Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-10-25
900

hearty hand shakes; and without further
to the cabin, where steaming coffee
brought the blood to our hands and feet,
and put US in better mood.
$50 my sisters here" said Roderick.
Eyes. last night, no orders" jerked the
skipper with his usual brevity-
'Ah. we must see to that-and the sec
ond officer"
Still ashore; he left a bit of writing
he'll be aboard midday"
He had the writing in his hand. and
was about to crumple It, but l caught
sight of it, and snatched it from him. 1t
was in the same handwriting as the letter
which Captain Black had sent to me at
the Hotel Scribe in Paris
whats the natter" said Frederick.
as he heard me eZclaim; but the skipper
looked hard at me, and was much mys-
tilted.
DO you know anything of the MANI"
he asked very slowly. as he leaned back in
his chair. but I had already seen the
folly of my ejaculation. and I replied:
Nothing at all, although I have seen
that handwriting before somewhere; I
could tell you where, perhaps, if
thought"
Roderick followed NE to nv berth and
had the matter of the handwriting out
I told him az once Of the robbery of some
Of the papers, and the coincidence of the
letter which the second mate had left
with the skipper. He was quick-witted
enough to see the danger; but he was
quite reckless in the methods he proposed
to meet it.
There's no two thoughts about this
matter at ALL" he said; we've evidently
run right into a trap, but luckily there's
time to get out again-of course we shall
sail without a second mate?"
After six hours sleep I went aft to
the quarterback to take stock of the
yacht. l had scarce made M inspection
of our new ship when Mary burst up
from below and began her explanation,
wind played in her hair, and her eyes
danced with the merriment of it.
"The question is" said I. when are
you going ashore again?"
Il don't know. but I guess I'll get
ashore at New York, because l mean to
go to Niagara"
She laughed Sauclly, throwing back her
head so that her hair fell well about her
shoulders. | turned round, hearing astep,
and there stood our new second mate.
Francis Paolo Our eyes met at once
with a long, searching gaze, but he did
not finch, If he were a spy he was no
poor actor, and he stood his ground with
out the movement of a muscle.
l watched him walk forward, and fol-
lowed him, listening as he directed the
men; and a more seaman-like fellow T
have never seen. If he were an Italian.
he had left all accent of speech in his
own country, and he gave his orders
smartly and in a tone which demanded
obedience
AS l watched him from the hurricane
deck, [ heard a collier who had not VET
left the ship give him some impudence.
The new mate hit him such a terrific
blow on the head with a spyglqss that the
fellow rceled through the open bulwarks
right into his barge, which lay alongside.
The men were hushed before a display of
temper like this; the skipper on the bridge
flushed red with disapproval, but said
nothing.
The order Hands heave anchor :" was
sung out moment after, and as Rodericl
joined me aft, the new Celsis steamed
away from Plymouth and the episode was
forgotten. And in that hour the great
pursuit began.