Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-10-07

happier; on the contrary. the gloom upon
his face was blacker than ever.
1t proved a most unlucky voyage. They
lost two men in an encounter with the ma
tives; they had no success in trailing;
the captain continued to drink. The end
came Unexpectedly.
One night the watch on deck were
startled by a bright light in the cap
tain's cabin. The light shot into fame,
and the flame leaped and ran along the
sides of the cabin and caught in the deck
and licked the timbers of the ship The
old schooner was as dry as finder, and
caught fire like a piece of paper. In
five minutes 1t became apparent that they
must take to their boats AS to the
drunken man who had done the mischief.
he came out of the burning cabin and
! danced and sung until the flames drag
ged him down.
In the fierce glare of the burning ship
the mate looked at David reproachfully.
implying that this misfortune was en-
tirely due to his presence.
Even now" he whispered, 81 will not
tell the men you have ruined the voy-
age, burned the snip, killed the captain
and may be will kill us as WELL What
have you done that we should be punish
ed like this for taking you ON board? Is
it's 1t murder?"
David nodded his head gloomily.
"Then," said the mate, whatever hap
pens to us, you'll get safe ashore. You
won't be drowned, and you won't be
starved"
Three weeks later there were only two
survivors in that boat. The other men
had all drunk sea water, and so gone mad
one after the other. and leaped over
board in their delirium. Only David
Leighan was left with the mate, and they
were lying one in the bow and one in
the stern, as far apart as the boat would
allow, and they were black in the face,
gaunt and hollow-eyed.
When they were picked up the signs
of life were so faint in them that the
skipper, a humane person, took counsel
with his mate whether it would not save
the poor men trouble to drop them into
the water at once. But in the end he
hoisted them aboard and laid them on
the deck, with their heads propped up.
For the rest of the voyage the rescued
mate kept aloof from the rescued passen-
ger. He would not speak to him; he
avoided that part of the ship where he
happened to be. As for the latter he
found a place abaft near the helm, where
he could sit upon a coil of rope, his head.
upon his knees. And there he remained,
gloomy and silent
There was trouble, too. First, the ship
sprung leak, and the pumps had to be
worked. Next, there was a bad storm.
and the mizzen mast went by the board.
Thirdly, fire broke out. and was sub
dued with difficulty. However, the ship
at last sighted land, and arrived, batter
ed and shattered, at the port of Sydney.
When they landed. and not till then, the
rescued mate spoke his mind.
First he went to the house of Heng-
stenburg & Co., where he presented the
baron's draft, gave news of his safety
and touched the money. He then led his
passenger to tavern and entered into
serious conversation with him.
AS for this money" he said, "you
weren't a passenger more than a few
days, and can't rightly charge you
much. Take fifteen, and I'll take five.
With fifteen pounds you can get home.
which l take to be your desire, and give
yourself up, which l take to be your
duty" 1t will be understood that the I'M
fortunate David in the extremity of his
starvation and remorse, had been talk
ing.
"A Providence it is" said the mate,
that where so many honest fellows were
took, | was spared, else you would never
have had this money, and you wouldn't,
therefore, have been able to give yourself
up, and you would never have been
hung. clear Providence it is, and you
must regard it as such, and remember
it when they take you out comfortably
with the chaplain and the rope"
David took the money, rolled it up in a
rag and placed it in his pocket, but said
nothing.
(To be continued)