The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-05-21

engaged in the latter operation the
door opened, and the big captain him
self entered, inclosed in glistening oil
skins.
"Hyvaa pyvaa. highness," said the
captain. "Will you walk the deck be
fore breakfastT"
Good day to YOU" returned the
prince, land by your salutation 1 take
you to be d Finn"
II am a native of Abo," replied the
captain, land, as you say. Finn, but
1 differ from many Of my countrymen,
as am a good Russian also"
"Well, there are not too many good
Russians, and here is one who would
rather have heard that you were a
/ good Finn solely"
1T is to prevent any mistake" re
piled the captain almost roughly, that
/ l mention | am a good Russian"
Right you are, captain, and as am
/ a good Russian also perhaps good Rus
sian No can tell me to what part OF
the world he is conveying good Rus
/ sian No. 2, q man guiltless of any
crime and unwilling at this moment to
take an enforced journey.
eve may both be good, but the day
| is not, highness. 1t has been raining
during the night and is still DRILLING
l advise you to put on your overcOat."
Thanks. captain; will"
The captain in most friendly manner
took the overcoat from its hook, shook
it out and held 1t ready to embrace its
CHI rfrv
then left, into the sleeves, hunched the
coat up into place and buttoned it at
the throat
Again, captain, my thanks. Lead
the way, and l will follow"
They emerged on deck into a dismal
gray morning. No land or craft of any
kind was in sight. The horizon form
ed a small, close circle round the ship.
Clouds hung low, running before the
wind and bringing internationally little
dashes of rain that seemed still fur
Their to compress the walls of horizon.
The sea was not what could be called
rough, but merely choppy and fretful,
| with short waves that would not have
troubled q larger craft. The steamer
proved to be a small, undistinguished,
dingy looking boat, more like a com
mercial tramp than q government YES
sell An officer, apparently the mate,
stood on the bridge, sinewy hands
grasping the rail, peering ahead into
the white mist that was almost q fog.
/ The promenade deck afforded no great
scope for pedestrianism, but captain
and prisoner walked back and forth
over the restricted space, talking geni-
ally together as if they were old
friends Nevertheless there was a GER
tain cautious guardedness in the cap
tain's speech-the wary craft of an IN
ready man who is in the presence of a
person more subtle than himself. The
bluff captain remembered he had been
caught mapping the night before when
after refusing to tell the prince the di
rection of the steamer, he had given
himself away by mentioning the gulf
of Finland. LermontOff noticed this
reluctance to plunge into the abyss OF
free conversation, and so, instead OF
reassuring him he would ask no more
questions, he merely took upon his
own shoulders the burden of the tall
and related to the captain certain won
ders Of London and New York.
The steward advanced respectfully to
the captain and announced breakfast
ready, whereupon the two men follow
ed him into a saloon not much larger
than the stateroom Lermontoff had oc
cupied the night before and not nearly
so comfortably furnished. A plenteous
breakfast was supplied, consisting
principally Of fish, steaming potatoes
black bread and very strong tea. The
captain swallowed cup after cup OF
this scalding beverage, and it seemed
to make him more and more genial. as
if it had been wine. Indeed, as time
went on he forgot that 1t was prison
er who sat before him, for quite limo
Gently he said to the steward who wait
ed on them:
''Have the poor devils below had any
thing to eatT'
No orders, SIR replied the steward
, "Oh. well, give them something
something hot. 1t may be their las
meal" then turning, he met the gaze Of
, the prince, demanded roughly another
cup Of tea. and explained:
, Three of the crew took too mucl
! Vodka In st. Petersburg yesterday"
/ The prince nodded carelessly. as i
= he believed, and offered his open Gig
g arctic case to the captain, who shool
( his head
4 Il smoke pipe he growled.
e The captain rose with his lighte,
) pipe. and together they went up o.
I deck again. The prince saw nothin
= more of the tall sentinel who had bee
:. his guard the night before, so withou
9 asking permission he took it for grant
: ed that his movements, now they wer
in the open sea. were unrestricted
0 therefore he walked up and down til
4 deck smoking cigarettes. At the strok
of bell the captain mounted tn