The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-02-02
CHAPTER VI.
N spite of his best efforts at self
control Wilbur felt slow, cold
clutch at his heart Thot ciol.on

clutch at his heart. That sicken-
ing, uncanny lifting of the schoon-
er out of the CLASSY water at time
when there was not enough wind to so
much as wrinkle the surface sent q
creep Of something very like horror
through all his flesh.
Again he peered over the side down
into the kelp thickened sea. Nothing
not breath Of air was stirring The
gray light that flooded down from the
stars showed not break upon the sur
face of Magdalena bay On shore moth
ing moved.
"Quiet there, forwardr' called Moran
to the shrill voiced coolies
The succeeding stiffness was pro-
found. All on board listened intently.
The water dripped like the ticking Of
a clock from the Bertha Millners stern,
which with the rising Of the bow had
sunk almost to the rail. There was no
other sound.
"Strangev' muttered Moran her brows
contracting.
Charlie broke the silence with a wall
"No likee, no likee!'' he cried at ton
voice.
The man had gone suddenly green.
Wilbur could see the shine of his eyes,
distended like those of a harassed cat
AS he, Moran and Wilbur stood in the
schooner's waist. staring at each other,
the smell of punk came to their nos
trils. Forward the coolies were already
burning joss sticks OH the focstle
head, kotowing their foreheads to the
deck
Moran went forward and kicked
them to their feet and hurled their joss
sticks into the sea.
"Feng shut! Feng shui!' they ex-
claimed with bated breaths. 1.-The
Feng shut no likee We"
Low in the east the horizon began
to blacken against the sky. 1t was
early morning. A watch was set, the
Cinnamon sent below, and until day
break, when Charlie began to make
gathering Of tins in the galley as he
set about preparing breakfast, Wilbur
paced the rounds Of the schooner, look
ing, listening and waiting again for
that slow, horrifying lift. But the rest
of the night was without incident
After breakfast the strangely assert
ed trio-Charlie, Moran and Wilbur
held another conference in the cabin.
1t was decided to move the schooner
to the other side Of the bay.
"Feng shut in disa place. No likee
We,' announced Charlie.
''Feng shui-who are they?
Charlie promptly became incoherent
on this subject, and Moran and Will
but could only guess that the Feng
shut were the tutelary dieties that pre-
sided over that portion Of Magdalena
bay. At any rate, there We're evidently
no more shark to be caught in that
fishing ground. So sail was made, and
by noon the Bertha AIillner tied up to
the kelp on the opposite side of the
inlet, about half mile from the shore.
The shark were plentiful here, and
the fishing went forward again as be-
fore. Certain Of these shark were haul
ed aboard. stunned by blow on the
nose and their fins cut off. The China
men packed these fins away in sepa-
rate kegs. Eventually they would be
sent to China
Two or three days passed. The
hands kept steadily at their work.
Nothing more occurred to disturb the
monotony of the scorching days and
soundless nights. The schooner sat as
easily on the unbroken water as though
built to the bottom. Soon the night
watch was discontinued. During these
days the three officers lived high. Tur-
tie were plentiful, and what with their
steaks and soups, the fried abalones,
the sea fish, the really delicious shark
fins and the quail that Charlie and
Wilbur trapped along the shore, the
trio had nothing to wish for in the
way of table luxuries.
The shore was absolutely deserted
as we'll as the back country-an IN
broken wilderness of sand and sage.
Half dozen times Wilbur, wearying
OF his inaction aboard the schooner,
made the entire circuit Of the bay
from point to point. Standing on one
of the latter projections and looking
out to the west the Pacific appeared
as empty of life as the land. Never a
keel cut those waters, never a sail
broke the edge Of the horizon, never a
feather of smoke spotted the sky where
it whitened to meet the sea-. Every
thing was empty-vast, unspeakably
desolate-palpitating with heat
Another week passed. Charlie be-
gan to complain that the sharks were
growing scarce again.
II think bimeby him go way, once
mo-"
That same night Wilbur, lying in
his hammock, was awakened by a
touch on his arm. He woke to see
Moran beside him on the deck.
"Did you hear anything?' she said in
low voice, looking at him under her
scowl.
mo, no" he exclaimed, getting up,
reaching for his wicker sandals. Did
you?"
II thought so-something. Did you
feel anything?'
I'I've been asleen. haven't ,,o+;ooa