Milford chronicle., 1905-02-24

more clumsy; the skin resisted. He
struck at it sharply with the heavy
spade. The blade hit the iron hook
glanced Off and opened a large slit in
the carcass below the head. A gush
of entrails started from the slit, and
Moran swore under breath.
'Ease away, quick there! You'll
have the mast out of her next-steady!
Hold your spade-what's thatp'
Wilbur had nerved himself against
the dreadful stencil he expected would
issue from the putrid monster, but he
was surprised to note pungent, sweet
and spicy odor that all at once made
thick the air about him. 1t was an
aromatic smell, stronger than that OF
the salt ocean, stronger even than the
reek of oil and blubber from the
schOoner's waist-sweet as incense
penetrating as altar, delicious as
summer breeze.
at smells pretty good, whatever 1t
Isl he answered. Moran came up to
where he stood and looked at the slit
he had made in the whales carcass.
Out Of it was bulging some kind or
dull white matter marbled with gray.
It was a hard lump Of irregular shape
and about as big as a hogshead.
Moran glanced over to the junk some
forty feet distant. The beaehcombers
were hOisting the lug sail. Hoang was
at the steering oar.
Get that stun aboard" she COM
manded quietly.
"Thatw exclaimed Wilbur, pointing
to the lump
Moran's blue eyes were beginning to
CLEAN.
Eyes, and do 1t before the Cinnamon
see YOU"
"But-but don't understand"
Moran stepped to the quarter deck,
unslung the hammock in which Wilbur
slept and tossed it to him.
"Reeve it up in that I'll pass you a
line, and Wen laul it aboard. God
send, those vermin yonder have got
smells enough of their own without no
ticing this. Hurry, mate. I'll talk aft
erward."
Wilbur went over the side and, stand
ing as best he could upon the slippery
carcass, dug out the lump and bound
it up in the hammock.
"Hohr' exclaimed Moran, with sud
den exultation. "There's a lot of it.
That's the biggest lump yet I'll be
bound. Is that all there is, mattel
i Look carefully" Her voice had drop
ped to a whisper.
Eyes, yes; that's all. Careful now
when you haul up. Hoang has got his
eye on you, and so have the rest OF
them. What do you call it anyhow
Why are you so particular about It!
Is it worth anythingY
'T don't know-perhaps. Wen have
look at it anyway"
Moran hauled the stuff aboard, and
Wilbur followed.
] "Wheww he exclaimed with half
closed eyes. Its like the story of
Samson and the dead lion-the sweet
coming forth from the strong"
The schooner seemed to swim in a
bath of perfumed air. The membrane
of the nostrils fairly pringled with the
sensation. Moran unleashed the ham
mock and. going down upon one knee
examined the lump attentiyely.
1T didn't seem possible" Wilbur
heard her saying to herself, "but there
can't be any mistake. It's the stuff
right enough. I've heard of such
things, but this-but this She rose
to her feet, tossing back her hair.
well" said Wilbur, what do you
call it?"
"The thing to do now" returned Mo
ran, 'fs to get clear of here as quietly
and as quickly as we can and take this
stuff with us. ! can't stop to explain
now. but it's big-it's big. Mate, its
big as the Bank of England"
"Those beachcombers are right on to
the game, I'm afraid" said Wilbur
Look. they're watching us. This stun
would smell across the ocean,"
"Rot the beachcOmbers! There's a
bit of wind, thank heaven. and we can
do four knots to their one, just let US
get clear once"
Moran dragged the hammock back
into the cabin and, returning to the
deck. helped Wilbur to cut away the
last tricing tackle. The schooner right
ed slowly to an even keel. Meanwhile
the junk had set its one lug sail and
its crew had run out the sweeps
Hoang took the steering sweep and
worked the junk to a position rlghi
across the Bertha's bows some fifty
feet ahead.
"Theyre watching US, right enough
said Wilbur.
up your mainsl" ordered Moran
The pair set the fore and main sails
with great difficulty. Moran took the
wheel, and Wilbur went forward tC
cast of the line by which the schooner
had been tied up to one of the whale
hukes.
"Cut itP' cried the girl. "DOn't stoI
to cast off"
There was a hail from the beach
combers. the port sweeps dipped ant
the Junk bore up nearer.