The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-16
Adventure
:. BY JACK LONDON
Copyright. 1910. by Street 6 Smith Copyright. 1911. by the Macmillan Compan,


 ''Now, if uv.4 . set the fever" he said aloud and at the same moment resolved to go to taking quinine as soon as he was strong enough to dare.
 He crawled out on the veranda. The rain had ceased, but the wind, which had dwindled to a half gale, was in- creasing. A big sea had sprung up, and the mile long breakers, curling ID to the overfall POO yards from the shore, were crashing on the beach. The Jessie was plunging madly to two anchors, and every second or third sea broke clear over her bow. Two flags were stifiy undulating from the halyards like squares of flexible sheet iron. One was blue, the other red. He knew their meaning in the Berande private code: "What are your instructions? Shall I attempt to land boatr' Hacked on the wall between the signal locker and the billiard rules was the code itself, by which he veri- fed the signal before making answer. On the flagstaff gaff a boy hoisted a white flag over red, which stood for, "Run to Neal island for shelter"
 That Captain Oleson had been ex- pecting this signal was apparent by the celerity with which the shack}es chains. He slipped his anchors, leav- ing them buoyed to be picked up in better weather. The Jessie swung off under her full staysail; then the fore sail, double reefed, was run up. She was away like a race horse, clearing Balesuna shoal with half cable length to spare. Just before she rounded the point she was swallowed up in a ter rife squall that far outblew the first.
 All that night, while squal after sQuan smote Berande, uprooting trees, overthrowing copra sheds and rocking the house on it's tall piles Sheldon slept. He was unaware of the com motion. He never wakened, nor did he change his position or dream. He awoke a new man. Furthermore, he was hungry. It was over a week since food had passed his lips. He drank a glass of condensed cream thinned with water, and by 10 o'clock he dared to take a cup of beef tea He was cheered also by the situ- ation in the hospital. Despite the storm there had been but one death, and there was only one fresh case, while half dozen boys crawled weak ly away to the barracks. He wonder ed if 1t was the wind that was blow ing the disease away and cleansing the pestilential land.
 By eleven a messenger arrived from Balesuna village, dispatched by Seelee. The Jessie had gone ashore halfway between the village and Neal island. It was not till nightfall that two of the crew arrived, reporting the drown ing of Captain Oleson and of the one remaining boy. As for the Jessie, from what they told, him, Sheldon could not but conclude that she was a total loss. Further to hearten him he was taken by shivering fit. In half an hour he was burning up. And he knew that at least another day must pass before he could undertake even the smallest dose of quinine. He crawled under a heap of blankets and a little later found himself laughing aloud. He.had surely reached the limit of disaster. Barring earthquake or tidal wave, the worst had already be- fallen him. The Flibberty -Gibbet was certainly safe in Mboli pass. Since nothing worse could happen things simply had to mend So it was, shiv- ering under his blankets, that he laughed until the house boys, with heads together, marveled at the devils that were in him.