Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-07-24
1OCAPIURE AN HE|R[&.
By oUTOLIrrE HYEG.
An Interesting Adventure In the
Career Of Captain Kettle.
Copyright. 1900. by cu,elis. Hy...l

by UUTULlkfb HIND.
tCop,,isht. 1900 by Cutcii6e Hybe.l
The Pnrakeet had discharged the last
Of her coal into the lighters alongside
had cast of from the mooring bu0ys
and was steaming out Of the baking
heat Of Suez harbor on her way down
toward the worse heat Of the Red sea
beyond.
A passenger, a young man OF eight
or nine and twenty, lounged on camp
stool under the upper bridge awning
and watched the Parakeet's captain "a
he walked briskly across and across,
aud presently, when the little sailor
faced him. he nodded as though he had
decided something that was In bis
thoughts.
well, sir?" said Captain Kettle.
| Il wish you wouldn't look so anx.
.ous. We've started now and may as
well make up our minds to go through
II comfortably"
quite so." said Kettle. I'm think.
ing out how we are to do this business
In comfort and safety" And with that
he resumed his walk.
The man beside him had introduced
himself when the black workers were
carrying the Parakeet's cargo Of coal
In baskets from the holds to the light
ers alongside. and Kettle had been
rather startled 10 find that he carried q
letter Of introduction from the steam
boats owners. The letter gave him no
choice Of procedure. 1t stated with
clearness that Mr.. Hugh wenlock. so
licitor. had laid his wishes before them
and that they had agreed to further
these wishes through the agency Of
their servant, Captain Owen Kettle. In
consideration Of the payment Of f20O.
The Parakeet was cargo tramp and
carried no passenger certificate. but a
letter OF recommendation like this was
equivalent TO direct order. and Kettle
signed Mr.. wenlock on to his crew list
as doctor" and put to sea with an
anxious mind.
Wenlock waited awhile. watching
| sQualid Suez sink into the sea behind,
and then he spoke again.
Look here. captain" be said. Those
south Arabian ports have got lot
worse reputation than they really de-
serve The people down there 20 years
ago were n pack Of pirates. I'll grant
you. but nowadays they've got the fear
OF the gunboat always handy, and
that's a wonderful civlllzing power. l
tell you. captain. you needn't he fright
ened: that pirate business Is exploded
for now and always"
| Il know all about the piratical han
kerings OF those south Arabian niggers.
SIR" said Kettle stitiiy. ''and l know
| what they can do and what they can't
do as well as any man living. And ]
know also what I can do myself at a
push. and the knowledge leaves me
pretty comfortable. But II you choose
to think me frightened Ill own that !
am. It's the navigation down there
that gave me cold shlvers the hrst mo-
ment you mentioned It."
why. it's no worse than the Red sea
here anyway"
"The Red seas bad. but you can get
good charts Of II and rely on them.
South Arabian coast Is no better. and
the charts aren't worth the paper they
are printed on"
IL wouldn't like you TO wreck the
steamer down there. II might be awk-
ward for me getting back"
quite So" said Kettle. You're
thinking OF yourself. and don't blame
you. l'm thinking Of myself also. I'm
man that's met with g great deal or
misfortune. sir. and from one thing and
another I've been eight years without
a regular command. had the luck to
bring In a derelict the other day and
pocket q good salvage out Of her. and
my present owners heard Of II, and
they put me as master OF this steamer.
Just because Of that luck. am not
anxious TO pile up this steamboat on
some uncharted reef"
"I'm as keen as you are not TO get
the steamer wrecked. and II there's
any way she can be kept out OF dan
gerous area. and you can manage to
set me ashore where l want In a boat.
just you say. and I'll meet you all l
can. But at the same time. skipper. II
you don't mind doing a swap. you
might give me a good deal Of help over
my matter In return"
81 haven't heard your business yet.
sir. AL you've told me is that you
want to be set down In this place,
punkhot. and be taken OF again after
you've staid there four and twenty
hours"
"weli, you see. I didn't want II talk
ed over beforehand. If the newspa'
pers got hold Of the yarn aud made q
lot OF fuss about II. they might upset a
certain marriage that I've very much
set my heart upon"
Captain Kettle looked puzzled. 81
don't seem to quite follow you. sir"
you shall hear the tale from the
beginning. We have plenty OF time
ahead Of US just now. You remember
the wreck Of the Rangoonr
"She was coming home from East
Indian ports, wasn't she. and got on
fire somewhere Oh Cape Guardafui!
Only about ten Of her people saved. II
l remember"
That's about right" said Wenl0ck.
"Its 25 years ago now. Among others
lost was Colonel Anderson and his
wife and their child. Teresa. aged 4,
and what made their deaths all the
more sad was the fact that Anderson's
elder brother died just a week before.
and he would have come home TO find
4 peerage and large estates waiting for
him."
Il can feel for that man." said Ket-
tie.
II can feel most for the daughter"
said Wenlock.
"How do you mean. sirT
"Weil. Colonel Anderson's dead and
his wife's dead. but the daughter isn't.
or at any rate she was very much alive
Il months ago: that's all. The whole
lot OF them. with others, got into one Of
the Rango0n's boats. and after fris-
cling about at sea till they were nearly
starved got chucked on that south
Arabian coast. which you say is 90
rocky and dangerous. and were drown
ed: all barring Teresa. that is. She
was pulled out Of the water by the
local niggers and was brought up BY
them. and I've absolutely certain infor-
nation that not q year ago she was