Evening star., 1907-11-14
CHAPTER vIII-Continued.

him not TO allow the wounded man TO
talk too much, complete rest for a few
hours being essential. But Boyle's pallid
face lit up so brightly when the captain
stood by his side that it was hard not to
indulge him to some extent.
Huh" he said, his gruff voice strong
as ever. Christ obal was not humbugging 9
me when he assured me you were all
right. Where are we?''
In a small bay on the east of Hanover
Island l have not taken any observa-
! tons yet, and there is no hurry, old chap.
You'll be out and about long before we
move again.
Huh. Dye think so? know the beg
him when I see him.
you are better off than he. Boyle. Tn
less he is here with you, I guess he IS
rolling on the floor Of the Pacific by this
time"
Boyle tried to turn and survey his
"ellow sufferers: there was the fire of bat
tie in his eye. Couftenay restrained MIN
with laugh.
"A nice thing I am doing" he cried.
| permitting you to talk and getting you
excited l believe you would punch the
scoundrel now If he were In the next
berth. You must lie quiet. old man: doc
tors orders; he says you're on the royal
road If you keep on the easy list for
day or so"
Boyle smiled and closed his eyes.
IT heard the anchors CO. and then !
knew that all was well. You're the luck
lest skipper af1oat. Huh. the bloomin'
Kansas was lost not once but twenty
times
Are YOU in pain. Boyle?' asked Courte-
nav. placing a gentle hand on his friend S
forehead.
Not much More stiff than sore. 1t
was knockout blow Of its kind. l can
ho,, 1tp0 of
scrmmage, and
1T will be your turn to do as much for
me next time. Try to go to sleep; we'll
have you on deck tomorrow"
Courtenay noticed that there were only
four other sufferers in the saloon. Three
were firemen injured by the explosion.
! He had pleasant word for each OF them.
! The fourth was a sailor, either asleep or
! unconscious. and Courtenay thousht ne
| recognized a severe bruise on the mans
| left temple where the butt OF MS revolver
! had struck hard.
| When he returned on deck he learned
| that two other members of the crew. In
! addition to the cook, were able to work
| Walker had set one to clear up the stoke
| hold his companion, fireman, had re-
| lieved Mr.. Tollemache. Indeed, the lat
| ter had gone to his cabin, and was the
| last to arrive at the feast. finally putting
| in an appearance in a new suit ana spot
| less linen.
| CnrlSIODai protested
II thought this was to be workers
| meal" he said. "Tollemache has stolen
| a march on us. He is quite Bond-stfeet
| lounger in appearance
| Dirty job, stoking." said Tollemache.
| II seem to have been the only lazy
person on board during the night cried
Elsie.
| DO you know what time it is?" asked
| Courtenay.
NO: about 10 o'clock. I fancy
| ut is not yet haf-past four
The blue eyes opened wide. Are you
in earnest?' she demanded.
| He showed her his watch. Then she
| perceived that the sun had not yet risen
| high enough to illumine the wooded crest
| of the opposite cliff. The snow-clad hills
the blue glaciers the wonderful clearness
of atmosphere, led her to believe that the
| day was much more advanced. Land and
| sea shone in a strange crystal light. None
! could tell whence it came. 1t seemed to
| her. In that solemn hour. to be the re-
| Election of heaven itself. By quick transi-
| ton, her thoughts flew back to the pre-
vious night. Scarce four hours had
| elapsed since she had waited in the cap
tains cabin, amid the drenching spray
and tearing wind while he took Isobel,
and Mrs Somerville and the shrieking
maid to the boat The corners of her
mouth dropped and tears trembed on her
eyelashes. She sought furtively for a
handkerchief. Knowing exactly what
lTOupleu litt, Soul ltlldy lul iiCo W SAii 40
tobal.
This island ought to be inhabited" he
said, Can you tell me what sort of In
dams one finds in this locality"
Christobal frowned perplexedly. During
maIN previous voyages to Europe he had
invarNbly travelled on the mail steamers
of smaller draft, which use the shelf r d
sea canal formed by the Smyth. Sarmi-
ento and Messier channels. the protected
waterway running for hundreds OF mics
I tl,1~ and Of he
Straits of TERRA del Fuego and, in some
of its aspects. reminding sailors of the
Clyde and the Caledonian canal.
Il fear l do not know much about
them he said. Behind those Mills there
| one sees a few Canoe Indians; | have
| heard that they are somewhat lower in
the social scale than the aborigines OF
| Australia"
Are they?" said Courtenay. He looked
| Christobal straight in the eyes, anu the
doctor returned his gaze as steadily.
THAT is their repute. They live mostly
! on shell fish They do not congregate in
| communities A few families ep to-
| gether, and move constantly from place
| to place. They have quaint belief that
| If they remain on camping ground
more than night or two the dew. will
stick his head out of the ground and bite
| them. Obviously, the real devil that
plaques them is the continuous wander.
| ing demanded by their search for food"
|
scrap of interesting knowledge at the foot
| of the scaffold, and expected the exc.
! cutioner to listen attentively.
| They are called the Aiaculof. They
use bows and arrows, with heads chippeG
| out of stone or bottle glass; put in Tolle.
! mache.
"Oh, you have been in these parts be-
| fore?" cried Courtenay, regarding his
| compatriot with some interest, while the
! Spaniard surveyed his rival doubtfully.
"Yes-was on the Emu-wrecked ir
| Cockburn channel"
Now, the story of the Emu is one OF
! those fierce tragedies which the sea first
puts on the stage o life with dire skill
| and then proceeds to destroy the slightest
vestlge of their brief existence. But such
| things leave abiding memories in mems
! souls, and Courtenay had heard how
| twenty-seven survivors. out of a must 7
! roll Of thirty who escaped from the wreck
| had been shot down by Indians anbushed
! in the forest. Elsie. whose tears We're
| dispelled by the doctors amusing sum-
mary Of the Canoe Indians theological
views, was listening to the conversation
| so the captain did not carry 1t further,
| contenting himself with the remark:
That will be useful if We are COM
PEELED to go ashore. You will have some
acquaintance with the ways of our hosts. -
Tollemache, having nothing to say, was
! not given to the use of unnecessary
words Elsie was conscious of a certain
constraint in their talk.
please don't mind me-" she said quiet
| ly. Il know all about the loss of the
| fa1t int he of he