The San Francisco call., 1909-02-14

a mouth like crooked cash from ear
to ear, and eyes like dying Goals. with
which he looked the rescued up and
down in one grim, semihumorous.
semispeculative glance. In hands both
huge. and red he fondled tenderly
squat brandy flask whose contents had
apparently been employed as a first
aid to the drowning.
As KirkwoOd's gaze encountered his,
the man smiled sOurly. jerking his
head to one side with a singularly de-
risive air
Hi. mateyr he clustered. low goes
it now? Feelin' 'appier, eigh?'
Some, thank you more like
a drowned rat" KirlSwOOd eyed him
sheepishly. Il suppose you're the man
who threw me that line? III have to
wait till my head clears up before 1
can thank you properly"
Don't mention it," He of the Ian
tern jaws slowed the bottle away with
jealous care in one of his immense
coat pockets, and seized KirkwOOds
hand in grasp that made the young
man vince. You're syfe enough now.
My nyme's Stryker. Capt'n Wilyum
Stryker WOt's the row?
Iookin' for = friend?' he demanded
suddenly. as KirkwoOd's attention
wandered.
For the memory Of the errand that
had brought him into the hands OF
Captain William Stryker had come to
the yOung man very suddenly; and his
eager eyes were swiftly rowing not
alone the decks but the wide world
besides. for the sight or sign Of his
hearts desire.
After Iuffing to pick him up. the
brigantine had been again pulled Off on
the port tack. The fury of the gale
seemed rather to have waxed than
Waned and the Alethea was bending
To-. -
blasts, driving hard, with leeward
channel awash. Under her port counter,
mile away, the crimson IightShiD
wallowed in riot OF breaking
combers- Sheerness lay abeam. five
miles or more. Ahead the northeast
headland of the isle OF Sheppey
was bulking large and near. The cat
boat had vanished.
More important still. no one aboard
the brtgantine resembled in the remOt-
est degree either of the Calendars,
father or daughter, or even Mulready,
the black-avised.
Il sye, re you Iookin' for some one
you knOw2''
''Yes-your passengers. I presume
they're below
Passengers"
A hush fell upon the group, during
which KirkwOOd sought Strykers eye
in pitiful pleading; and Stryker looked
round him blankly.
Where's Miss Calendar" the young
man demanded sharply. 7 must see
her at oncer'
The keen and deep set eyes of the
skipper clOuded as they returned to
Kirkwood's perturbed cOuntenance.
''Wot re you talking about?" he de-
manded brusquely.
Il must see Miss Calendar, or Calen-
dar himself. or Mulready." KirkwOOd
paused, and. getting no reply. grew
restive under Stryker's inscrutable re-
gard. That's why I came aboard" he
amended. blind to the absurdity Of the
statement; ito see-er-Calendar."
Well I'm damned
Stryker managed to infuse into his
tone a deal of suspicious contempt
"Why?" insisted KirkwOOd, nettled
but still uncOmprehending.
'DyOu mean to tell me you came Off
from-wherever in ell yea did come
from-intendin' to board this vessel
and find party nymed Calendar"
Certainly L did. Why"
'Wellr' cried Mr.. Stryker. rubbing
his hands together with an air oppres-
sively ObsequiOus, I'm sorry to him
form you you've come to the wrong
shop, sir; we don't stock no Calendars
We're in the ardware line, we are
You might try next door or I dessay
you'll find what you want at the sty-
toners. round the corner"
A giggle from his audience stimu-
lated him. If. he continued acidly
I'D a-guessed you was such a damn
fool, blimmy if I wouldn't We let you
drowndr'
Staggered, Kirkwood bore his sarcas-
tic turbulence without resentment
Calendar" he stammered, trying to
explain, Calendar said"
i carn't elp wOt Calendar said
Mebbe e did myke an engagement with
you, an you've gone and went an for
got the dyte- Mebbe it's Iarst years
calendar you're thin1in of. You John
ny" (tO a lOut of a boy in the group OF
seamen), you run an fetch this gem
tleman Whitaker's for nineteen-six.
Look sharp, nowy'
"But-P' With an effort Kirkwood
mustered up show of dignity. Am I
to understand" he said. as calmly as
he could, that you deny knowing
George B. Calendar and his daughter
Dorothy and
I don't ave to. Listen to me, young
man." For the time the fellow dis
carded his clumsy facetiousness I'm
Wilyum Stryker. Captn Stryker, mar
ster and art owner Of this vessel, and
wot I says ere is law We don't carry
no passengers Dye understand
aggressively. There amt no
pusson nyned Calendar aboard the Al
lytheer, an never was, an never will
ber'
What name did you say?" Kirkwood
inquired
This ship? The Al1ytheer; registered
from Liverpool; bound from London to
Hantwerp, in cargo. Anythink elseg'
Kirkwood shook his head, turning to
scan the seascape with a gloomy gaze.
As he did so, and remarked how close
upon the Sheppey headland the brigan-
tine had drawn. the order was given to
go about For the moment he was left
alone. wretchedly wet shfvering, wan
and shrunken visibly with the knowl-
edge that he had dared greatly for
nothina But for the necessity OF keep
ing up before Stryker and his crew, the
young man felt that he could gladly
have broken down and wept for sheer
vexatiOn and disappointment.
Smartly the brigantine lufred and
wore about. heeling deep as she spun
away on the starboard tack.
KirkwoOd staggered around the sky
light to the windward rail- From this
position. looking forward. he could see
that they were heading for the open
sea, Foulness low over the port quar-
fo~ -