The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-06-23

".Ain't wot I'd call a sailor man, eth
err" muttered old Salter, thoughtfully
scratching his stubby chin with . two
shilling piece which happened to be In
his hand as he returned to the pantry
after closing the front door. And yet
there's grit in him. Sort O bad weather
man, I'm thinkin'."
Oswin's reflection as he slowly prepar-
ed for sleep were of a mixed character.
He was not quite sure that the visit OF
his late shipmate had been an entire sue
cess. His own personal interest in the
man had in no way diminished, but the
light of feminine eyes cast upon their
friendship had brought that difference
which always comes to our male acQuaint-
ances when we introduce them to our
women folk.
CHAPTER TX.
It was not yet 8 o'clock the following
morning when Claud Tyars left the door
of the quaint. old-fashioned hotel where
he was staying. The usually busy streets
were still comparatively empty. Washed
out housemaids in washed-out cotton
dresses were busting the front doorsteps
Of such old world folks AZ were content
to continue living on the eastern precincts
Of Tottenham Court road.
As the young fellow walked briskly
through some quiet streets in his dress
there was this morning slight sugges-
ton Of the .yachtsman-that is to say,
he was clad in blue serge, and his brown
face suggested the breezes Of the ocean.
Beyond that there was nothing to seize
upon, no cIew as to what this powerful
young mans calling or profession, tastes
or habits, might be-, He stopped occa-
sionally to look into the shop windows
with the leisurely interest of a man who
has an appointment and plenty of time
upon his hands. Any one taking the troll
BILE to follow him would have been struck
with the singularity Of his choice in the
matter of shop windows. He appeared to
take an interest in such establishments as
a general Dealers warehouse. There was
a large grocer's shop on the left-hand side
and here he stopped for q considerable
time. studying with great attention a
brilliant array Of Aforementioned pro-
duce. A tobacconist's was treated with
slight heed, while the wares of a large
optician appeared to be of absorbing in
terest.
The doors Of St. Katherine's Dock had
been open only a few minutes when Ty-
ars passed through the building into the
London Dock. On the quay, under an
iron-roofed shed at the head of the dock,
a red-bearded, clumsy man was walking
slowly backward and forward with that
idle patience which soon becomes second
nature in men, accustomed to waiting for
weather and tides. When he perceived
Tyars he lurched forward to meet him.
Tyars acknowledged his jerky saluta
ton with pleasant. nod, and they walk
ed away together. This bur1y son Of the
north was the man with whom Tyars
had exchanged a shake of the hand one
evening in a London theater when Miss
Winter was seated close by.
They walked the whole length of the
block, avoiding with an apparent ease
pitfalls In the way-ring- bolts steam
pipes and hawsers. At the lower end of
the basin, moored to buoy in mid-dock,
lay a strange looking little steamer. Her
chief characteristic was clumsiness-
clumsiness of spar and general top-heav-
mess. Her bows were originally very
bluff, and being now heavily incased in
an outer armor of thick timber, the eff
feet was the reverse of pretty. She was
rugged like a brig, and her tall, old-fash-
Toned funnel, rearing its white form be-
tween the mastS, suggested an ENLARGED
galley chimney.
Although she was the strangest looking
craft in the docks, where many quaint
old ships are slowly rotting to this day.
1t was said among the dock laborers and
custom officers that the vessel had been
built at Trontheim, in Norway, for a
steam whaler; that she had been bought
by an Englishman, and was now being
leisurely fitted out under the supervision
Of the red-haired Scotchman who lived
on board. her destination was a pro-
found mystery. Some thought that she
was to be whaler, specially fitted for
the north water" others boldly stated
that she was destined to open up COM
merce with China by the northeast pas
sage.
81 think" said Tyars. critically, as he
stood examining the little steamer, shat
you have got on splendidly, Peters. She
looks almost ready for sea-"
"Ay," responded the red-faced man,
slowly.
He was no great converSat1Onalist.
With his great head bent forward he
stood beside the tall, straight man, and
in his attitude and demeanor there was
a marked resemblance to q shaggy, good
natured bear. =
"You have got the new foremost up, 1
see. A good bit of wood?"
Fine I"
He shook his head sadly from side to
side at the mere thought Of that piece of
wood.
And the standing rigging is all up?'
"Ay."
"And the running rigging ready7"
'Ay; them riggers was FOOLS"
Tyars smiled in AN amused way and
said nothing.
A boat now put of from the strange
steamer and came toward them. A small
boy standing in the stern of it propelled
it rapidly with half an oar. Presently Il
came alongside some Shiny steps near to
them, and the two men stepped into It
| without speaking. There was something
hereditary in the awkward manner in
which the boy jerked his hand up to hi.
forehead by way of salutation. They all
stood up in the boat, the older men IVA y
ing uncomfortabiy from side to aide At
each frantic effort Of the boy with the