Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-07-30
CHAPTER VI.

Our adventure had been successful |
~ accomplished through its first step;
now it remained to get safely out to
sea. AS / turned to retrace my steps |
to the deck ] encountered De Nova |
coming up.
Pretty lucky job, monsieur" he
said, jovially. ut was wat you call ,
re picnic, bet. Re companion was
lock-, an re guard posted. Wat more
now for me?"
Relieve Mr. futile in the engine
room. Keep three men below there
with you, and arm them as guards.
Make the KanasSas do the firing, and
hold the engineer to 1t with gun at
his head. You know enough about
stoke-hole to tell whether things are
going right, don't you?"
He nodded, and I could see the
CLEAN of his white teeth.
Then get your steam up, but don't
let those fellows fire so as to drive
any flame out of the stack, and watch
that Johnny Bull so that he can't put
any kinks in the machinery. Don't
take your eyes off him. Do you under
stand the signals?"
"Ay, ay, monsieur"
Then stand by. Well tow out at
once with the boats, but want you
ready for business the very moment
we cast off the lines. Send all the
rest of the men on deck and ask Mr..
futile to report to me here imme,
diately."
I was not kept waiting. Two men
came stumbling up the companionway
together. peered at them, uncertain
Of their identity in the gloom.
'Is that you, Mr.. Tuttle?"
eyes, sir. This is Johnson. one OF
the wheelsmen; thought you would
likely need him, SO 1 brought him
along"
VERY good johnson, go on up
into the wheelhouse and see that all is
clear. I'll give you directions later.
Mr.. futile, we'll tow out until we get
the sweep Of the sea fairly under our
fore foot. Get the lines out to the
boats at once, with full crew at the
oars. You are to take command, and
shall have to trust you for the
course, as we can't risk signaling
presume you are acquainted with the
harbor lights?"
Been in here eight times in ten
years without pilot"
Then you ought to know the
course. but take no chances; feel your
way, only keep the ropes taut Have
you any man fit to take charge Of the
second boat? need De Nova below"
''The boatswain, sir; that big fellow
with the scar"
What's his name?"
BILL Anderson"
Cali right; put him in the cutter.
Leave me three men on deck, and post
the best one of the lot at the stern
line ready to cast off. AS soon as you
get the ropes out I'll slip the anchor
chain, and leave the fukes in the mud.
Work lively now; we must be we'll out
at sea before daylight"
He stood leaning against the rail,
peering out over the water, his hands
shading his eyes.
Have you spotted any guardboats
with your glasses?" he questioned, un-
easily.
Only that one yonder; see, the yell
low light Just rounding the stem Of that
big brig. There was steam-launch
out there to the west about 20 minutes
ago. but it seems to have disap-
peared."
Swallowed up in the fog likely" he
admitted, snuff1ng the air like q
pointer dog. we'll find It banked
pretty heavy outside, or I'm lubber.
Well, SO much the better for our Job
All right, Mr.. Stephens, I'm of, and
We'll have you in tow in jiffy. I'll
put the niger at the stern line; he's
the best all-round hand on board"
However l may have disliked and
distrusted the whaleman he certainly
proved himself an able seaman and q
smart officer. He comprehended every
detail Of his work, and held his men to
1t finely. Within 20 minutes we were
IN motion. moving slowly, yet steadily
toward the black vacancy outlined by
the harbor lights on either hand
There was no disturbing sound to be
tray progress, the yachts sharp cut
water cleaving its passage through
the liquid with the merest faint ripple
scarcely leaving CLEAN of white foan
behind, the oars dipping silently, the
two lines held taut to the strain. Elk
ultant, climbed once again to the
bridge, gave few directions to the
observant Johnson standing motion
less at the wheel. and leaned anxious
~ over the rail. studying the water
front through leveled glasses.
1t was barren. deserted waste, ex
cept for deeply laden schooner beat
Ing slowly up along the north shor,
under closely reefed topsails, and tn,
cleaning lights of a large steamel
Just beginning to emerge family
through the curtain Of fog trine I.
the left of our course. The towns
boats appeared as two insignifican
blots on the surface, but that the.
were making excellent progress wa
proved by the way we were steadil,
drawing up toward the outer lights
already shining round and yellow
through the increasing haze.
How dark, silent, uncanny tn,
gloom-enshrouded yacht appeared Is
leaned over the tarpaulin.protecte,
rail and gazed down on the deserte,
decks, no movement, no CLEAN Of ligh
anywhere visible. The two masts, TO
the vessel was schooner.rigged, rose n
kishly and with noble sweep into tn
sky, yet l could trace little of tn
cordage against the expanses of cloud