Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-07
BEHNekeE

4 ~
Elsie's first task qUas to prepare q large
scale dratOtng.
"But I do mean to peep little farther
into our estuary. Before the ship
sails may have another spare hour to
devote to it."
''In what way?" asked Elsie.
"By utilizing the canoe. A mile or
so higher up the channel l should be
clear of the bluff which hides Otter
creek. 1 imagine it will be possible
then to see the full extent of the bay.
/ must get you to sound Suarez as to
the lay of the land.''
81 hope you viii do nothing of the
Sort" protested Elsie earnestly.
"Why? Do you think the canoe un-
safer
mo. no; not that But those waiting
Indians. They might see YOU"
'Oh. the Indians again! l shall run
no risk of that sort. 1t would indeed
be the irony Of fate If the Kansas
slipped her cable and left the skipper
behind"
"Huh--no fear. She'd follow you like
Joey. 1 was tellin' Miss Maxwell what
lucky fellow you are. Besides. II
you went I'd be in command. an you
know what would happen then. II all
else failed, the. bloomin' tub would
turn turtle in the pool"
To emphasize his remarks Boyle
blew 4 big smoke ring and shot sew
eral smaller rings through it.
Elsie felt Christobal's critical eye on
her. She was shading the outlines of
the map and trusted that her head was
bent sufficiently to hide the telltale
color which leaped to her face. But
Courtenay wished to hear more of this.
II hope you do not credit everything
my chief officer says about me-" he
said. CHANGING over her shoulder at the
| drawing. NOR about himself" he add
ed, as she was too busy to look up. ITO
my knowledge he has refused the COM
mand of two ships since we both join
ed the Kansas"
| "Home ordersr' cried Boyle. who
was certainly beyond himself. Proba-
bly, he missed his regular vocal exer-
else owing to lack of a crew. MY
missus says to me: You just stick to
Captain Courtenay, young feller-me-
lad. He's one of the get-rich-quick
sort. P'raps you'll learn from him how
to dodge board Of trade inquiries.
You stand on what told you. Miss
Maxwell. You acknowledgements
!. Huh"
i Courtenay glanced at the chronome.
ter.
II must be off" he announced. ''Tole.
mache may need some help with his
bombs. and those Chileans require
looking after"
Christobal, too, quilted the chart
; room to visit his patients. He had said
very little while he sat there, and Elsie
did not know whether to laugh or cry
, at the tragic comedy of her environ.
ment. She was only certain of one
. thing-she would like to box Boyle's
ears. She was completely at loss to
account for his persistent efforts to
drag in references TO their prior con.
| yersatiOn. She dared not catechise
him. That would be piling up more
difficulties for the future. But what
possessed him to. blurt out such EN-
: barrassing details In the presence OF
. the two men whom she most wished tt
. remain In ignorance of them?
! She peeped at Boyle sideways. His
: eyes were closed. the cigar was be
tween his teeth. and he had broad
grin on his face. She could not guess
e that the once taciturn chief officer Of
> the Kansas was saying to himself:
: 'My godfather, how Pills glared
t There will be trouble on this shiI
t about woman before long or I'm /,
: Dutchman. An didn't the skipper rist
] at the fly too! Huhlp
ii A little later as Elsie passed alon,
the promenade deck she saw Courte
I nay, TolIemache and Walker deep II
t consultation. They were arranging ,
+ percussion fuse OF Illuminating mer
l curry While she was watching then
, Walker dropped broken furnace ba
i on top of a small package placed OF
e an iron block. Instantly there was {
; shart report, and Joey. who was al
: interested observer, jumped severa
+ feet. The men laughed. and she heart
D Courtenay say:
THAT Is the right proportion Of full