Smyrna times., 1907-07-03
Good Ship
Roosevelt.
By RITA KELLEY.

ss's'ss < !. !.
BETSY, let's run out into the Hudson
and see Peary's ship!
Betsy Cobb jumped at her brothers
words and gazed with sudden intent
ness out the window. She had come
up to his Office for a few moments
chat, and, as she felt the blood pound
ing into her cheeks and up to her hair,
she wished pOignantly that she had
stayed away. To the Roosevelt, in
deed!
ITS too cold" she objected, simulat-
ing a shiver. We'll freeze getting out
there"
"Bosh! Get on your glOvesA It isn't
every day that one has a chance to
climb over a vessel that's been within
hailing distance of the north pole. I'll
Just cut my appointments. What's the
trOuble?'
She had balked fatty at the gentle
urgency of her brothers hand on her
arm.
Il won't gO!" she declared.
The doctor laughed good humoredly.
whats up? Is some tickle admirer
who forgot for the first time to send
you box of candy for your birthday
due out there this afternoon? Come
on. 1t isn't every day 1 can run off,
and it's no pleasure to go alone"
Betsy's head swan with a perspec-
tive of a chain of horrors opening up
by her acquiescence; but, on the other
nand, her brothers curiosity was not
to be aroused too much. He had a
most uncomfortable habit of going to
the bottom of things.
WELL" she said reluctantly. "TH
60" She laughed a bit historically
But I'd rather be hanged"
Her brother remembered with some
uneasiness that Betsy had not been
herself of late. She was not so gay
and fun loving as usual, and he often
caught her incoming That was what
she was doing back at the office just
now, and it decided him to run away
with her for awhile.
Betsy, don't you feel well?' he
asked as they scrambled off a cross
town carat the ferry slip.
"BOtheratiOn, yes! What a silly
question: But, though her words
were careless, she avoided his eyes and
looked off down the Hudson. "YOu
can't get across this day." she an
nounced, with perceptible relief. ''The
ice is all caked up here on the New
York side, so that launch couldn't
possibly get through"
''Well hire a ferry, then" said her
brother cheerfully. One thing was Ger
tain-the Roosevelt had something vi
tai to do with her state of sulks. Good
He would probe further.
rs there any way of getting out to
the Peary ship?" he inquired of a
policeman.
''Ice is pretty bad. No boats going
out of here, but maybe if you walk
up to FOrty-fourth street you can get
on a bigger boat. They been out once
today. Guess you'd better go across
to Jersey, though. No ice over there
and you can hire some one to take yoU
out to midstream. The PeaTy boat Is
nearer the Jersey shore anyhow" ht
called after the determined, looking
physician. who had seized his sister:
arm as the ferry gong sounded an(
was hustling her on board.
Betsy looked furtively at the vessel
lying low and gray. with her nose up
stream, as the ferry passed. Their,
was much deep interest amOuntin.
even to fascination In her glance, bu
she feigned extreme indifference. Sew
eral other people were evidently ol
the same quest, and as the ferry near
ed the Jersey shore cry of disappoint
ment went up. Not a launch or row
boat in sight! 1t looked very much a
though those who were not good swim
mers would have to content themselve
with ferry glimpses of the famed shiI
and cameras began swapping industr
Ously.
Again Betsy's manner became NOR
spontaneous.
You will get out to the Roosevelt
will your she twtted her brother JOY
ously. "Well, 1 don't envy you tn
: swim in this temperature. Fortunate
! ly I'm a girl and so exempt"
/ "HO, don't know Plenty of row
4 boats around here somewhere. You
t handle the oars all right. You are th
most indefatigable croaker I ever saw
Following the directions of a lonl
: shoreman, he guided Betsy's laggin
footsteps for five minutes across I'll
bridge, down intermmable flights {
stairs. across the road to the woo
pile" and brought up before rotte
log enmeshed in ice cakes that led ol
|. to a row of decrepit old canalbOa
lying out of commission along IL
shore. A man appeared around Il
corner of the little turret on top
one Of the boats and asked if the
= could row.
"Well, I should sayr' the doct
shouted.
And Betsy was forced to scramb
up the perpendicular old ladder on
the boat, thence across and down
ladder into a fat bottomed old fishil
boat at the other end. Her broth
took off his Overcoat and wrapped