Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-02-04
CHAPTER II.

wolverine. Every officer ii
~ her complement had kept /,
private and personal lookout all da,
for some explanation Of the previou.
nights phenomenon All that reward
ed them We're sky filmed with loft,
clouds and the holiday parade of tn,
epauletted waves.
Nor did evening bring repetition o.
that strange glow. Midnight fount
the late stayers still deep in the dis
cussion
Zone thing is certain" said Ives; a
wasn't volcanic"
why 500" asked the paymaster.
Because volcanoes are mostly sta
tionary, and we headed due for tina
light"
/ Eyes, but did we keep headed?" saie
Barnett, who was navigating officer q.
we'll as ordnance officer, in queer
voice.
what do you mean, STRIP asked Ed
wards eagerly.
after the light disappeared the com
pass kept on varying. The stars were
hidden. There is no telling just wher.
we Were headed for some time"
*Then we might be fifty miles from
the spot we aimed at"
Hardly that" said the navigator
we could guide her to some extern
by the direction of wind and waves
II It was volcanic we ought certainly
to have sighted it by now
always some electricity in volcanic
eruptions," said Trendon. makes com
pass cut didoes. Seen 1t before"
"Where?" quericd Carter.
"Off Martinique. Pelee eruption
Needle chased its tail like a kitten"
care there many volcanoes here
abouts7" somebody asked.
Were in 1852 west, 81 north, about
said Barnett. mo telling whether
there areior not. There weren't at las
accountss but that's no evidence tina
there aren't some since. They come
up in the night, these volcanic islands,
Just cast an eyeson the charts" said
Billy Edwards. Full of Z. DIS ant
P. DIS all over the shop. Every one
Of 'em volcanic.,'
"E. DIS and 2. DIST" queried til.
paymaster. r
Existence doubtful and position
doubtful" explained the ensign. "Ev,
cry time the skipper of one Of these
wandering trade ships gets speck III
his eye he reports nm island. II he
really does bump into rock he cuts
In an arithmetic book, for his latitude
and longitude and lets,it go at that
That's how the chart makers make /,
living. getting out new editions, every
few MONTHS IG,
''But it's fact that these seas are
constantly changing" saida Barnet.
They're SO little travelehnthat nc
one happens to be around 10 see IN
island born. don't suppose,there's q
part on the earth's surface more liable
to seismic disturbances than this re
gion." b
"Seismicy' cried Billy Edwdfals. 81
should say 1t was seismic! WhS. wher
Ia native of one Of these island Groups
sets his heart on particular loaf Of
bread up his breadfruit tree he doesn'
bother to climb after it. Just wait.
for some earthquake to happen dlbnt
and shake 1t down to him. 2.
Good boy. Billyr' said DR.. Trenddt
approyingly. '.Do another"
Its fact" said the ensign heated
ly. Why. couple of years bacl
there was a trader here stocked III
with lot of belly mixture in bottles
Thought he was going to make hi
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 a
well have marked 'em Keep frozen
In this part OF the world Fellow wen
broke"
I'm any case, said Barnett. "such ,
glow as that we sighted last nigh
I've never seen from any Volcano
"Nor l." said rrendon. Don't prov,
it mightn't have been.'
"I'n just bet the best dinner in Sal
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 Nc
/, CURE.
Come one, come ALL said Edward
! cheerily. III ike high on the col
lectivc had Judgment OF this outfit"
"'ronisht isn't likely to settle it any
how. said Ives u move we turl
in.''
ESpectant minds do not lend them