Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-28
CHAPTER VI (continued1


twenty tons. which made frequent trips I"
Havana. These sugar droghers belonging
to the plantations (every estate on the
coast had one or more) went in and out
of the harbor without being taken much
notice of. Sometimes the battery at the
waters edge on the north side or a custom
house guard would hail them, but not often
and even then only to ask the name
where from, and for the number of sugar
hogsheads on board. by heavens! That's
the very thing!" rejoined Sebright. And
it was agreed that this would be our best
way. We should time our arrival for early
morning, or else at dusk. The craft that
brought us in should be made, by piece of
unskillful management, to fall afoul the
Lion, and remain alongside long enough to
give us time to sneak through an open
deckport.
The whole occurrence must be so con-
trived as to wear the appearance of pure
accident to the onlookers, should there be
any. Shouting and an exchange of abuse on
both parts should sound very true. Then
the drogher, getting herself clear, would
proceed innocently to the custom house
steps, where all such coasters had to
port themselves on arrival Never fear.
We shall put in some loud and scandalous
cursing," Sebright assured me. THE boys
will greatly enjoy that part, / dare say
Remained to consider the purpose of the
schooner that had come out of Rio Medic
to hang on our skirts. 1t doubtful
whether 1t was in our power to shake her
off. Sebright was full of admiration for
her sailing qualities, coupled with infinite
contempt for the '1ubberly gang on board"
IF 1 lad the handling of her. now" he
said, Il would take M position as near as
i liked, and stick there, 1t seems almost as
/! she would do it of herself, If those i'm
beetles would only let her have her
way. rever yec saw a Spanard. good or
bad, that was anything of a sailor AS it
Is we may maintain 4 distance that would
make II difficult for them to see what we
are about. And, If not, thep-why. you must
take your leave CT US at night
He didn't know that, but for the dismal
ness of such a departure, 1t were not just
as well Who could tell what eyes might
be watching shore
You know never pretended my plan was
quite safe. But have you got another?"
And rCw the time was approaching; the
time 20 awake and step forth out of the
temple of sunshine and love-of whispers
and SflenceS. 1t had come. The night be-
fore both Williams and Sebright had been
on deck. working the ship with an anxious
care to take the utmost advantage of every
favoring flaw in the contrary breeze. In
the morning l was told there was a norther
brewing. A norther is tempestuous gale.
saw no signs of IL.
Dazzling white patches about the size of
mans hand came out between sky and
water. They grew in width, and ran to-
sether with a hummooky outline into a con-
tnuous undulation of sand-dunes. Here and
there this rampant had a gap like a breach
made-oy guns. voice on deck pronounced:
That's right. Here's his landmark The
fellow Knew very well what he was talking
about"
1t was Sebright's voice, and Castro. STROLL
ing away trfumphGntly. affected to turn his
back on the land. He had recognized the
formation of the coast about the inlet long
before anybody else could distinguish the
details
To the Infinite qualification of everyone
or board, 1t had been discovered at day.
light that the schooner had lost touch with
us during the hours of darkness-either
through unskillful handling, or from some
accidental disadvantage of the variable
wind. had been Informed of 1t, directly
l showed myself on deck in the morning
by several men who had radiant grins, as
If some great piece of luck had befallen
them, one and all
Some sailors hauled the boat alongside
the rest lined the rail as for a naval spec
tacle. and Williams stared blankly. My
girls cheeks glowed: her eyes sparkled au-
daciously. She had done up her hair in
some way that made IT fit her head like a
cap. 1t became her exceedingly, and the
decision of her movements, the white seren-
fty of her brow, dazzled me as IL 1 had
never seen her before She seemed less
childlike. older. ripe for this adventure In
a new development of strength and cour-
age. She inclined her head slowly at the
gaping sailors, who had taken their caps
off
AS soon as she appeared, Castro who
had been leaning against the bulwark
started up, and with a muttered "Ados.
senores, went down the oversize ladder
and ensconced himself in the bow of the
boat. The leavetaking was hurried over.
Williams gave no sign of feeling. except,
perhaps. for the greater intensity of his
stare. which passed beyond our shoulders
In the very act of handshaking. Sebrght
helped Seraphina down into the boat, and
ran up again nimbly He gave me flask
as | descended.
"All right there?" he asked from above,
as soon as l had taken my seat In the
stern sheets by the side of Seraphna He
was standing on the poop deck ready with
a sign for letting go the end of our paint
er on deck but before I could answer in the
Affirmative, Castro. ensconced forward I'M
der his hat, drew his ready blade across
the rope as 1t were n throat.
Our little sail filled into a breeze which
was much too feeble to produce a percepti-
bic effect on the ship, and we left behind
US her towering form, one recedes from
tall white spire on plain. 1 laid the
boats head straight for the dwarf head
land. marking the mouth OF the inlet on the
interminable range of sand dunes We
drove on with small ripple, but before
we felt sufficiently settled to exchange
few words the animated sound languished
suddenly. paused altogether. and. with a
renewed murmur under our feet, seemed
to lose itself below the CLASSY waters.
CHAPTER VII
The calm had returned. The sea. chang
ing from the warm glitter of a gen. and
attuned to the grays and blacks of space.
resembled a monstrous cinder under a sky
of ashes
The sun had disappeared. smothered in
these clouds that had formed themselves
all at once and everywhere, like some
swift corruption of the upper air. For the
best part OF the afternoon the ship and the
boat remained lying at right angles within
half a mile OF each other. The long stretch
of sands and the sails of the motionless
vessel stood out lividly pale In universal
gloom.
Suddenly. mingled with a loud defamation
right over our heads a burst of light out
lined under the bellying strip OF our sail
the pointed crown OF Castros hat The
darkness swallowed 1t all. l swung Ser
aphina In front of me, and made her sit
low on the stern sheets beneath my feet
A lot of foam boiled up around the boat
and we had the sensation of having been
sent flying from a catapult.
Everything was black-perfectly black.
At intervals headlong gusts of rain swept
over our heads. / suppose / did keep sufti-
GENTLY cool, but in every flash of lightning
the wind. the sea. the clouds. the rain and
the boat appeared to rush together thun-