Los Angeles herald., 1908-06-14

of the general news of the day, and was
glancing over the third one when his zee eyes
ping News" with Frightening glow.
Transfer" it read-and the third line
down in the item were two names, at the
sight of which 10 Morris's heart throbbed
wildly.
Transfer" it read Schooner Petrol, in
the Central American fruit trade-owner,
Captain E. A. Riddell-to G: Meserve and A.
Percival, New York. Consideration, $4,000.
ed for trip of exploration to the Pacific.
"It's them-it's it!" cried 10, getting gram
mar, ALTERATION and excitement badly mixed:
They've bought a vessel to go in search OF
They've left Savannah on the voyage-the
voyage Cyrus Meserve told Dobbs Mr.. Perci-
val would never live through Oh, this wor-
ry and suspense will kill me!
how, as he reflected later, Jo felt better and
clearer, now that he knew to certainty OF
the movements of Meserve and his fathers
uncle.
| Often would he muse dreamily, and wonder
if it was not in the range of possibilities for
| the Petrol to be blowing its way southwark,
perhaps near to them, perhaps to cross their
course to meet them; and one day glimmer
| of the fondest hope came into his lie In that
line of meditation.
The manager had come below, and had
made speech to the steerage hands. The
supply of tobacco and liquor was running
| out. Inc engine U6eutu SOuc repairs.
The Pilgrim was headed for the Brazilian
coast and would shortly come to moorings at
| Rio Janeiro.
The manager talked in a coaxing, confding
way. He wished to exact promise from the
men that none of them would attempt to go
ashore, much less think OF abandoning the
cruise, and, while lying in port, IN payment
| for their patience under restraint, they should
have carte blanche on the cooks galley and q
liberal dip at the new supply OF tobacco and
liquor during the delightful voyage he de-
picted after leaving port again. =,
JOS voice was not lifted among the up.
roarious ones that greeted with eager assent
the managers proposition. His lips were
| sealed; but he firmly determined that when
the Pilgrim left Rio Janeiro, he would not be
| its passenger.
marine map he had found. as if learning
| lesson, of late, trying to guess at the nearest
| land.
He knew that ships sailing south from
ports in the United States almost invariably
stopped for water, provisions. and repairs at
one or more of the many harbors ON the
| South American coast. At least, Mt an I'M
portant ship centre like Rio Janeiro, he
might happen to learn something about the
Petrol.
Amid the feverish excitement of the next
| four days, 10 scarcely ate slept:
| There was something ominous in the APP
pearance of two sailors one night. 1t was
generally known that the Pilgrim would be
| sighted several times that day.
| The sailors meanwhile hung around, and
! smoked and joked with the men; but when
| 10 tumbled out of his bunk the next morning
| he made two discoveries that startled him.
| The Pilgrim was no longer at sea. The an
Gent steamer swayed gently at harbor moor
ings.
| The large portfolios at the sides of the
steamer were closed and barred, and at each
sat one of the sailors who had come below
the evening previous, evidently on guard,
"Well, it's dark enough here, everything
battened up. We're in harbor, too, spoke
one of JOS companions. Say, mates, 70
the the sailors, SIS it the program to coop us up
here until we sail againY''
Agreement, Seth,'' corrected the speakers
companion. aStow yer talk-fairs fair. The
manager is shrewd, He knows soon as we
get the cash circulating pretty freely wen
Be for going ashore, bargain or no bargain,
and he's taking time by the forelock."
"Oh, all right" responded the first speaker.
80 long as the tobacco and provender, comes,
I don't mind bit of Jail experience"
JOS heart sank at this disclosure. All exit
from the steerage direct, or by the stairs, to
the deck was closed. The shrewd manager
did not intend to lose any of his men If ne
could help it.
Only for a moment, however, was Jo
daunted. The steamer would probably re-
main in harbor for day or more. The
watchfulness of the sailors would relax as
time wore on 1here were many ways OF
anpeaf to the manager. Oh, he would GER
tainly find some means of leaving the Pilgrim
before nghtfall.
,Jo went about his duties without in the
least betraying his anxiety. About noon the
men began smoking and playing cards, and he
edged away to portfolio, slid back the NOV
able glass and peered out.
At the extreme range of his vision were
buildings and trees; near the busy docks, at
anchor or arriving or departing from the har-
bor, were sloops, brigs, steamers and yachts
of nearly every nation under the sum-
The sailor sentinels had been enticed into
Joining the steerage hands in their amuse-
ments; 10 knew that he need not be precipi-
tate in planning his escape. The opportu-
fall the better. Confident Of success, JOS
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