Willmar tribune., 1904-09-21
CHAPTER XXIV.-Co :: :1NuHp.


that l should know if vessels havi
anchored here, for if they be merchant
men l sometimes do business wit.
them"
"Business!" said Dickory. "Tha
sounds extremely odd. Pray tell mt
now you came to be here'
MY name is Mander," said the 9th.
er, and about two years ago was or
my way from England to Barbados
where, with my wife and two girls,
expected to settle. We were captured
by pirate ship and marooned upor
TINS island. will say, to the pirate
captains credit, that he was a goot
sort OF man considering his profession
ne sailed across the bay on purpose te
nno suitable place to land us, and hi
le1t with US some necessary articles
such as axes and tools, some kitche1
utensils, and gun with some ammuni
tlon. Then he sailed away, leaving u:
mere, and here we have since lived
Under the circumstances, we have nc
rlght to complain, for had we beer
taken by an ordinary pirate it is like,
~ that our bones would now be 1yins
at the bottom of the ocean.
"Here l have worked hard and hav5
mace myself home, such as it is
Ihere are wild cattle upon the distan,
savannas, and trap game and birds
cultivate the soil to a certain extent
and II we had clothes 1 might say We
would be in better circumstances than
many respectable family in England
sometimes when merchantmen an
chors here and have hides or any
thing else which we can barter for
things we need, row over the bay ir
canoe which l have made, and have
thus very much bettered our condi-
ton. But in no case have | been able
to provide my family with suitable
clothes"
"Why did you not get some of these
merchant ships to carry you away?"
asked Dickory.
The man shook his head "There is
no place." he seid sadly, Ito which /
can In reason ask ship to carry me
and my family. We have no money,
no property whatever. In any other
place would be far poorer than am
here. My children are not uneducated; !;
my wife and have done our best for
them in that respect, and we have
some books with us. So, as you see, it
would be rash in me to leave a home
which, rude as it is, shelters and SUP
ports my family, to go as paupers aud
strangers to some other land"
The wife heaved sigh. But poor
Lucilla!" she said. 1T is dreadful that
she should be forced to grow up here"
"Lucilla?" asked Dickory.
eyes, SIR" she said, my eldest
daughter. But she is not here now"
Dickory thought that it was some
what odd that he should be again in
formed of fact which he knew very
we'll, but he made no remarks upon the
subject.
Still wearing his cooked hat-for he
had nothing else with which to shield
his head from the sun-and with his
uniform coat on, for he had not yet an
opportunity Of ripping from it the let
ter he carried, and this he would not
part from-Dickory roamed about the
little settlement. Mander was an in
dustrious and thrifty man. His gar
den, his buildings, and his surround
ings showed that.
Walking past clump of low bushes,
Dickory was startled by a laugh-a
hearty laugh-the laugh of a girl
Looking quickly around, he saw, peer
ing above the tops of the bushes, the
face of the girl who had laughed.
1T is too funny!" she said, as his
eyes fell upon her. II never saw any
thing SO funny in all my life. A man
in regimentals in this weather and up
ON desert island. You look as if you
had marched farther than your army,
and that you had lost it in the forest "
Dickory smiled. "You ought not to
laugh at me-" he said, "for these
clothes are really great misfortune.
If could change them for something
cool should be more than delighted" I"
INSTEAD of that awful hat can make
you one of long grass. Do you see the
one I have on? Isn't that good hat?
I have one nearly finished which am
making for my father; you may have
that"
He accepted instantly the offer of the
hat.
"You seem to know all about me, -
he said; Ibid you hear me tell my
story"
EVERY word of it, said she, land
it is the queerest story I ever heard
Think of a pirate carrying man away
to marry him to his daughter!"
tBut why don't you come from be-
hind that bush and talk to me?"
II can't do it, said she, II am
dressed funnier than you are. Now
am going to make your hat" And in
an instant she had departed.
Dickory now strolled on, and when
he returned he seated himself in the
shade near the house, His heavy coat
and waistcoat lay upon the ground be-
side linn, with the cooked hat placed
upon them. AS he leaned back against
the tree and inhaled the fragrant
breeze which came to him from the
forest, Dickory was a. more cheerful
young man than he had been for many
many days. He thought Of this him
self, and wondered how a man, carry
ing with him his sentence Of lifelong
misery, could lean against a tree and
take pleasure in anything, be it hos
pitable welcome, sense of freedom
from danger, q fragrant breeze. or the
face Of a pretty girl behind q bush. But
these things did please him; he could
not help it. And wnen presently came
Mrs. Mander, bringing him q light