The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-01

chaos In four days time with only three
men TO speed the work.
| But Hardenberg was reassuring. and lit
| tie Ally Bazan the Colonial. told me they
| would Snatch her shipshape in the
| shorter end u two days. If so be they
must
| I stayed with the Three Crows all that
| day and shared their dinner with them on
| the quarterback. when. wearied TO death
4 with the strain OF wrestling with Stating
canvas and ponderous boom. they at last
threw themselves upon the hamper of
cold snack" had brought off with me and
pledged the success of the venture in tin
| dippers full OF Pilsencr
And I'm thinking" said Ally Bazan. "as
ow ye might well turn in along o us
| on board ere instead o hykin' back to
town tonight. There's a lsirish set O
currents. up and daown ERE abaout this
time o dye and yed find II stiff bit O.
rowing"
We'll sling hammIck for YOU on the
quarterback. SON urged Hardenberg.
And so il happened that passed my FIRST
night aboard the Idaho Lass.
We turned in early. The Three Crows
were very tired. and only Ally Bazan and
j were left awake at the time when we
saw the $50 ferryboat negotiating for her
slip on the Oakland side. Then we also
went to bed.
And now 1t becomes necessary, for a bet
Ter understanding Of what Is to follow to
zation the places and manners in which
my three friends elected to take their
sleep, as well as the condition and berth
or the schooner Idaho Lass.
Hafdenbcrg slept upon the quarterback.
rolled up In an army blanket md a tar
paulin. Strakber turned in below in the
cabin upon the fixed lounge by the dining
table, while Ally Bazan stretched himself
in one of the hunks in She fo'c'sle.
As for the location Of the schooner, she
lax IL. ~
cables length off the yards and docks OF
shipbulding concern. No other ship
boat OF any description was anchored
nearer than at least 800 yards.
She was a fine. roomy vessel. three
masted, about $50 feet In length. over all.
she lay head upstream. and from where l
lay by Hardenberg on the quarterback.
could see her tops sharply outlined against
the sky above the Golden Gate before l
went to sleep.
--nearef than 3-when awoke. Some move
fnent on the part of HGrdenberg-as l after
wards found out-had aroused me. But
lay inert for long minute trying to find
out why / was not In my own bed In my
own home. and to account for the rushing,
ripping sound OF the tide eddies suck
ing and chuckling around the Lass's rudder
post.
Then / became aware that HsrdenberS
was awake. 1 lay in my hammock, facing
the stern of the schooner, and as Harden
berg had made up his bed between me and
the wheel he was directly in my line Of
vision when opened my eyes. and could
see him without any other movement than
that of raising the eyelids.
Just now, as drifted more and more into
wakefulness, grew proportionately puzzled
and perplexed to account for a sngularly
strange demeanor and conduct on the part
OF my friend.
I'm In nj lie
drawn up under the blanket, one arm
thrown around both. the hand Of the other
arm resting on the neck and supporting the
weight of his body. He was broad awake.
/ could see the green shine Of our riding
lantern in his wide-open eyes. and from
time to time could hear him muttering to
himself, What is It? What Is 1t? What
the devil is it. anyhow
But 1t was not his attitude, nor tho fact
OF his being 50 broad awake at the unsea-
sonable, nor yet his unaccountable words
that puzzled me the most; 1t was the mans
eyes. and the direction in which they looked
that startled me.
His gaze was directed, not upon anything
on the deck Of the boat nor upon the sur
face Of the water near 1t. but upon some
thing behind me, and at a great height in
the air. 1 was not long in getting myself
broad awake.
CHAPTER III.
l rolled out on the deck and crossed over |
to where Hardenberg sat huddled in his
blankets.
What the deviP'-- began.
He Jumped suddenly at the sound Of my
voice. then raised an arm and pointed to- |
ward the top of the foremost.
Dye see it?' he muttered. Say, huh? |
Dye see It? thought saw It last night, |
but 1 wasn't sure But there's no mistake !!
now. Dye sse II, Mr.. Dixon?
looked where he pointed. Tho schooner |
was riding easily to anchor the surface OF |
the bay was calm, but overhead the high |
white sea fog was rolling in. Against 1t |
the foremost stood out like the hand Of an |
illuminated town clock, and not a detail Of |
Its rigging that was not as distinct as II |
etched against the sky.
And yet I saw nothing.
''WhereT' 1 demanded. and again and
again, "Where?
I'm the crosstrees" whispered Harden
berg "Ah! look there"
He was right. Something was stirring
ere--something that had mistaken for
the furled topsail. At first 1t was but I
formless bundle but as Hardenberg spoke 1t
stretched itself; 1t grew upright; 1t assumed
an erect attitude; It took the outlines Of a
human being.
From head to heel a casing housed it in.
casing that might have been anything |
at that hour Of the night, and in that