The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-07-03
that boat. christobal has been tellin'

Cant see any chance for them, Miss
Maxwell"
Put we are almost as badly situated
here!"
"Iuh-rOt bit OF II. Lucky chap,
| C0ur.euay he couldn't lose q ship if
| 10 tried she'd follow him cross coun-
Try like that pup. Look ut me; lost
/ T.. -. all brand new from the build
| ers. So I'm first mate. an first mate
I'll remain till my ticket gives out"
why do YOU consider Captain Cour-
| tenay so fortunate" asked Elsie, flush
ing somewhat at the guile which lay
behind the question.
Huh" snorted Boyle, amazed that
even a slip of a girl should need in.
| forming on so obvious a fact. Don't
| you call 1t luck to be given command
of ship like the Kansas at his age
an to get $500 an a gold chronometer
because the skipper of the Florida was
too full to hold on to the bridge? You
mark my words, he'll be made COM
modore Of the fleet after he pulls the
Kansas out of this mess"
what happened to the FloridaY
Haven't you heard that yarn? Bless
my soul. she was our crack ship. She
broke her shaft in a gale, an the
skipper was washed overboard-you
always tell lies about leaders, you
know-so A. G. just waded in an
saved the whole outfit, passengers an
ALL"
But he has had reverses too. He
was In the royal navy. l have been
told. and he had to give it up because
his people,
"More luck. The royal navy! Huh
all gold braid an buy your own Wit.
tails. There's no money in that game"
money is not everything in the
world. A mans career may be more
to him than the mere monetary aspect
of It."
IF ever you meet my missus you'll
hear the other side of the question,
Miss Maxwell. S'posin' Courtenay was
in the navy an had 4 wife an family
to keep. could he do it on his payl
Not he. AS 1t is, he's sure to marry
girl with pile an wind up a managin'
owner"
Perhaps he is engaged to some such
young lady alreadyy
Haven't heard so. You may be sure
there's one waitin' for him somewhere,
know. There's no dodgin' luck, good
or bad. I thought It was goin' to be
that friend Of yours, but she's of the
register, poor lass. There! I didn't
mean that I'm an idiot, for sure.
You see, I don't talk much, as a rule,
Miss Maxwell, or should know better
than to chin-wag like a blazin'-huh,
like babblin' fool"
Elsie turned her face aside when he
mentioned Isobel 1t seemed to her
sensitive soul an almost unfair thing
that she should be gossiping about
trivialities when the girl who had
commenced this unlucky voyage in
such high spirits was lying beneath
that grim sea behind the Smiling head
land Yet she knew that Boyle meant
no harm by his chatter. He was weak
light headed as the result of being
brought from the stuffy salon to the
airy and sunlit chart room. So she
crushed a sorrow that was unavailing
and strove to put the sailor at his
ease again.
81 do not find any harm in your re-
mark" she said resolutely. "Were /.
possible should have been very pleas.
ed to see Miss Barring married to a
man of strong character like Captain
Courtenay. By the way, who is keep
Ing watch on deck?"
'"The doctor was here with me until
n few minutes ago. Then the skipper
telephoned him. l guess there is some
one on the lookout, but you might just
cast an eye shoreward. I'm not sup
posed to move yet"
He wriggled uneasily in his chair,
for the spirit was willing, but Elsie
made him lie quiet. She rearranged
his pillow and stepped on to the bridge.
BY walking from port to starboard
and traversing the short length Of the
spar deck she could command a view
Of the bay and Of most parts of the
ship. She heard the dog scuttling down
the companion. On reaching the after
rail she saw the captain engaged in
earnest. low toned conversation with
Tollemache and Walker. They were
standing on the main deck near the
engine room door and examining some
thing which resembed a lump Of coal.
She saw the engineer take three SINH
lar Jumps from pocket.
Christobal appeared. carrying buck
ct of water, into which the Jumps were
placed by Walker. who handled them
very gngerly. After slight delay
he began to crumble one in his fingers,
still Keeping it in the water, until
finally he drew forth what Elsie rec
ognized at once as stickeof dynamite.
Though it was blackened by contact
with the coal, she was certain of its
real nature. She had visited n great
many mines. and the officials always
scared the ladies Of the party by tell
ing them what would happen If the ex-
plosives were to blow up. She had
even seen dynamite placed in the
sun to dry, as it is very susceptible to
moisture, and she wondered, naturally |
enough, why such a dangerous agent
should be hidden in or disguised as a
piece Of coal.
She thought that the men should be |
made aware Of her presence, so she |