Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-04-23

ai1 70 Set l00U an q gOlH5 cnfOn0metcr
because the skipper of the Florida was
too full TO hold on to the bridge? You
mark my words, he'll be made com
modore Of the feet after he pulls the
Kansas out Of this mess
what happened to the FloridaY'
Haven't You heard that yarn? Bless
my soul. she was our crack ship. She
broke her shaft in gale, an the
skipper was washed overboard--you
always tell lies about deaders, you
know-so A. g. just waded in an
saved the whole outfit, passengers an
all.'
'But he has had reverses too. He
was in the royal navy, have been
told, and he had to give it up because
his people
.More luck. The royal navy! Huh
all gold braid an buy your own Wit
tails. There's no money IN that game
Money IS not everything in the
world 4 mans career may be more
to him than the mere monetary aspect
of IT,
If ever You meet my missus you'll
hear the other side Of the question,
Miss Maxwell. S'posin' Courtenay was
in the navy an had a wife an family
to keep, could he do it on his pay?
Not he. AS it is, he's sure to marry a
girl with a pile an wind up managin
owner"
Perhaps he is engaged to some such
young lady alreadyf'
Haven't heard so. you may be sure
there's one waitin' for him somewhere
know There's no dodgin luck, good
or bad. / thought it was goin' to be
that friend of yours, but she's off the
register, poor lass. There. | didn't
mean that I'm an idiot, for sure.
You see, don't talk much, as a rule,
Miss Maxwell, or should know better
than to chin-wag like bIazin'-huh
like a babblin' fool"
Elsie turned her face aside when he
mentioned Isobel 1T seemed to her
sensitive soul an almost unfair thing
that she should be gossiping about
triyIalities when the girl who had
commenced this unlucky voyage in
such high spirits was lying beneath
that grim sea behind the smiling head
land Yet she knew that Boyle meant
no harm by his chatter He was weak
from his wound and perhaps a trifie
light headed as the result Of being
brought from the stuffy salon to the
airy and sunlit chart room. So she
crushed sorrow that was unavailing
| and strove to put the sailor at his
ease again.
II do not find any harm In your re-
mark" she said resolutely. Were it
| possible should have been very pleas
ed to see Miss Barring married TO a
man of strong character like Captain
Courtenay. By the way, who is keep
ing watch on deck %
"The doctor was here with me until
a few minutes ago. Then the skipper
| telephoned him. / guess there is some
one on the lookout, but you might just
cast an eye shoreWard. I'm not sup
posed to move yet.''
He Wriggled uneasily in his chair,
for the spirit was willing, but Elsie
made him lie quiet. She rearranged
his pillow and stepped on to the bridge.
BY walking from port to starboard
and traversing the short length of the
spar deck she could command a view
OF the bay and of most parts Of the
ship. She heard the dog scuttling down
the companion. On reaching the after
rail she saw the captain engaged in
earnest, low toned conversation with
Tollemache and Walker. They were
standing on the main deck near the
engine room door and examining some
thing which resembled lump of coal.
She saw the engineer take three SINH
lar Jumps from a pocket.
Christobal appeared, carrying buck
ct of water, into which the Jumps were
placed by Walker, who handled them
very gingerly. After a slight delay
he began to crumble one III his fingers,
still keeping it In the water, until
finally he drew forth what Elsie rec
pgnized at once as stick of dynamite.
Though 1T was blackened by contact
with the coal, she was certain Of its
real nature. She had visited a great
many mines, and the officials always
scared the ladies of the party by tell
ing them what would happen if the ex-
plosiyes were to blow up. She had
even seen dynamite placed in the
sun to dry, as it is very susceptible to
moisture, and she wondered, naturally
enough, why such a dangerous agent
should be hidden in or disguised as a
piece of coal.
She thought that the men should be
| made aware of her presence, SO she
leaned over and said:
MAY I ask what you four are plot
ting?"
They looked at her In surprise. They
we're so engrossed IN their discovery
that they had eyes for nothing else.
Walker straightway plunged the sau-
sage shaped gray stick Into the water
again.
sfVhaf ara Won 5ni41fr with that dVua-