The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-03-04
CHAPTER TX.

ClawbOnny determined to have a talk
with the captain on an important sub
ject-the building of sloop out of the
planks of the Porpoise.
The doctor hardly knew how to be-
gin, as Hatteras had declared so vehe-
mently that he would never consent
to use morsel Of American wood; yet
1t was high time he were brought to
reason, as June was at hand, the only
season for distant expeditions. and
they could not start without a ship.
He thought over it long while,
and at last drew the captain aside,
In the kindest, gentlesr way:
Hatteras, do you believe I'm your
| friend?"
Most certainly do" replied the
captain, earnestly; my best. indeed.
| my only friend"
And If l give you a piece of advice
without your asking, will you consid-
| er my motive Is perfectly disinterest-
ed?"
Yes, for I know you have never
been actuated by self-interest. But
what are you driving att"
Wait, Hatteras; I have one thing
true-hearted Englishman like your
sen, anxious for his country's glory?"
Hatteras looked surprised, but sim
ply said:
Il do"
GU desire to reach the north pole"
| the doctor went on, land I understan nd
and share your ambition, but to
achieve your object you must employ
the right means"
well, and have I not sacrificed ev-
erything for it,"
| NO, Hatteras, you have not sacri-
need your personal antipathies. Even
at this very moment I know you are
in the mood to refuse the indispensa BILE
conditions of reaching the pole"
| "Ah! it is the boat you want to talk
| about, and that man"
"Hatteras, let us discuss the oues-
| ton calmly. and examine tho use on
| all sides. The coast on which we find
| ourselves at present may terminate
abruptly; we have no proof that it
stretches away to. the pole; indeed, If
your present informatio prove cor
| rect, we ought to come to an open sea
| during the summer months. Well. sun
posing we reach this arctic ocean and
find it free from ice and easy to nayi-
gate, what shall we do if we have no
ship"
Hatteras made no reply
Tell me, now, would you like to find
yourself only few miles from the
pole and not be able to get to ito"
Hatteras still said nothing, but bur-
led his head in his hands.
Besides" continued the doctor
look at the question in it's moral as
pect. Here is an Englishman who
sacrifices his fortune, and even his
wife, to win fresh glory for his coun-
try, but because the boat which bears
him across an unknown ocean, or
touches the new shore, happens to be
made of the planks Of an American
vessel-a castaway wreck of no use TO
anyone-will that lessen the honor of
the discovery? If you yourself had
found the hull of some wrecked YES
sci lying deserted on the shore. would
you have hesitated to make use of if.
and must not sloop built by four En-
glishmen and manned by four English
men be English from keel to gun
wale?"
Hatteras was still silent.
NO" continued Clawbonny, "the
real truth is, it is not the sloop Won
care about: it is the man."
Yes. doctor. yes" replied the cap
tain. 1T is this American 1 detest: I
hate him with thorough English ha-
tired. Fate has thrown him in nv
path"
ITO save you!"
ITO ruin me. He seems to DEFY me.
and speaks as if he were lord and mas
ter. He thinks he has my destiny in
his hands, and knows all my projects.
Didn't we see the man in his true col
ors when we were giving names to the
different coasts? Has he ever avowed
his object in coming so far north? You
will never get out of my head that this
man is not the leader of some expedi-
ton sent out by the American govern
ment."
well, Hatteras, suppose it is so,
does it follow that this expedition is
to search for the north pole? May it
not be to find the Northwest Passage
But. anyway, Altamont is in complete
| ignorance Of our object, for neither
Johnson, nor Bell. nor myself, have
ever breathed a word to him about it,
| and 1 am sure you have not"
We'll, let him always remain So"
HE must be told in the end, for we
can't leave him here alone"
why not? Can't he stay here in
Fort Providence?"
HE would never consent to that.
Hatteras; and, moreover, to leave a
man in that way, and not know wheth-
| er we might find him safe when we
came back, would be worse than i'm
| prudent, it would be inhuman. Alta
| mont will come with us; he must
come. But we need not disclose our
projects; let us tell him nothing, but
simply build a sloop for the ostensible
purpose of making a survey Of the
coast"
Hatteras could not bring himself to
| consent, but said:
And suppose the man won't allow
his ship to be cut up?"
In that case, you must take the law
in your own hands. and build vessel
in spite of him."