Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-01-28

constantly changing" said Barnett. |
They're SO little travelled that no |
one happens to be around to see an |
island born. / don't suppose there's a
part on the earth's surface more liable
to seismic disturbances than this re-
gion"
"Seismicr' cried Billy Edwards. 81
should say it was seismic! Why. when
a native of one of these island groups
sets his heart on a particular loaf of
bread up his breadfruit tree he doesn't
bother to climb after it. Just waits
for some earthquake to happen along
and shake it down to him."
Good boy. Billyr' said DR.. Trendon
approvingly. do another"
ITS n fact" said the ensign heated 4
ly. why, couple of years back
there was trader here stocked up
with lot of belly mixture in bottles.
Thought he was going to make his
pile because there'd been collie cpl
demic in the islands the season before.
Bottles were labeled Do not shake
That settled the business. Might as
well have marked 'em Keep frozen
| jim this part of the world. Fellow went
| broke"
1n any case" said Barnett, "such
| glow as that we sighted last night
I've never seen from any volcano"
| "Nor l." said Trendon. Don't prove
1t mightn't have been"
"I'll just bet the best dinner in San
Francisco that it isn't" said Edwards.
| you're on" said Carter.
| "Let me in," suggested Ives.
| "And I'll take one of it," said Me-
CURE
"Come one, come ALL" said Edwards
cheerily. "I'll live high on the col
lective bad Judgment of this outfit"
Tonight isn't likely to settle it any
how" said Ives. II move we turn
in"
Expectant minds do not lend them
selves to sound slumber All night the
officers of the Wolverine slept on the
verge of waking, but it was not until
dawn that the cry of Sail ho!' sent
them all hurrying to their clothes.
Ordinarily officers of the United States
navy do not scuttle on deck like Il
crowd of curious schoolgirls, but all
hands had been keyed to a high pitch
over the elusive light, and the bet with
Edwards now served as an excuse for
the betrayal of unusual eagerness;
hence the quarter deck was soon alive
with men who were wont to be deep
in dreams at clat hour.l
They found Carter, whose watch on
deck it was, reprimanding the lookout.
mo, sir" the man was insisting,
"she didn't show no light, sir. I'd "a
sighted her an hour ago, sir, If she
had"
I'VE shall see," said Carter grimly.
who's your relief"
"Sennett."
LET him take your place. Go aloft,
Sennett." aH
AS the lookout, crestfallen and surly,
went below Barnett said in subdued
tones:
Upon my word, l shouldn't be sur
prised if the man was right. Certain
ly there's something queer about that
hooker. Look how she handles her
selfr'
, The vessel was some three miles to
windward. She was u schooner Of the
common two masted Pacific type, but
she was COMFORTING herself in man
ner uncommon on the Pacific or any
other ocean. Even as Barnett spoke
she heeled well over and came rush
ing up into the wind, where she stood
with all sails shaking. Slowly she
paid off again, bearing away from
Oh full
way, yet edged little by little to wind
ward again.
mighty queer tactics" muttered Ed
wards. 81 think she's steering her
SELF
"Good thing she carries a weather
helm," commented Ives, who was ar
l expert on sailing rigs. Most of thai
type do. Otherwise she'd have jibet
her masts out, running loose that way
Captain Parkinson appeared on decl
and turned his glasses for full min
ute on the strange schooner.
! "Aloft therew he hailed the crows
{ nest. do you make out any one
aboardY
"No, sir!' came the answer.
s "Mr Carter, have the chief quarter
r 'aster report ON deck with the sigma
-ags."
l. "Yes, sir.'
aren't we going to run up to her?'
/ asked Mcclure, turning in surprise t.
e Edwards
e "And take the risk of getting a hol
punched in our pretty paint with he
q running amuck that way? Not much.
Up came the signal quartermaster t
E. get his orders, and there ensued on
It sided conversation in the pregnant Ian
3. guage Of the sea.
y "What ship is that"
No answer
c "Are you in troubleW asked tn
1, cruiser and waited The schoone
showed a bare and silent main Deak.
"Heave to-" Now Uncle Sam wa
n. giving orders.
But the other paid no heed.
E. "We'll make that little more en-
phatic," said Captain Parkinson.
moment later there was the shar
er crash Of gun, and a shot went acros