Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-06-30
BOOK III.
A Meeting In Bombay.
CHAPTER XVII.

some TWO weeks OF SO lalef tHc
steamer lies safe in the harbor of
Bombay. They have experienced
some rough weather en- route, and all
are glad to be safe on shore once
more The voyage has feen otherwise
uneventful. although when at Suez
the baron and his two followers came
on board.
Whatever suspicious the Russian
may entertain he has no positive
knowledge Of the truth. Sandy sees
him oking hard in his direction quite
often, but appears to be supremely in
different to the fact. A child or a
heather Chinee could not look more
innoceni than Sandy when he chooses
to.
As to- Mynheer Joe, he makes up
his mind to pay no attention to the
other. It Is easy to say this but more
difficult to carry out the idea.
When a man is conscious of the fact
that theye is all enemy on board YES
sci with him. watching his lovemak
ing with eyes that dart out deadly
lightninss. it is not reasonable to sup.
pose that he can forget all about him
so easily.
Besides, MIR. Grimes warns Joe to be
careful lest the baron attempt some
such trick as was tried the first night
at Shepherds. Consequently Joe
keeps his enemy we'll in mind and
avoids hanging over the rail after
dark, SINCE it would not be very diff
ficult thing to be dropped into ;he In.
dian Ocean, where sharks of pro-
digious size abound.
Nor Is his caution in vain, for they
Bose one of their passengers one night.
1t is heyer known how he goes, but a
sailor is found who believes he heard
a muffled cry and a splash. but for
fear Of being laughed at. said nothing.
Mynheer Joe will never forget the
look Of surprise and disgust that
flashes over the face of the baron
when he comes upon him the next
morning. After the absence of The
passenger is noted. he begins to sus,
pect the truth that perhaps the Hin.
doc servant of the baron, mstakns
the other for him, pushed him over
board, and then reporting the accident
to his master. made sure Joe was Il
gone case. The fact that the missing
passenger Resembles Mynheer Joe very
much. causes the latter to feel more
and more. that there may be truth in
the story. Even Sandy jumps at this
theory, and from that hour Joe's eau
tion Increases. since he has no desire
10 make food for the sharks,
One happy event has occurred.
At SueZ there comes aboard Hin.
doc. Meeting Sandy he makes in.
quiries. and the correspondent gladly
leads him to Mynl.ccr Joe. When
that worthy sights him he gives cry
Of delight. for it Is kassee. whom he
seizes by the hand the faithful Kas-
see whom he lost upon Tie Nile. and
who accompanied him from khar
toom.
1t seems that the servant lost his
master in the darkness. and feared he
was drowned. He himself passed
through a variety Of adventures and
finally reached Cairo Only to find that
his beloved master had sailed day
before.
Here some friends among the officers
who knew his history made up purse
and sent kassce to SueZ to intercept
the steamer. so that good and evil
came aboard the Alhambra at her stop
there.
AS Mynheer Joe has really given the
other up for dead his delight is all the
deeper on that account. Kassee acts
as his guardian angel during the re.
mainder of the trip. and the explorer
feels safer on account Of his coming.
Another thing occurs during the voy-
age. Molly makes discovery. 1t Is
entirely On accident and puts Joe to no
end of confusion; but he finds himself
In for it. and makes the best of a
dilemma.
This event is nothing more or less
than complete explosion Of his Sc.
cret, which is shattered one bright
morning. All of them are seated upon
deck, when the conversation turns
upon the odd pipes of nations, and
Molly, who is making collection of
these things, declares that she has
never yet run across a Persian kalian,
or water pipe; whereupon Joe, with
out reflection, declares that he has one
In his luggage to which she is welcome
beckons the ever-hovering Kassee and
gives him an order.
When the Hindoo, few minutes
later lays in the hands of the fair
American girl the object mentioned,
she yeturns her thanks in no stinted
tones, for the smoking apparatus Is
a beauty, jeweled and fit for the use
of king.
They are talking of the Persians. and
Joe is narrating some queer scenes
he has witnessed in that country,
when an exclamation breaks upon
their hearing. 1t comes from Molly.
and, as they turn toward her. they find
her gazing with distended eyes at the
article she holds.
Mynheer Joe suddenly realizes the
truth. A tide Of crimson fiushes his
face, and he hastily moves away from
the party, going to the side of the
vessel
What is It" asks Demosthenes
Tanner. who sees that something un-
usual has occurred.