The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-17
THE NEWS DEMOCRATS DAILY STORY
To be published in daily instalments this page
SLAVE SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
BY HARRY COLLINGwOOD
CHAPTER XIII.

I never actually heard what was
the nature OF the momentous commu-
nication which the gallant second lieu
tenant wished so suddenly TO make
20 his host: but from the length of
time that they remained closeted to-
gether, and the remark of Don Man
uel when they at length reappeared-
VERY WELL my dear sir. then that is
settled: upon the conditions / have
named you can have her"--I made
pretty shrewd guess at II.
In the meantime Dona Antonia had
reappeared very little the worse sor
her adventure; she was very pale. II
is true. and she became perceptibly
paler when, with that want OF tat
which Is one of my most marked char
acteristics, l abruptly told her that
we were on the point OF leaving her 10
retoin our ship. But she simply re-
deemed this want OF color by the deep
rosy flush with which she greeted
Smellie's approach, and the low whis
pered request In response to which
she placed her hand on his arm and
retired with him TO the veranda.
IL was about 9:30 p. m. when they
reappeared Smellie looking very grave,
but at the same time rather exultant,
and poor Antonia In tears, which she
made no attempt whatever TO conceal.
was, of course, all ready TO start at
a moments notice. We had no prep
arations TO make, in fact, and we at
once proceeded 20 the disagreeable
task OF saying farewell to our kind
and generous host. II was painful
business for although we had not
known Don Manuel and his daughter
very long, we had still known them
quite long enough to have acquired for
them both a very considerable meas
ure OF esteem and regard-in Smellies
case there could no longer be the
least doubt that his feelings toward his
hostess were even warmer than this -
so we hurried over the leave-taking
with all speed and then set of down
the pathway. under Pedro's guidance,
on our road TO the creek
IL was by this time pitch dark The
stans had all disappeared; the sky had
become obscured by heavy pail OF thun-
der cloud: and away TO the eastward the
lightning was already beginning TO hash
and the thunder TO growl ominously Be-
fore we reached the gate In the pahsad-
ing Pedro had volunteered the prognosti-
cation OF a stormy night, utterly unht
for such an expedition as that
upon which we were bound. and
had strongly urged US more than
once 10 follow his counsel and post
pone the attempt. But 10 this proposi-
ton we could not. OF course, listen for
moment. II we missed the present oppor-
tunity TO rejoin the Daphne II was I'M
possible to conjecture when another might
offer; and pleasant though our sojourn
under Don Manuers hospitablc roof had
undoubtedly been, 1t was not business;
every day so spent was day distinctly
lost In the pursuit OF our professional In
terests. SO we plodded steadily on. and
IN about half an hours time reached the
~f o taAr xfshH ~ar raf ttf1
under a low thatch covering. we found
the canoe.
She was, indeed, a frail craft In which
20 undertake such a journey as ours be-
ing only some two feet six inches beam,
by about sixteen inches deep. and twen-
~ feet long; followed out Of a single
log She had no thwarts, and the pad
dlers were therefore compelled TO squat
tailor fashion in the bottom OF her LOOKING
FORWARD. This was, so far. fortunate, since
she was so frightfully crank that. with
such unaccustomed canoeists as ourselves,
Il was only by keeping our centres Of
gravity low down that we prevented hei
capsizing the moment we stepped Into
her. Pedro worthy soul, detained us
about 20 minutes whilst he explained the
peculiarities OF the craft and the proper
mode OF handling the paddles; and then,
with Smellie aft and me forward. we
bade the old fellow good-by and boldly
showed off down the creek.
The channel here being narrow. and
overarched 20 a great extent with trees.
the darkness was quite as intense "a IL
had been on our journey from the house
through the wood and down 20 the creek;
% dark was IL. indeed. that but for the
lightning which now flashed around US
with rapidy-increasing frequency, IL
would have been quite impossible for us
10 see where we were going. The stysian
darkness, whilst Il proved an obstacle TO
our rapid progress. promised 10 anord
us, by way OF compensation. most valuable
assistance In another way since we hoped
10 slip past the schooner undetected In
the impenetrable obscurity: our desire
Just then being to avoid anything like
renewal OF our acquaintance with senor
MADEIRA 30 soon after our very recent
little misunderstanding. Unfortunately
There were two or three phenomena which
combined 90 render this feat n matter OF
difficulty. The first was the vivid light