Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-20
Captain Selover Loses His Nerve.

buildings and the rest formed a pack train
carrying all sorts of things from the shore
to the valley. The men grumbled fiercely
at this, but Capt. Selover drove them with
slight regard for their opinions or feelings
You're getting double pay" was his
only word, earn it!''
They certainly earned II during those
! three weeks The things they brought up
were astounding. Besides lot of scientific
apparatus and chests of chemical supplies.
everything that could possibly be required
had been provided by that omnscient young
man. After We had built long. low struc-
ture, windows were forthcoming, shelves,
tables, sinks faucets, FORCES, burners, all
cut out fitted and ready to put together,
each with Its proper screws, nails, clamps
or pipes ready to our hands. When We had
finished. we had constructed as complete
laboratory on a small scale you could find
on college campus, even to the stone pillar
down to bedrock for delicate microscopic
experiments, and hot and cold water led
from the springs. And we utterly I'M
skilled. 1t was all Percy Darrow.
l was toward the last engaged in screw
ing on fixture for the generation of acete
lyme gas.
"Darrow.'' said I, there's one thing
you've overlooked: you forgot to. bring
cupola and a gilt weather-cock for this con-
Germ"
After the laboratory was completed, We
put up sleeping quarters for the two men,
with wide porches we'll screened, and
square. heavy storeroom. BY the end of
the third week We had quite finished.
DR.. Schermerhorn had turned with en-
| thusiasm to the unpacking of his chemical
apparatus. Almost Immediately at the close
OF the freight-carrying, he had appeared,
Juggling his precious chest, this time suffer-
ing the assistance of barrow, and had
camped on the spot. We could not induce
him to leave, so we put up a tent for him.
Darrow remained with him by way of safe
ty against the men, whose measure, Iebe-
hn ha1 col tI,.gf oil -T.tlx
was finished, the doctor put in a sudden APP
pearance
Percy" said he. now We will have the
defense built"
part of the arroyo, just before it rose to
the level of the valley.
Here we will build the stockade de-
fense,'' he announced.
barrow and l stared at each other
blankly
What for sir?' inquired the assistant.
II hat come to be undsturbed" an
| nounced the doctor. with owl-like. Teutonic
| gravity, land I will not be disturbed
Darrow nodded to me and drew his prin-
| cipal aside. They conversed earnestly for
several minutes. Then the assistant re-
| turned to me-
mo use" he shrugged in complete return
| to his indifferent manner. "Stockade 1t is.
Better make it Of fourteen foot logs, slanted
| out. Dig trench across, plant your logs
| three or four feet, bind them at the top.
| That's his specification for 1t. Go at IT.
But" expostuated, whats the use Of
It? Even II the men were dangerous, that
| would just make them think you did have
something to guard"
II know that ORDERS" replied Percy
| barrow.
We built the stockade in day. When it
was finished we marched to the beach, and
never, save in the three instances of which
I shall later tell you. did see the valley
again. The next day we washed our
clothes, and moved ashore with all our be-
| longings.
Pm not going to have this crew aboard"
! stated Capt. Selover positively. I'm going
| to clean her." He himself stayed however.
We rowed in, constructed hasty fireplace
| of stones. spread our blankets and built an
| unnecessary fire near the beach.
'.Clean herr grumbled Thrackles, my
eyer
I'D rather round the Cape" growled Pulz
| hopelessly. g.
| that l tried to cheer them. 1T can't be
more than week or ten days job. even If
I we careen her."
about" said Thrackles. Its worse than
| the yellow jack. It's six weeks at least.
| Mind when we last cleaned her?' -, he in
| quired of Handy Solomon.
You can kiss the Book on it," replied he.
| Down by the line in that little swab of a
| sand island. My eye, but don't remember!
| [ sweated my liver white"
| They smoked in silence.
d
perfessor's-tllat stockade-like,' ventured
| Solomon, after little.
HE doesn't want any intrusion" I said.
| These scientific experiments are very deli
cate"
quite like" he commented non-commit-
tally.
We slept on the ground that night, and
next morning, under Capt. Selover's direc-
| tons, we commenced the task Of tightening
the ship. He detailed the Niger and Per-
dosa for special duty.
III just to your shore quarters" he
squeaked. You empty her."
All day long We rowed back and forth
| from the ship to the cove, landing the con-
| tents of the hold These, by good fortune
we did not have to carry over the neck of
land for just above the gravel beach was a
wide ledge on which We could pile the
stores. We ate aboard and so had no OPP
portunity of seeing what Capt. Selover and
his men were about, until evening. Then
we discovered that they had collected and
lowered to the beach a quantity of state
room doors from the wreck, and had trun-
died the galley stove to the edge where It
awaited our assistance. We hitched a ca
BILE to It, and let II down gently. The Mig
ger was immensely pleased. After some
experiment he got it to draw, and so cooked
our supper on IT. After supper, Capt
Selover rowed himself back to the ship.
"Eagen," he said, drawing me aside,
I'm going to leave you with them. It's
better that one Of us-I think as owner
ought to be aboard"
'Of course, SIT, SalQ l, 'ltS tne' only
proper place for you"
I'm glad you think So" he rejoined, ap-
parently relieved. And anyway" he cried,
with a burst Of feeling. II hate the gritty
feeling of 1t under my feet! Solid oaks the
only walking for a man."
He left me hastily. as though a tri1e
ashamed. 1 thought he seemed depressed,
even a little furtive. and yet on analysis L
could discover nothing definite on which to
base such conclusion.
1t was rather feeling Of difference from
the man l had known. In my fatigue 1t
seemed hardly worth thinking about.
The men had rolled themselves in their
blankets, tired with the long day.
Next morning Capt. Selover was ashore
early. He had quite recovered his spirits,
and offered me dram of French brandy,
which 1 refused We worked hard again;
again the master returned at night to his
vessel, this time without word to any of
tls; again the men. drugged by toll, turned
In early and slept like the dead.
We became entangled in a mesh Of days
like these during which things were ac-
complished, but in which was no space for
anything but the tasks imposed upon us.
The men for the most part had little to
say.
For Dios, eet is too mooch work. sighed
Perdosa once.
"Why don't you kick to the Old Man.
then ?' Sneered ThrackleS