The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-07
CHAPTER I.


The night air was heavy with the
perfume of the Wild convolvulus and
Ae flowers OF the golden waffle, as a
lad Of is, carrying a weighty fish bas-
ket slung from his shoulder, began the
ascent of narrow, rocky path leading
from the shores of the quiet little bay
TO the densely timbered uplands.
The summit gained, he freed himself
Of his load by slipping the leather strap
over his head, and as the basket
touched the ground, it canted on one
side, and a number of large, silvery
Dream slid out upon the grass, their
bodies cleaning under the light of the
myriad stars shining out from a vault
OF cloudless blue.
With a sigh of content the youth sat
down upon the sWaTd and looked at the
scene below, and then across the SUM
bering water TO the blaze of the lights
Of the city, four miles away. Just be-
meath was the deep. land-locked bay,
darkened by the shadows of the high,
tree-clad hills and showing no sign of
life, except a faint CLEAN from the
stern ports of a large barque, whose
hulk jmpressively dominated that of
several smaller vessels-brigs, schoOn-
ers and dismantled and ancient pad
dle-wheel steamer. -AIl-eVen the lofty
demned" craft, and had been moOred
I'm the cove for a long time, some for
years. And they were ali dear to the
heart of the boy, who was now regard
ing them with wistful eyes and build
ing up their romances in his magma
tive brain. For he had known them
ever since they had been towed in the
secluded little cove, to await being sold
as coal hulks, or to be broken up for
h0 ,fF 1,.of FOL
bolts.
Once, when he was three years young
er, there had been as many of fifteen
"condemneds" in Sirius Cove, then one
I day there came along two painting tugs,
and four of them were taken away to
be made eft for sea- again, to take
coal to California or Panama or Val
paraiso. For those were the days when
the private marine surveyors had very
pleasant financial relations with the
official marine board Of New South
Wales, and many hundreds of sailor
men went to their death in heavily
insured, ex-cOndemned and rotten old
crates called ships, whose captains and
officers we'll knew that there were ten
chances to one against the vessel reach
ing her destination if she met with bad
weather. But they were heavily-in-
sured: and the "hard-up" captains and
men, who cared little for their own
lives. and still less for the scratch
crews of dead-beats and lOafers. who
called themselves "abIe-bodied" and
Ordinary seamen." If the ship arrived
at the port of discharge, the skipper
and his officers received a bonus in ad-
dition TO their wages and the crew,
who had already spent their one or
two months advance, AID were in debt
70 ha oh 70 or
to her for the return voyage by the gift
of a few bottles of Queensland rum
and the seizure by the captain of such
wretched effects as they possessed
These were locked up IN the cabin, SO
that if any one of the hands before the
mast deserted, he would go ashore with
nothing but what he stood up ina
ragged shirt, a pair of worn-out pants
with perhaps an ancient pair of shoes
or sea boots.
But if the shi" never turned up again
and was reported missing at LlOyds
there was but little comment made, eX-
cept by the people in the insurance Of
fee. They took big risks. and charged
big premiums, had no concern other
wise about mems lives. And even il
these latter days the life Of a merchant
seaman too. often counts for naught
For half an hour or more the lad lay
upon the grassy sWard watching TIT
changing lights of the city and listen
ing to the soft rustic of the branche:
OF the gum trees overhead as they were
stirred by the gentle breath of the .anC
breeze from the west. Then came TIT
sound of hurried footsteps upon the
dry, crisp and fallen leaves which GOV
cred the path. and he sat up.
Tom cried childish voice, "ar'
you here?"
Yes. I am Sab. But whatever ha:
made you come TO this placer"
| To look for you Tom" and the
\ speaker, a girl 10 years of age, who
WAS .bare-headed, but had light muslin
shawl over her shoulders, rushed ex-
citedly up to the boy, and placed hel
trembling hands in his.
Come home, Tom dear, come home