The Irish standard., 1903-03-14
'Be seated, gen,temcn,' said Sid

service, we are indeed fortunate."
All were surprised and delighted.
Sidney touched buttoY and set two
electric fans in motion. They found
the grapefruit delicious, and MIR.
Kent declared that the oranges were
the best he ever had tasted. A few
minutes later l.. Sylvester Vincent
entered with a huge platter of
poached eggs, cooked to perfection.
Sidney followed with crisp bits of
bacon and generous installment of
broiled ham. Mr.. Morton clapped his
hands and proposed three cheers and
a vote of thanks for the cooks. They
were given with will. Then all fell
on the vands. But the cooks were
not yet through. They served French
fried potatoes and Saratoga chips,
vast piles of buttered toast, jars of
jam, and to crown all, Vincent
brought in the steaming coffee pot
and made the feast complete.
'We have no cream, but this con-
densed milk is not bad" said Sid
ney.
Make no excuses" said Mr. Kent.
you and Vincent are the kings of
chefs. Talk about your Waldorf-As-
toria! 1t isn't in it,"
The cooks joined in the break
fast, and it was a hungry and a
merry party. Mr.. Morton sat at the
head Of the table and was in splen-
did humor.
''iou don't seem to be lost now,
Brother Pence" said Mr.. Kent, as he
helped that gentleman to another
portion of bacon and eggs. you
certainly have found your appetite" !"
'You let Pence alone" said Mr..
Morton. "We will make you cook
the next meal as Il punishment"
Perhaps you think 1 can't cook?''
said Mr.. Kent. detiantly, "You don't
know what 1 can dot"
81 do," said Mr.. Haven pass the
sugar, please
Mr.. Kent smiled in a sardonic
manner at Mr.. Haven, and continued
by saying that when Il young man
he had served as cook for six
months in a western mining camp.
breakfast over, they adjourned to
the veranta; Vincent volunteered to
clear the table and look after the
dishes. For an hour he was a busy
man. He donned an apron and washed
and wiped the dishes, and stored
them away in the china closet. Dur.
ing this operation he smoked a
large imported cigar. Every once
in Il while his face would wreathe
i'm Il. il,
he lit Il fresh cigar, and joined the
rest of the party which was grouped
on The west verunda, engaged il
conference.
'Wc must divide our work and as
sign each member Of the party Ger
tain responsibility" Mr.. Morton was
saying. I'm the first place we must
we are, and then devise means tt
return to our homes. We may as
we'll dismiss this man IIestor ant
his yacht from any further consider
alton. If not crazy he is villain
and in either case we have little tc
hope from him. We must explore
this island, and then see what car
be done. About where do you sup
pose this island is located, Mr.. Ham
mond? I have my own idea, and
would like to hear from Others"
"We are somewhere in the West
Indies. or in the Gulf of Mexico OF
the Caribbean Sea-" said Sidney
"That is rather an indefinite answer
admit, but we should be able by
timing the sunrise by our watches
which are set by New York time-te
tell about how far west we are, ant
possibly we can make a calculation
which will determine our approx
mate latitude. l anu inclined tt
think we are well to the west o,
Cuba, and not many hundred mile:
from the Mexican or Central Amer
lean coast"
II entirely agree with you," sale
Mr.. Morton. 81 kept as close watcl
of the direction taken as possible
Monday was cloudy, but am sure
that on that day and on a part o1
Sunday we were going i'll a westerly
or southwesterly direction. l figur.
that we ran about 124 hours on ,
fairly direct course to this island
The Sharks course was erratic only
when Capt. Waters was avoiding
other craft. Now, if we averaged
90 miles an hour, that would max,
II total of 2,4SO miles. 1t may be 10'
miles either way from this esti
mate"
Sidney produced an atlas from th'
library, and all pored over the MAJ
of North America, as if dema ndins
Il solution of the puzzle from th'
tinted page.
"You will not solve the problem
Of where we are at by gazing at tina
map" said Mr.. Kent. "'There ar
thousands of islands in the West In
dies which are not on the map. an,
we may be in any one of Them
''Here is something that may b.
of service to us" said Mr.. Morton
who had been absent for severa
minutes. II took n notion to ex
anime the. room occupied by Mr.. Hes
tor last night, and l found this ol
the dressing case"
Mr.. Hestor unrolled sheet of ma
Mia drawing paper containing
well-eNecuted map labeled "Hestu
ria" 1t was spread out on the din
ing table and examined amid mucl
excitement.
'Here is what Hestor named Nor
ton Bay" said Mr.. Carmody. point
inr to the npDr-S1,aned lake San,