
a work. He doesn't confOund things; the
sail he talks Of is the sail it is; he still
knows the ropes. The flicker of the leach
of tOpgallantsail will set him wanting
a small psl on the leebrace"
How does he manage with the naviga-
tion?" asked the girl.
'IIe, works il out as do. He finds the
ships position to a second. This may be
the effect of. habit, but IS not custom
beateneinto rags by insanity, like the
head of an old drum? It's not so in
this case, and the crew mayn't find him
out till the pilot boards us and guess
nothing until they hear that the doctors
have locked him up
Then what does his madness signify?''
said the girl. Hell be as good as the
sanest if we arrive safely"
"Ah, but it's the getting therel It's the
what may happen tomorrow, or tomorrow,
or tomorrow, and that is going to make
my hair gray, Miss Armstrong"
Call me julia she said, looking at
him with a sudden light in her eyes.
why should 1 take that liberty?,' he
replied smiling.
Because should love it." she answer
ed
"I'H not call you Julia before him. he
exclaimed, with a note of fondness which
brought charming expression into her
face, as the kisses of a shower freshen
the perfume of the rose. "It must be a
stiff Miss Armstrong or / am no mate
and then they fell to talking little non
sense.
A day came, and it was the fifth day
dating from the drowning of the little
drummer, and 1t was a Friday, in al
tradition a black day for the sailor; and
nobody, I think, has taken notice that il
was Friday when Nelson, full of instinct
i've assurance, that he would never re
turn alive, kissed his sleeping child an(
started to join his ship for Trafalgar.
The captain, Miss Armstrong and Mr.
Hardy, sat at breakfast. The ship haC
made good way; not many parallels la!
between her and the northern verge O.
the tropics. The sun poured his light il
fire, and the flying fish sparkled under tn,
bows.
The sailors had noticed nothing in thu
captain to SGT them growing suspicou!
into one another's ears with askant look
aft. If Mr.. Candy, who lives close to tn,
skipper, had taken any sort of altitude
of the poor mans mind, he kept his oh
servations secret; or it must be that hi
believed the captain was a little upset by
the loss of his child, and he had not tn,
penetrating sagacity of Hardy.
The wind had fallen light, and the mo
tions of the ship were as easy as
swimmers Hardy had noticed in III,
captain 5 face when they met that morn
ing an expression of lofty triumph, O
sublimated self-complacency such as
man deranged by conquest and acclama
tion might wear as he passes slowl,
through the huzzaing crowds He
seemed self-crowned, and might have re
minded a better student than Hardy o
one OF Nat Lees heaven-defying stag
kings.
To-day is Friday" said the captain
addressing Miss Armstrong, and wha
day do you think it is?"
Julia thought a while, for she fancieC
he, meant something in the almanac.
Il don't know, captain" she answered
1T is my birthday said the captain
and Johnny is waiting somewhere t,
kiss me-
Hardy was about to deliver with al
the respect of a mate d sentence of con
graduation. but the closing words of tn
captain silenced him.
Il wish you many happy returns of iii,
day said Julia
lyon might like to know how old
Pres-SI .~-