The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-07-24
CHAPTER xXxvI.
Conclusion.

have but little more to add. for
with this last episode the course Of
wild adventures upon which l had
been SO Itrangely hurried. nearly
closes.
A few hours after the death Of An
tonic, when Hislop and l. witk Lam
bourne, Carlton and other survivors OF
the Eugene were waiting in the ofnes
Of the British consul. to make some ar
rxngements for rewarding Jose Estre-
mera for his great kindness to US al.
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 well known in the ser
vice" and his words brought the mem
DRY Of my poor mothers ambition
back to me. and I thought Of the old
picture which hung in the dining room
at home.
After = brief conference with his
shipmates, Tattooed Tom now came
forward. and twirlins his fragment of
a hat. said that "if the noble caStain
had no objection, as he, Ned Carlton.
Probar1 and the other poor fellows OF
the Eugene 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 a glance that
they were ali first-clsss 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 a foreign land. all tat
tered as they were. with scarcely 5
| 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 hnd 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 posado &c
have a friendly glass together.
Soon after, as the war steamer was
to sail that evening. a boat under 8
midshipman came off for US. and then
we bade 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 &c
lose" said Hislop; let us be OF 70 tbs
shin while daylight lasts"
shall never forget my emotions Of
;ov when the boat with Hislop and the
rest of us came steering alongside thC
Active.
She was so clean. so trig, so square
aloft; with the bright copper cleaning
IN the water below; her black bulwark;
and red portholes. through which hei
e,xtv-eights and thirty-twos peeret
above the brine; the snow-white ham
mock cloths. with the gold epaulets o.
the lieutenant OF the watch glitterins
above them: the relocated marine:
on the poop and torecastle; the greaf
scarlet ensign Of "old England" float,
ing at the gaff-peak, and that no par
Of the illusion might be wanting, 1
little marine fifer. playing shrilly bu
sweetly Home. Sweet Home" in one
Of the boats that lay alongside. by th'
guess-warp boom.
she was so thoroughly British in hel
aspect. so unlike anything we had seer
In the seas We had traversed. that W.
felt at home the moment our fee