Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-07-29
CHAPTER TX.

CHAPTER TX.
During this compulsory leisure,
Clawbonny determined to have a talk
with the captain on an important sub
1ect-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
10 use morsel of American wood; yet
IL was high time he were brought to
reason as June was at hand, the only
season for distant expeditions, and
tney could not start without a ship.
He thought over 1t a long while.
and at last drew the captain aside,
In the kindest, gentlest way:
| Hatteras, do you believe I'm your
friend?"
Most certainly 1 do" replied the
| captain, earnestly; my best indeed.
my only friend"
And If give you a piece of advice
without your asking, will you consid-
ed?"
| Yes. for know you have never
peen actuated by self-interest. But
what are you driving att"
Wait, Hatteras; I have one thing
more to ask. Do you look on me as a
true-hearted Englishman like your
self, anxious for his country's glory?"
Hatteras looked surprised, but sim
ply said:
II do"
GU desire to reach the north pole"
the doctor went on, and 1 understand
ana share your ambition, but to
achieve your object you must employ
the right means"
We'll and have not sacrificed ev
erything for it?"
NO. Hatteras, you have not sacri-
need your personal antipathies. Even
at this very moment 1 know Won are
IN the mood to refuse the Indispensable
conditions Of reaching the pole"
"Ah! it is the boat you want to talk
about, and that man"
"Hatteras, let us discuss the oues-
tion calmly, and examine the case on
all sides. The coast on which we ana
ourselves at present may terminate
Abruptly; we have no proof that It
stretches away to the pole; indeed. If
your present information prove cor
rect we ought to come to an open sea
during the summer months. Well. sun
posing we reach this arctic ocean and
nnd 1t free from ice and easy to navi-
gate what shall we do If we have no
ship?" 0
Hatteras made no reply.
Tell me, now, would you like to Ana
yourself only few miles from the
pole and not be able to get to it?"
Hatteras still said nothing, but bur-
led his head in his hands
Besides" continued the doctor
look at the question in its moral as
pect Here is an EngIishman who
sacrifices his fortune, and even his
wife, to win fresh glory for his coun-
try but because the boat which bears
MIN across an unknown ocean. ar
touches the new shore, happens to be
made OF the planks of an American
Vessel-a castaway wreck of no use 70
anyone-will that lessen the honor NJ
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 a..
and must not a sloop built by four En-.
glishmen and manned by four EngIish
men be English from keel to gun
waller"
Hatteras was still silent.
NO." continued Clawbonny. "the
real truth is, it is not the sloop Won
care about; 1t is the man."
Yes, doctor, yes" replied the can
tain. TT is this American I detes+.
hate him with a thorough English ba-
tired. Fate has thrown him in nv
path"
ITO save you'll"
ITO ruin me. He seems to DEFY ma
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 tn The
different eoastsf Has he ever avowed
his object in coming so far north9 Yon
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 IL
to search for the north pole? May It
not be to find the Northwest Passenger
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 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 not2 Can't he stay here In
Fort Providence?"
HE would never consent to that.
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, 1t would be inhuman. Alta |
mont win come with us; ne 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
n your own hands, and build q vessel
n spite of him"
I wish to goodness he would refuse,
hen" |