The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1901-04-05
By Weatherby Chcsney and Alick Munro.
XXX.

completely closed the entrance to the
cave and made II n prison that seemed
unbrcaknblc. one solitary sentinel was
amply sufficient to guard II, aud In
decd SO confident were we OF Its
strength that, although we had OF the
shore level storchouscs and 80 on, sur
rounded by n stockado ana enrtbworS
which might serve AS n fort In case uf
attack, we built our own dwellings ON
the plateau above. a zlgzag path from
the shore led one to the upper level In
less than five minutes, ana once there
all danger from tho fevcrs which the
clammy night mlsts OF the hnrbor
might give birth to was avcrted. The
houses, built of bamboo and matched
with broad leaves, lay In and among
n grove of graceful fcathery palms
whose waving fingers famed the hot
air into GOODNESS, and the natural gar
den around them remained rs much as
possible undisturbed.
Lovely flowers grew everywhere,
framed in slender fern fronds. Orchids
hung from the trees In twisted masses
of rainbow tinted color. The leaves
VI liz nulubS Wtlc hiuuCH III u NiNiN
of rich blossom. A myriad scents
commingled, and the breeze was fra
grant with the essence of paradise. Nor
was the luscious picture confined to
still life only. Strange Insects like
animated jewels hummcd through the
air. Painted butterflies whose color
ing no human brush could reproduce
floated sensuously from bloom to
bloom. Lizards, like flashes Of pale
green fire, shot across from the shadow
OF one great plant to tho shadow OF
another. And overhead the gayly
plumaged birds fluttered about or
porched on the branches and sang to
the sun throughout the whole of his
daily course.
Had II not been for the drovcs Of
steel jawcd mosquitoes which haunted
Il fairy grove l think few of us
would have asked better than to spend
his days on such n favored spot But
the ~insatiate blood thirst of these In
sect enemies prevented us from de-
generating into mere lotus eaters, and
the first spark Of dawn was call to
work.
We worked hard-the English urged
by habit and hope. the Spanlards by ex-
ample and rod. A second boat was
found lying In n rock pool stove In. but
repairable, and with this and the other
one which we already possessed the
carrack's stores and cargo and the jet
sam from the galley were safely housed
ashore. Then began the heavier toll OF
unplecing the vessels, stripping or the
unsplintered planks and frames, the
unbroken knees and elbows and trans
porting them to the site whereon we
Intended to lay stocks for our new keel.
1t was slow work, as any one who
has broken up a ship will know. for
bolt and clamp and treenall had each to
be drawn with curious care lest tim
bcrs for sheathlng should be split and
so rendered unfit for further use. But
time and perseverance were the chief
factors toward success and by lavish
ing both freely we Mt length finished
the ~dismantling of the two wrecks and
carried or towed their contents to the
beach in front of the cave.
1t was then that the great discussion
tool place as to the form In which our
new bark should be built.
Ever since we had settled In our up
land village among the palms Alec had
been employing his spare time In cary
Ing and rigging Il succession OF toy
ships. Nobody had taken much notice
of him, for II was not his habit to court
public applause and as yet he had no,
nel,nl cnr ,,,lli, ,citt,t,p, IA uynuIj
work by the pickering freight Tar into
the night and appeared so WRAPPED uT
In his labors that sometimes we would
speak three or four times to him and
not get an answer. More than ono
fancied that he was under a spell and
wondered whether Don Miguel had the
power of the evil eye. For indeed my
sworn |shipmate's manner was Otter
strangely distracted.
Sometimes he would sit gazing mood
lily at his work; sometimes he would
stare intently ut the fantastic shadow
pictures which the jerky flames cast OIL
the dark bushes at the edge of the cir
Gle of light. and then he would set I,
and destroy n greater part of the fab
ric he had toiled over and start patient
ly TO fit and carve 1t all afresh.
And the old man, who, when not OIL
guard below. seemed always to b.
watching these attempts, would ruI
his shining hands and burst out into
weird "Oh, no, no." of approval.
Now and again the modeler woul'
take n Of his tiny craft to a seclude'
part of the harbor and openly sayiu
he wanted no company would test II
so we supposed, And how his play
things had behaved in these trials W
could always guess by the look on hi
grave face when he returned. please
or gloomy according to the result.
His knife had fashioned simila
strange vessels in the old days at Viii
by, where the unbelieying jeers Of tn
s%hipwrlghts had made him destro
them, and though | and the other
looking at his new designs with til
critical eye of sailors rather than wit
the partial one of comrades, pointe
out to him grave defects and useles
innovations, he would quietly bid I
wait. wait. wait and NOT CrtticIsa III