The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-25
The Luck Of Captain Sphinx

Inc swan OF avon, a newly -Duii
tramp steamer named after one thai
Captain Sphinx had lost, was we'll tt
the sou'west of Socotra, and the calm
of the more northern waters inside
Cape Guardafui had given way to q
particularly disgusting sou'west mon
soon. The heat was horrid and as
Wet as a Russian vapor bath. The
Swan wallowed and grunted as she
got the sea on her starboard bow, anc
the only really cheerful man on board
was Captain Sphinx. This Ward and
Day his two mates, put down to
natural deviltry. They frankly owned
that weather like that did no man
any good, and yet Sphinx went about
singing. 1t was more than the second
mate did when he relieved Ward at
midnight 1t was a great pleasure to
him that he soon saw something in
the dark of the night which justified
him in calling the skipper.
II wonder what the deuce that is
said Day. II wonder what the deuce
it can be-
He got out his glasses and stared
into the mirk of night with his nose
pointed about northeast.
I'll swear it wasn't lightning" said
Day, though at first I thought it
was. Dashed if L know. 1t comes and
goes in a mighty queer fashion. Hang
ed if I don't have old Sphinx up. 1
don't care if he is mad: serve him
right anyhow for bein' so beastly
merry all day
off he Ir;Io
ing the "oid mans cabin, turned up
he called out without opening his eyes:
Well, what's wrong now, Day? Has
the ship fallen overboard?"
II thought you'd be mad TO be woke
up, SIR said Day in an obvious tone
of disappointment.
Wen, I amt mad in the least" said
Sphinx. ''I can't afford to sleep sound
with officers picked solely for their
fighting capacity, because I can't live
with any one that 1 can lick. What
do You want me to come up and teach
you now?"
TN never come to your school to
be taught manners, SIR growled Day.
There is a strange winking light
away to the nor'east, and I can't make
it out
II never expected that you would
said Sphinx as he pulled on his trousers
II shipped you to do nothing with
brains in it, same as Ward I'll be up
in a pigs whisper
He was on the bridge a minute
later and soon made out the appear
ance to the north and east that had
puzzled Day. For a little while it
puzzled him as well. Wherever the
strange light came from, it was very
far off and only visible by being re-
fiected on. the heavy clouds of the mon
soon. 1t was obvious that it was not
lightning, or any natural phenom-
enon: it came and went and reflected
itself with so much regularity in it's
very irregularity as to preclude its be-
ing that.
Hang me- said Sphinx as he
scratched his towsled head--"Hang me
if I can make it out! L don't know
but yes, by Jove, L tumble to the
racket, so L do
Then what is it?' asked Day sulk
lily enough.
BY this time Sphinx was sure in his
mind and he proceeded to rub it into |
lhe second mate.
cant you see. you thick head ?"
replied the self-satisfied, discourteous
Sphinx. Why, even Ward. who is
often a bigger fool than you, would |
see it right off if he was sober That's I
a man-of-war playing up signalin' !
with her searchlight, or l never saw
Glo'ster. Fetch me up Todd's book |
There's something in it I want
When Day brought up the book
Sphinx took it into the chart-house and |
looked at marks which he had put !
while I'm thinkin jot down what |
they say in longs and shorts said
Sphinx to the second mate. And Day
growle6, but did it.
What d'y' make of it?" he asked.
Sphinx found the Morse code in Todd
and he soon spotted the fact that the
signal was n. c.. which, in the inter
national code means: In distress.
want assistance" He slapped his
high.
This should mean money, he SAID
joyfully. And Day, who had put down /
1 lot OF scratches on a piece of paper.
handed it to him, and asked once more
what he made of it.
Il make money of it," said Sphinx.
that's what 1 make of it. I've got
Brains, Day. and 1 smell gold. I'll read
what you've got and consider whether
shall satisfy your curiosity or not"
He found that Days paper read n.
:. over and over again. And then p.