Evening journal., 1904-05-21

Tomorrow
"Yasr
THAT'S settled then" persisted Mo.
ran. surprised at his ready acquies.
cence. 1--WE start home tomorrow 2
Charlie nodded.
'Tomolla." he said.
The rudder was not so badly dam
aged as they had at first supposed.
The break was easily mended, but it
was found necessary for one of the
meE to go over the side.
Get over the side here, jim" com
manded Moran. Charlie, tell him
what's wanted. We can't work the
plntle in from the deck"
But Charlie shook his head.
Him no likee go; him plenty much
haid."
Moran ripped out an OATH
"What do I care If he's afraid! l
want him to shove the pintle into the
lower gudgeon. What carbon she
exclaimed. I'D sooner work n boat
with she monkeys. Mr.. Wilbur, shall
have TO ask you to 20 over. | thought
was captain here, but it all depends
on whether these rats are afraid or
not
Plenty many shark" expostulated
Charlie. Him faid shark come back,
catchum chop-chOp."
stand by here with a couple OF cut
ting-in spades cried Moran, "and
fend Off If you see any shark. Now,
then. are you ready. mater
Wilbur took his determination in
both hands. threw off his coat and san
dals and went over the stern rail-
Put your ear TO the water" called
Moran from above. Sometimes you
can hear their fukes"
II took but a minute 20 adjust the
pintle, and Wilbur regained the deck
again, dripping and little pale. He
knew not what horrid form of death
might have been lurking for him down
below there underneath the kelp. AS
he started forward for dry clothes he
was surprised TO observe that Moran
was smiling at him. holding out her
hand.
THAT was well done" she said, "and
thank you. I've seen older sailor men
thnn you who wouldn't have taken the
risk" Never before had she appeared
more splendid in his eyes than at this
moment. After changing his clothes in
the fo'c'stle he sat for a long time,
his chin in his hands. very thoughtful.
Then at length. as though voicing the
conclusion of his reflections, he said
aloud as he rose to his feet:
But OF course that is out OF the
question
He remembered that they were going
home on the next day. Within a fort
night he would be IN San Francisco
again, a taxpayer a police protected
citizen once more. 1t had been good
fun, after all. this three weeks life on
the Bertha Millner, strange episode
cut out from the normal circle of his
conventional life. He ran over the in
cidents Of the cruise -Kitchell, the tur-
tie hunt. the finding Of the derelict
the dead captain. the squat and the
awful sight Of the sinking bark, Moran
at the wheel, the grewsome business
Of the shark fishing. aud, last of all,
that inexplicable lifting and quivering
Of the schooner He told himself that
now he would probably never know
/ the explanation Of that mystery.
The day passed in preparations tC
| put to sea again. The deck tubs and
hogsheads were slowed below and tn,
tackle cleared away. BY evening al
was ready; they would be under way
by daybreak the next morning Their,
was n possibility Of their being forced
70 tow the Schooner out by means OF
! the dory, so light were the airs inside
Once beyond the heads, however, they
were sure of a breeze
About 10 o'clock that night the same
uncanny trembling ran through the
schooner again, and about half an hour
later she lifted gently once or twice
! But after that she was undisturbed.
Later on in the night. or, rather. early
in the morning, Wilbur woke suddenly
in his hammock without knowing why
and got up and stood listening. Tn,
| Bertha Millner was absolutely quiet
The night was hot and still The new
moon, canted over like a sinking gal
leon, was low over the horizon. vii
bur listened intently, for now at last
he heard something.
Between the schooner and the shor,
n gentle sound Of splashing came t.
his ears and an occasional crack as OF
oars in their locks Was It possibl,