The Falls City tribune., 1908-12-04
CHAPTER II.
Worse Than Wilderness.

of boiling oil. He sat up and gazed
about him. %half-dazed. The cyclone
had been followed by a dead calm. and
the sun. already well above the hori.
zon, was blazing upon them over the
CLASSY surfaces of the dying swells
with fierce heat.
WINTHROP felt about for his hat. 1t
had been blown off when, at the stri-
king of the steamer, he had rushed
up on deck. AS he remembered, he
Strengthened. and looked at his com
panions. Blake lay snoring where
he had first outstretched himself,
sleeping the sleep of the just-and of
the drunkard. The girl, however, was
already awake. She sat with her
hands clasped in her lap, while the
tears rolled slowly down her cheeks.
"My-ah-dear Miss Genevieve,
what is the natter" exclaimed Win
thIope.
Matter? Do you ask. when we are
here on this wretched coast, and may
not get away for weeks? oh, | did so
count on the London season this year,
Lady Bayrose promised that | should
be among those presented"
We'll, I-ah-fancy, Lady Bayrose
will do 40 more presenting-unless 1t
may be to the heavenly choir, you
know
why what do you mean. Mr..
Winthrope? You told me that she and
the maids had been put in the largest
boat
My dear Miss G~enevieve. you must
remember that | am a diplomat. 1t
was all quite sufficiently narrowing, |
assure you. They were, indeed, put
into the largest boat Beastly mud
dle!- While they waited for the mate
to fetch you, the boat was crushed
alongside, and all in it drowned"
"Drowned!-drowned! Oh, dear
Lady Bayrose, And she'd Travelled so
much-oh, oh, ii is horrible. Why
did she persuade me TO visit the Cape?
1t was only to be with her-And then
for us to start off for India. when we
might have sailed straight to England!
Oh, it is horrible, horrible, And my
maid. and ALT cannot be possible,"
Pray, do not excite yourself, my
dear Miss Geneyieve. Their troubles
are all over. Er-Gawd has taken
them to Him, you know"
But the pity of it! To be drowned
SO far from home!'
"Ah, if that's all you're worrying
about must say I'd like to know
how we'll get a snack for breakfast.
I'm hungry as a-er-groom."
Eating, How can you think of
eating, Mr.. Winthrope-and all the
others drowned? This sun is becom-
ing dreadfully hot. 1t is unbearable,
Can vou not put up some kind of an
awning?'
We'll, now, | must say, | was never
much of a hand at such things, and
really / can't imagine what one could
rig up. There might have been a. bit
of sail in the boat, but one can't see
a sign of it. | fancy it was smashed
Miss Leslie ventured a glance at
Blake. Though still lying as he had
sprawled in his drunkenness. there was
a comforting suggestion of power in
his broad shoulders and square jaw.
rs he still-in that condition."
Must have slept it off by this time,
and there's no more in the flask" an
swered Winthrope. Reaching over
with his foot, he pushed against
Blake's back.
Huh. All right" grunted the
SlaQnpr anA cat IN &C Ind Wjpfh rnna
half dazed. Then Re stared around
him. and rose to his feet. We'll what
in he'll. Say, this is damn cheerful"
Il fancy we are in a nasty fix. But
| say, my man, there is a woman pres
ent, and your language, you know
Blake turned and fixed the English
man with a cold stare.
Look here, you bloomin' lud," he
said, there's just one thing you're
going to understand, right here and
going to have any of that kind of blat-
ter. Any fool can see we're in a
tight hole, and we're like to keep com
pany for a while-probably long as we
last"
"What-ah-may | ask, do you mean
by that"
Blake laughed harshly, and pointed
from the reef-strewn sea to the vast
stretches of desolate marsh. Far in
land, across miles of brackish lagoons
and reedy mud-fats, could be seen
groups of scrubby, h~alf-leafess trees;
ten or twelve miles to the southwark
a rocky headland jutted out into the
water; otherwise there was nothing in
sight but sea and swamp. If it could
not properly be termed a sea-yiew, 1t
was at least a very wet landscape.
Fine prospect" remarked Blake,
oryly. Wen be in luck IL the fever
don't get the last Of US inside a
month; and as for you two, you'd have
as much show OF lasting a month as
a toad with a rattlesnake, il 1t wasn't
for Tom Blake-that's my name-Tom
Blake-and as long as this shindy
lasts, you're welcome to call nie Tom
or Blake. whichever suits. But un-
derstand, we're not going to have
any more OF your bloody. bloomin'
Lpo1ioh anpIoccnnptou Aboard ehtn