Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-12
VI.
The Castaways.

This ship" growled Carter, the second
officer, to DR.. Trendon, as they stood
watching the growing smoke column. lis
worse hotbed of rumors than downeast
village. That's the third sea gull we've
had officially reported since breakfast"
AS he said, three distinct times the VOL
VERNE had thrilled to an imminent dis
covery, which, upon nearer investigation.
had dwndled to nothing more than float
ing fowl. Upon the heels of Carriers COM
plant came another hail.
Boat ahoy Three points on the star
board bow
IF that's another gull" muttered Carter,
I'm have something to say to you, my
festive lookout.
The news ran electrically through the
cruiser and all eyes Were strained for a
glimpse of the boat The ship swung
away to Starboard.
Let me know as soon as you can make
her out" ordered Carter
AYE. aye, sir"
There's certainly something there" said
Forsythe, presently. Il can make out a
speck rising on the waves.
BIT o wreckage from Barnetts dere-
lict," muttered Trendon, scowling through
his glasses.
Rides too high for a spar or anything
'"She's a small boat came in the cleal
tones of the lookout "drftin' down.
"Any one in her?" asked Carter.
Cant make out yet, sir. No ones in
charge though, sir
Capt. Parkinson appeared and Carter
pointed out the speck to him.
Yes. Give her full speed" said the cap
tain, replying to a question from the off1te
of the deck.
Forward leapt the swift cruiser, all too
slow for the anxious hearts of those
aboard. For, there was not one of the
Wolverines who did not expect from this
aimless traveller of desert seas at the least
a leading clue to the riddle that oppressed
them.
''Aloft therer
AYE, aye SIR
"Can you make out her build?"
rides high, like dory, SIR
"Wasn't there a dory on the Laughing
Lass?" cried Forsythe.
ION her stern davits,' answered Tren-
don.
1T is hardly probable that unattached
small boats should be drifting about these
seas" said Capt. Parkinson, thoughtfully.
IF she's dory, she's the Laughing Lass
boat
That's what she is" said Barnett. you
can see her build plain enough now
'Mr. Barnett will you go aloft and keep
me posted?" said the captain.
The executive officer climbed to join the
lookout AS he assembled. those below saw
the little craft rise high and slow on a
broad swell.
Same dory," said Trendon. "rd swear
What else could she be-" muttered For
sythe.
"Somethin' that looks like man in the
bottom of her." sang out the crows nest.
1.-TWO of 'em, / think"
For five minutes there was stiffness
aboard. broken only by an occasional low
voiced conjecture. Then from aloft
Two men rolling in the bottom
Are they alive?"
NO, sir; not that 1 can see."
The wind, which had been extremely
variable since dawn. now whipped around
couple of points, swinging the boats
stern to them. Barnett. putting aside his
glass for moment, called down:
That's the one, sir. 1 can make out the
name"
Good" said the captain quietly. I'VE
should have news, at least
lives or MCGUIRE" suggested Forsythe,
In low tones.
"Or Billy Edwards" amended Carter.
Not Edwards" said Trendon.
"How do you know?' demanded For
sythe.
"Dory was aboard when we found her
the second time. after Edwards had left"
"Can you make out which of the men are
in herr" hailed the captain.
Don't think it's any of our people,
came the astonishing reply from Barnett.
Are you sure?'
Il can see only one mans face. sir. 1t
me-"
ut must be one of the crew. then
mo. sir, beg your parding.' called the
lookout "Nothin like that in our crew,
SIR"
The boat came down upon them swiftly
Soon the quarterback was looking into her.
She was type common enough on the
high seas, except that step for mast
showed that she had presumably been used
for skimming about open shores. OF her
passengers, one lay forward, prone and
quiet A length of sail cloth spread over
I'm made it impossible to see his garb
At his breast an ugly protuberance, out
lined vaguely, limited a deformity.
The other sprawled aft and at nearer
sight of him some of the men broke out into
nervous filters. There was some excuse
for surely such a scarecrow had never be-
fore been the sport of wind and wave. A
thing of shreds he was deliberately ragged
preternaturally drawn, surmounted by a
stiff dried, dirty. cloth semi-turban, with a
wide, forbidding stain along the side
worked out the likeness to a makeup
hysterical explosion; and c-ain, MY God!
A long drawn, irrepressible aspiration OF
expectancy rose from the warship's decks
as the stranger raised his haggard face
turned eyes unseeingly upon them. and fel
back. The forward occupant stirred not
save as the boat rolled.
From between decks some one called out
sharply, an order. In the grim silence II
seemed strangely incongruous that the
measured business of ships life should be
going forward as usual. Something within
the newcomer So consciousness stirred Il
that voice of authority. Mechanically, like
some huge, hideous toy, he raised first one
arm, then the other, and hitched himself
halfway up on the stern seat. His mouth
opened. His face wrinkled. He seemed
cropping for the meaning of joke at which
he knew he ought to laugh. Suddenly from
his lips in surprising volume, raucous, rasp
ing, yet with a certain rollicking deviltry
fit to set the head a-tilt, burst : chanty:
.'Oh, their coffin their ship and their grave Il
the sea:
Blow high. blow low, what We?
And the quarter that we gave them was to sinh
them in the sea,
Down the coast of the high Barbareeee.''
Long drawn, like the mockery of 4 wall
the minor cadence wavered through the
stiffness, and died away.
1.-The High Barbaree!" cried Trendon.
You know it?' asked the captain, eX
pectant of a clue
zone of those cursed tunes you can't for
get said the surgeon. Heard a scoundre
Of beachcomber sing it years ago. DowI
in New Zealand, that was. When the fever
rose on him he'd pipe up Used to bea