Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-22
CHAPTER XIII.
The Fight,

Christmas day arrived. and maintained
its kindly reputa by finding affairs On
board the Kansas changed for the better.
Mr.. Boyle was SO far recovered that he
could walk; he even took command OF
two watches in the twenty-four hours,
but was forbidden to exert himself, lest
the wound in his back should reopen. Sew
eral injured sailors and hremen were con-
valescent: the two most serious cases
were out of danger; Frascuelo. hardy as
a weed, dared the risk Of using his dam
aged leg, and survived. though his prog
ress along the deck was painful Never
theless, on Christmas morning he pre-
scented himself before the captain and
asked leave to abandon his present quar-
tiers. He felt lonely in the forecastle. and
wished to berth with the other chileans
in the neighborhood Of the saloon. AL
though his luck was bad in some re-
spects. the coal trimmer was endowed
with the nine lives Of a cat, for there
could be no manner of doubt that he
dragged himself aft just in time to avoid
being killed.
Yet never was day less ominous in ap-
pearance. The breezy. sunlit morning
brought no hint of coming tragedy. The
fine weather which had prevailed since
the Kansas drifted into the estuary
seemed to become more settled as the
cedented. Not only had he not witnessed
in FIVE years three consecutive days with
out rain, snow or hail, but the Indians
had a proverb: ''Whosoever sees flre-in-
the-sky (the SUM for seven days shall see
the leaf red hundred times" In effect,
centenarians were needed to bear testi-
mony to a weeks fine weather; whereas
no man-most certainly no woman-among
the Alaculofs ever succeeded in reaching
the threescore years and ten regarded by
the psalmist as the span Of life:
But the miner from Argentina never
wavered in his belief that the Indians
would soon muster every adult for an as
sault on the ship.~The elements might
waver, but not the hate Of the savage.
From the rising Of the sun to the going
down thereof Suarez was ever on the
alert. He ate his meals with his eyes
fixed on the low point Of land which hid
Otter creek. He saw thin columns OF
smoke rising when no other eye on board
could discern them. Once he made out
the forms Of number of women search
low water. and on Christmas morning he
reported the presence of three canoes
among the trees near Otter creek, when
Courtenay could scarce be sure of their
character after scrutinizing them through
his glasses,
Every other person on the ship held the
opinion that the Alaculofs would attack
by night, If they were not afraid to at
tempt the enterprise at all. So Suarez
slept soundly, while his companions were
ers. Were it not for the strain induced
by the silent menace of their savage
neighbors, the small company suffered no
Ill from their prolonged stay In this
peaceful anchorage. There was work In
plenty for all hands. Walker was rein
nical knowledge, slight as 1t was, proved
useful when a.. began to fit and connect
the disabled machinery. For the rest,
the promenade deck was walled with
strong canvas, while Courtenay and Tolle-
mache gave undivided attention to the
fashioning Of several other floating bombs
which could be exploded from the ship.
They also provided flexible steam pipes in
places where a rush might be made If
the Indians once secured a footing on the
deck. fore or aft. Steam was kept up con-
stantly In the donkey boiler, not alone for
the electric light and the daily working
of the pumps-as the Kansas had not
blundered over the shoal without strain
ing some of her plates = but Tor use
against the naked bodies Of their possible
assailants.
When day followed day without any
sign OF hostility not a man on board.
save Suarez and Tollemache. paid much
real heed to the shoreward peril. Walker
screw jacks and wrenches was the center
Of interest. And Walkers swarthy visage
wore permanent grin. which presaged
well for the fulfillment of his promise.
Elsie devoted herself to the hospital
She was thus brought more in contact
others. Nor did he make this close &C
| quaintance irksome to her. Always suave
and charming In manner, he exerted him.
self to be entertaining. Though she knew
open sea again he would ask her tc
marry him, he was evidently content te