New-York tribune., 1907-11-10

by expert minds and masters oi executive work,
an army Of men IN different walks OF lie had
given their ingenuity and effort toward some
thing OF which they knew not and then the
result Of their laboTs had poured out upon
wharf, been swallowed up 10y the caVernous
holds OF . collier and were now being carried
out into the broad reaches OF the Atlantic.
with destination unknown.
A general order had been issued and made
public. that, InasmuCh - the poachIug of Cuban
fishermen on American grounds round lower
Florida and the KEYS demanded attention. the
gunbCat PenObsCot had been detailed 10 patrol
those waters. In the United States tins at
tTaCted no attention, but the swaTthv fisher
men OF the tropics took warning and no longer
steeTed their smaCks u the forbidden waters.
Struggling their shoulders II lmp0tent wrath
Rumor had II that the transport was car
rylng mechanics and laDoTers 70 the Philip
pines, where d new drydock Wa t. be CON
structed, and the collier was generally sup
posed bv men oI the waterfront 10 be laden
with materials Tor tins work. And SO, despite
the mOmeutOus significance Of the sailing OF
these three ships. the world remained II Iguo-
rance. paid little heed, OF forgot.
Those vOvagers who were IN the secret
looked forward with eagerness 70 the task be
lore them, realizing 10 the tuA that on them
depended much. And Of these was Norma.
who leaned over the stern ran of the Penob~COt
as u dropped down the harbor. watched the
lights Of the CITY grow dim IN the distance, saw
the great. silent Statue OF Liberty rear itself
against the sky and felt the first free swell lit
and sway the deck beneath her feet. Her de-
parture had not been pleasant.
There on the land behind was the man
whom She seemed doomed forever 10 hold al
arm s length She had parted from HIM with
the announcement that her father Wa com
PEELED TO 60 south for time and had insisted
her ACCOMMODATING hITu. For now long
All. that could be but conjecture, perhaps Tor
two OF three months. Was he IL, No, not
exactly but he was gong away and needed
her Yes she would write occasionally from
Miami Florida but not often, because her
charge would demand her time And so,
answering and evadIug. filed with yearnlng,
and vet debarred from giving confidence, she
had bIdden him good by and come 10 TINS.
sailing away II the night with all the turtlve-
ness and mystery which euShrOuded pirate
ships Of old bent plumber and raplHe.
The DAYS OF the voyage were much aAke
filed with work. Down IN the cabins tne en-
gineers and maChluIsts drew hasty plans OF
buildings. then marked spots where machines
were 70 have floor space, drew diagrams tor
Transmission OF power, and consulted charts
showing the depths Of water round their
prospective shIpyard- They had not even
time 70 watch the devious course IN ana out
among the islands which marked their entry
to the scene Of toll. When the puisatlons OF
the screw stopped and the snip ceased her
vibrations, they were stlil At their several
tasks and were disturbed when the anchor
chains went rumDLng through theiT ha"seT
pipes.
Like an army OF ants, drilled and acchmated
they swarrned out upon the land. the saPPera
clearing the way the carpenters donnng lhcH
aprons, and gra ping their tools while pile %
lumber kegs Of bolts and nails, and mountain
Of iron sheathing accumulated upon the beach
And then a. the ringing OF a multitude oi nam
rners and the steady biting song OF the saws
filled the air with sounds Of industry, great
cases OF machinery swung up from the holds
noatcd dizzily 10 the bulwarl<s, and went
slowly down TO the lighters. A city OF tents
sprang up Is by necromancy, with CUTTERS 70
carry off the rams and sewers 10 prevent dis
ease Camp surgeons accustomed TO SANTA
ton superintended these OutpCsts, paying a
much attention 70 the spreading OF u mosquito
net 70 keep away the dread stygOmla. as 70
tautening the canvas roofs and clearing the
grounds.
All available means Of resOurCetul nation
had been gathered together an expert driver
seizes the rcIns OF i four-in-hand and guides ms
horses along a known road 10 gwen destina-
ton and all with the regularity which would
distinguish the work had II been the most IN
important action Of every day industry.
Norma having part III tins task OF con
struction, wandered idly up and down the
decks or round the clearing throughout the
dav. and as she watched she saw the birth OF
a miniature city, saw the heaps OF material on