Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-15

out, The Idler, like her pilot, was done for.
| The lives of his guests were Wickerys 10
saveAor lose.
| He assured them all that there was am
pie time to dress and secure all valuables,
| and that the lifeboats were well supplied
/ with water and food. Then when they all
| gathered the deck. with the calmness
of men and women who have had time to
| face danger and count the many chances
| in their favor. he divided them into groups
in charge of his trusted men. In the last
! boat he placed Isabel, her mother and her
young brother, Bobby, and as he turned to
| follow them he flung one long glance at the
| silent figure on the deck Yes, the old Eel
low would rather go down like thls-be-
| side his wheel
| The moon was buried behind clouds. The
| surf ran high and the voices from the other
boats drifted farther and farther away. AT
last the only sound around them was the
| splashing of the oars. back and forth, back
| and forth, in the dark green water.
| why do you row? Why not drift and see
| where the tide will take us?' asked Isabel,
| her voice a trfie tremulous
| I've drifted long enough" replied Wick
| cry, sternly. "and the tide has taken me
far from where 1 want to land" he added.
! significantly.
isabel did not answer but her mother,
| huddled with Bobby in the stern, exclaimed:
Theodore, where do you think we will
| land?"
''On a desert island, probably laughed
| Wickery. Think what a time Bobby'll
| have
| "And-and the others?" inquired Isabel,
| oh. these waters are frequented by
| yachts and small steamers. They'll drift
| and We'll be picked up all right His mat
| ter-of-fact manner and fearless tone gave
| them courage.
| When daylight broke they saw a palm
| lined shore in the distance. With aching
| arms Wickery rowed on. Not for an in
slant would he give up the oars, though Isa-
| Del pleaded with him to let her try.
! This is my canoe, and I'm doing the
| padding" he said.
AT length they reached the shore, but 1t
appeared to be deserted. Wickery pulled
the boat up on the beach and helped them
all out. 1t was warm even before the sun
was fairly up.
Wickery stood with his hands in his
pockets surveying his surroundings. He
was beginning to believe his own statement
to the effect that it was a deserted island.
Good thing it's warm, anyway" he said
after a minute.
And that we brought some sofa pill
lows suggested Bobby
Farther back on the beach We're trees,
and Wickery carried the cushions and their
valuab les to grassy spot beneath a low,
tropical tree.
Bobby, it's your duty now to protect
your mother and sister while 1 go explor-
ing and find out what promises in the way
of something to eat
Bobby looked important.
And won't you make yourselves as COM
Portable as possible?' said Wickery to Isa-
bel and Mrs. Vantyne.
You won't go too far?'' asked Isabel
deep concern in her eyes.
Only far enough to find something to
eat We can't exist long on life preservers,
sofa pillows and hard biscuit"
Isabel walked along the shore after
Wickery had disappeared in the dense
shrubbery behind their camp. After all,
there was something to be thankful for.
Her mother and Bobby were with them.
How thoughtful of Wickery to put them all
In the same boat Many men would have
lost their heads and scattered people pro-
miscuously and uncongenially.
1t was o'clock by Isabel's tiny gold
watch when she Joined her mother and
Bobby in their improvised camp.
I'm positively starved" she announced,
sitting down on a grassy knoll. II do wish
Teddy would hurry"
Going to eat him." asked Bobby grimly.
Even Mrs. Vantyne smiled. The warm
breezes swayed the palms and the atmos-
phere was balmy and soothing, combina-
ton under which her discomfort almost
vanished.
Il imagine Theodore will have difficulty
firding anything worth eating on this
island" she ventured.
AS if TO contradict the unjust suspicion
Wickery burst through the jungle, his arms
full of cocoanUts.
That's a swell breakfast Wick" cried
Bobby running to relieve him of some of
the nuts.
The milk in these, with biscuits from
the lifeboat, will help some, 1 guess re-
piled Wickery. depositing his burden on
the ground beside Mrs. Vantyne. He was
bubbing over with joy, as If the finding
of half dozen cocoanuts constituted heay-
for him.
Are there biscuits in the boat?" asked
Isabel. admiring Wickery's management
"Of course! Don't you know every life