, 1909-04-29

locate with any certainty lhe pai'N
MAR vessel | sought. The harbor was
Uttered with sea craft of every de-
scription. and my knowledge regarding
the Esmeralda vas most meager' De
i~g merely her point of nchorage' anu
fat she was a large steam-yacht'
s .hooner rugged.
FINALLY into the focus of the leveled
glasses there crept indistlnctlS 'he
{ licate tracery of her bow, rendereu
7 ore plainly visible beneath hi green
r dance of her riding lamp. Lish's
v re showing family through several
I ,rtholes a%midships, certain proof tha'
SIC was not entirely deserted YET
tie cabins aft were dark, and the only
T owing figure | could distinguish with
certainty was slowly pacing back and
forth along the lee rail of the poop.
s uddenly, out from the enveloping
nudge. came a shower of sparks
and a red glare, and, a moment later
traced the outlines of a steam lauhch
c'eaving the black water. 1t quickly
vanished behind the fog wreath hang
ing to seward. the faint sound OF It's
cunning dying away, leaving the ST.
lent loneliness behind more solemnly
impressive than ever. Only from on
the land came echoing the noises of
nen-the loud vivas, the reiterated
boom of explosives, the ceaseless
blare of bands.
The scene becam oppressive in its
bsrrenness, and / felt the need of
Y ovement to overcome its weakening
eject upon the nerves. This was 10
ta a night of action, not of dreams. so
CROPPED my uncertain path back
along the Uttered wharf and aroun
the curve of the shore line. beneath
Tie gloomy shadows of coal sheds. or
1 ,hts there were comparatively none.
except the uncertain glimmer of
T, ckets along the waters surface, and
! was consequently compelled to feel
ny way from object to object Ike a
blinded man. Still, the course vas
81 ficiently familiar so hat ! success
fl lily maintained both footing and di-
re ction. finally emerging safely close
b. side the spot appointed for our rem
devious. There was considerable open
s, ace here, the Mercantile Company's
81 eds standing some 80 feet back of
u 2 shore line, and their wharf for
the unloading of barges extending
more than SO feet u into the harbor.
l could dimly perceive a great crane
al the farther extremity, with dan
Cling buckets, outlined against the
81 y. The night was too dark fol me
to decipher the face of my watch, yet
q, a-- --t -~- h. 1.x ..- IT.
arrival of the men. | crouched down
beside a post to await their coming.
ouce again searching the harbor with
M night-glasses.
The company at last arrived by twos
from out the enveloping gloom, silent
ly grouping themselves amid the shad.
ows. | could distinguish an occasional
gruff cough, and the shutting of feet,
but there was no sound of ~conversa-
ton or hilarity. Evidently De Nova
had sufficiently sobered them to their
duty. AT last one man detached
himself from among the crowd
and moved stealthily forward. met
him at the shore end of the wharf,
peered into his face. h~alf.concealed
oNaANoNh Nv fiSol Vi III NdD, UUlll 1
recognized the fellow.
Crew all here, Mr.. Tuttle?"
Yes. SIR" he answered, startled by
my sudden appearance into courteous
re sponse. but mighty uneasy to be
off"
They shall not be delayed. Get the
nuuts out at once I.u are 10 I.l-
charge of the w~ha!ebCat and will
accompany De Nova in the cutter. Pull
81 intly TO the end of the wharf and
lie by there to await Instructions. Do
your men understand the boats they
are assigned to?"
"Ay, ay, sir"
Very well, then; get the boats out,
Ell the crews aboard. Not a sound,
T. member, for there are guards patrol
Ing the harbor."
| must confess this preparatory work
vas well and smartly accomplished,
10 men the merest silent shadows as
'icy hauled the two hidden boats
IoIth from ~concealment and quietly
took their assigned places at the oars.
Iuttle's crew was first afloat, De
Nova experiencing some difficulty from
attempting to load too lea shore, in
somewhat shallow water.
Drop overheard. two of you, and
hove on" | ordered, finally. Lively
now, lads, but no splashing."
The two fellows in the stern low.
'r d themselves into the shallow wa.
Ter, bending down so as to put their
shoulders against the planks for IA
heave. Suddenly. not three feet dis.
ant, a smudge of shadow uplifted, and
became conscious of a pallid human
race cleaning family through the
rk' Instantly | leaped toward It.
WIN such force as to send the heavily
'a'en boat swirling forward, the heay-
in" men plunging face downward into
We water. There was a startled ex.
i2mation in Spanish, a short.arm
blow shot into a dimly revealed. half.
lamiliar face, a fierce grin Mt the