Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-08


one of these island groups sets his heart
on particular loaf OF bread up his bread
fruit tree. he doesn't bother 10 climb after
| II. Just waits for some ,1r.h uuakr 'a hap
pen along and shake Il down To him.
Good boy. billy" said Dr. Treud"n, ap-
provngly. do another"
IT'S a fact said the ensign. hcatcdly
why, couple OF years back there was a
trader here stocked up with lot Of h,ly-
mixture in bottles. Thought he was going
to make his pile because therc'd been
collie epidemic in the islands the season be-
fore Bottles were labeled DO not shake
Ihat settled his business. Might as well
have marked EN- Keep frozen; in this part
OF the world. Fellow Went broke"
In any case" said Barnett. such a glow
as that We sighted last night I've never
seen from any volcano"
! Nor l." said Trendon Don't prove II
/ mightnt have been"
''l'n Just bet the best dinner IN San Fran
cisco that it isn't" said Edwards.
| You're on said Carter
Let me in suggested Ives.
And I'll take one OF it," said Mcclure.
| Come one. come ALL" said Edwards
cheerily I'm live high on the collective
bad Judgment of this outfit"
| Tonight isn't likely to settle It, anyhow"
| said Ives. Il move turn in"
| Expectant minds do not lend themselves
to sound slumher. All night the officers Of
| the Wolverine slept on the verge Of waking
| but 1t was not until dawn that the cry OF
| "sail-ho! sent them all hurrying to their
| clothes. Ordinarily officers OF the United
| States navy do not sCuttle on deck Ike a
| crowd Of curious schoo girls. but all hands
| had been keyed to high pitch over the
elusive light. and the bet with Edwards now
| served as an excuse for the betrayal Of uu-
| usual eagcrness. Hence the quarter deck
was soon alive with men who were wont TO
| be deep In dreams at that hour
They found Carter. whose watch on deck
1t was. reprtmand ing the lookout.
| mo, sir the man was insisting. she
didn't show no light. sir. I'd a sighted
| her an hour ago, sir. If she had"
ip,1xy
| who's your relief
| ''Sennett."
Let him take your place Go aloft, Sem
| nett
As the lookout. crestfallen and surly.
went below. Barnett said in subdued tones:
Upon my word, l shouldn't be surprised
| If the man were right. Certainly there's
| something queer about that hooker. Look
| how she handles herself"
| The vessel was some three miles to wind
| ward. She a schooner OF the common
| two masted Pacific type, but she was COM
| porting herself in a manner uncommon on
the Pacific, or any other ocean. Even
| Barnett spoke. she heeled well over and
| came rushing up into the wind, where she
| stood with all sails shaking. Slowly she
| paid off again, bearing away from them.
| Now she gathered full Roadway, yet
| edged little by litte to windward again.
wards Il think she's steering herself"
| Good thing she carries a weather helm"
| commented Ives. who was an expert on
sailing rigs. Most of that type do Other
wise she'd have jibed her masts out, run
ming loose that way"
Capt. Parkinson appeared on deck and
| turned his glasses for full minute on the
| strange schooner
"Aloft there" he hailed the crow's-nest
DO you make out any one aboard?"
| mo, sir came the answer
| "Mr. Carter. have the chief quartermaster
report on deck with the signal flags"
| Yes. sir
Aren't we going to run I'D to herr" asked
| MCGUIRE in
| And take the risk of getting hole
punched in our pretty paint with her run
ming amuck that way? Not much!'
| Up came the signal quartermaster to get
| his orders and there ensued one-sidetf
conversation in the pregnant language of
| the sea
What ship is that?"
Are YOU in trouble?" asked the cruiser.
| and waited. The schooner showed a bare
| and silent mainpeak.
| 'Heave to-" Now Uncle Sam was giving
| orders.
| But the other paid no heed
| we II make that a little more emphatic"
| said Capt. Parkinson. A moment later
! there was the sharp crash OF a gun and a
shot went across the bows of the sailing
vessel; fastened by a flaw of wind that
| Veered from the normal direction of the
| breeze the stranger made sharply to wind
| ward, as II to obey.
All, there she comes" ran the comment
| along the cruisers quarterback
! But the schooner. after standing for a
| moment, all Tapping, answered another
flaw. and went wide about on the opposite
| tack.
| '.Derelict," remarked Capt. Parkinson.
She seems to be in good shape. too, DR..
| Trendonr'
Yes SIR" The surgeon went to the
captain. and the others could hear his deep
abrupt utterance m reply to some question
| too low for their ears
-, Might be. sir. Beri-beri. maybe More
| likely smallpox IL anything of that kind.
But some of 'em would be on deck"
"Whew! A plague ship" said Billy Ed
wards Just my luck to be ordered to
| board her" He shivered slightly
Scared Billy" said Ives. Edwards had
record for daring which made this Joke
| obvious enough to be safe
-! wouldn't want to have my peculiar
| style of beauty spoiled by smallpox marks
! said the ensign. with a smile on his homely,
winning face and I've a bunch that that
| ship is not lucky find for this ship"
Then I've a bunch that your bunch is q
wrong one" said Ives How long would
you guess that craft to be?'
They We're now within a mile Of the
schooner. Edwards scrutinized her calcu-
latingly.
Eighty to ninety feet"
Say $50 tons. And she's a two-masted
schooner. isn't she?" continued Ives, in
sinuatngly.
she certainly is"
We'll I've a bunch that that ship is a
lucky find for eany ship, but particularly
for this ship
Great Caesar cried the ensign. ex-'
citedly. DO you think it's herr"
A buzz of electric interest went around
the group. Every glass was raised every
eye strained toward her stern to read the
name as she veered into the wind again
About she came. A sharp sigh of excited
disappointment exhaled from the specta-
| tors. The name had been painted out
mo 60" breathed Edwards But I'll
bet another dinner"
Mr.. Edwards" called the captain. You
will take the second cutter board that
schooner and make full investigation"
Yes. Sir"
Take your time. Don't come alongside
until she is in the wind. Leave enough men
aboard to handle her"
Yes. SIR
The cruiser steamed to within half n mile
of the aimless traveller. and the small boat
put out. Not one of his fellows but envied
the young ensign as he left the ship, steered
by Timmins. a veteran DO s'n's mate, wise
in all the ms and outs OF sea ways They
saw him board, neatly running the small
boat under the schooner's counter; they
saw the foresheet eased off and the shin
run up into the wind: then the foresaiI