The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-03-11
CHAPTER VI.

| CullOuS 10 relate, JU6 snip never
seemed to drift within a dangerous
distance of the land Indeed, more
than once during my half-waking
slumbers | dreamt that the engines
were going slowly; but that, ac-
| cording to official statement, was
an utter impossibility. And yet
doubted that it was all a dream.
| During this time could not
! have spoken more than half a doz-
en- words to Capt. Macshiel. He
seemed purposely to avoid me, and
/ whenever | preached the subject
, of our delay he grew SO exceeding
/ ly irritable that he never even took
| the trouble to be civil. could see
that his anxiety was playing the
deuce with him. and that he shared
none of the ja'~'v confidence of
Murrell, or the third officer.
Gupp.
AS for Gupp. he puzzled me
greatly. l seemed to have met the
man somewhere-to have come in
contact with him in some way or
other-but where or how l could
not tell. Sometimes l was sure he
knew and understood my thoughts.
On the afternoon of the second
day, as l took my constitutional up
and down the deck, saw the cap
tain, Murrell and Gupp upon the
bridge, each with a glass in his
hand, with which, at short in
tervals, he swept the distant hori-
zon. What the men expected to
see l guessed well enough and as
approached them l caught many
eager exclamatlons; but I resumed
my walk up and down as though
oblivious Of their presence. What
they did, or intended to do. was nc
concern of mine, and so was de.
termined to show them.
Yet as l walked forward no
ticed that the captain held in his
hand a little slip Of paper; while
the mate, large sheet of white
paper before him, upon which he
had evidently drawn some figures
or designs, was pointing from one
piece Of paper to the other and
lspeaking very earnestly. Then the
captain grew excited and waved
his slip in the mates face. AS he
did so the thing slid from his
from his fingers and the wind
caught it and blew it towards me
| saw it take an ominOus flutter
outwards, and | feared it would &c
overheard. Quickly springing for
ward, l made grab and caught il
just in time. | heard some one
call from the bridge. Here you
hand that over!" and an immedi
ate shutting of feet followed.
What | had caught was merely a
newspaper cutting. 1t contained
but three or four lines of print. AT
either end of the paragraph a cross
was marked in red pencil Between
the crosses the print said
The Chung-Tong. with the Aus
trailan mail on board, left Sydney
for Port Darwin and Hongkong on
the 25th inst Besides a large mai
and several passengers, she carries
$4,000 pounds in gold.'
| l had just time to master SC
much, when the slip was snatched
from my fingers. Looking up,
encountered the ugly face of Mr.
Gupp.
Here you" he cried sharply
what the blazes do you mean by
peeping into other peoples prop
erty?"
why" I said, trying to look as
though l had not noticed his tone
"it's only cutting from a news
paper"
What if it is? You saw whose
it was, didn't you?"
ooh, go to the devil! l can't tall
to you"
"But I'll talk to YOU" he splut
tered, land in a way you won
likeW
The fellow went forward, mutter
ing vaguely to himself. The fact is
the reading of that newspaper cut
ting had caused me intense agita
ton, and as l walked aft l saw the
Pulo Way engaged in one Of the
most daring adventures of these Of
Of any other times.
| turned in early that night, hav
ing vainly sought word or two
with Hayling. An hour or so after
the captain and his officers eongre
gated in the saloon, and what witt
Laughing, singing and joking they
made a pretty hubbub. For an hour
the revel went on. each man TAX
ing his turn at song or a chanty
was just fiattering myself that
the rascals had forgotten all about
me, when someone gave the han
die of my door sudden twist. But
after my first serious talk with
Hayling l had taken the precau
ton Of turning the lock. An oath
proclaimed the disappointment Of
the would-be intruder. | felt under
the pillow for my revolver and lay
still. The twisting was followed
by lud rat-tat. then another oath
and then a savage kick which near
ly broke in the panels. Still
thought it better not to answer
which so enraged the besieger thai
three or four kicks came in quick
succession, and the mates voice
was heard crying:
"Hullo. you in there!"
"Hullo!" said |.
Are you asleep or dead?
Neither"
"The captain is complaining