The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-04-02

Tom Hands swearing. 1t was general
y q few words and j lot OF swear5
With Tom; but this time i, was no
words and all swearing; and | sat up
on the floor and laughed at hin.
Must have struck a Whale, said.
"Whalci' roarcd Ton. 'rhe. cargo's
eh!fted. That's what it is: ana well
be working double Shifts till It's right
We scrambled into our clothes and
ran on deck. wnere tho first mate told
us off TO get out a boat for the pusscn-
gers. We had about Il hoatload ABOARD.
though we were mostly cargo. Tom
md 1 climbed MO the cutter on tn.
starnoard beam. but as suon as wc
were in her the ship gave a iurcil VIC
hung further and further over tho
water and l saw the deck tilt and TIT
till 1t was like a wall, and the people
went sliding down f, and dung to The
huiwarlls. Little Mrs. Williams. who
had always a pleasant word for us
Common sailors. was Just beneath us.
and Tom cut off q l!fc-buoy and dung
St to her. but she missed II. Then the
sea seemed 10 rise UP 81 ug and VIC
were dolsed with Il crash. Just as |
grabbed an oar. I was whirlcd about
underneath the water till my Breath
vas ono and when ! cnWlc up l went
spinning round and round in a fort of
whirlpool. bobbing under ana up again
. - 1S > Ni-tht . ). NAttN. y INT
oar, but something h!t M. OH tie head,
hall dazing me. | never remembered
properly what happened, only that |
saw the ship had broken in tlyo and left
n bit Of the bows sticking up on the reef.
a woman swept ty me. and / grabbed
NJ her, but didn't catch her. heard
ono or two cries from the water. but
none from the ~ahip-what was left
OF tt--and Judged no one was there;
and tho cries soon stopped. 50 I tuck
"a the oar under my clin, 10 keep my
head up. ana f?ultc,l about III the dark.
kept saying to myself that 81 was "a
rad business. a bad business but
couldn't think abou, anything properly.
except that I'd like 10 smoke. II l had
a pipe and matches ana tobacco. And
soon began 10 feel drowsy. al,i
thought i, wasn't much good holding
On any longer. Perhaps | shouldn't
have, oEly The moon came out between
tolne blacE clouds. and | saw land
ahead. and so | stucl. "a tie oar. Wien
] dozcd and half let II so ] got the
"at,r In my mouth, and that woke me.
Presently something knocked my legs.
and I found IL was the land. and got
Ashore like a lialf-drowned rat, and
rqueezcd the water out OF my clothes.
Then l tumble down on tho beach
ana Went 10 Slcep-
When the sun grew hot enough II
woke me. NJ CLOTHES were dry. but
stiff and cru5tE with the salt, and l
ached all over and was hungry and
thirsty. saw some fresh water
running down from tic land, ard lay
Leslie 1T, tapping II Ike i dog. Then
found ono sheil-tah like wholks
aud otc them, It occurred u me that
some OF the others might be loft, 30 |
went ana looked out to sea, aud saw
tho bows Of tho Old ship OH tho reef
about a mills AVA; but it waa plain
enough that no one vas there. I start.
cd along the shore to look for them.
Five washed ashorc altogether, and
y quantity OF wreckage. dug iivo graves
in the loose earth with a bit OF piank
tor a spade; AMI / dug hers deepest. /
cut i've strips of the plank with MY
knife-icrs was tho w~idest--aud stuck
them up ard scratched their names OH
them. and on hers | put In loving
memory" and ] said a bit OF The ser
Vice that ] could remainder.
Next 1 walked along the shore. look
ms for more w~rcckagc; and presently
] came round tho corner Of q HandhiiL.
and had Il turn, seeing a woman rolling
y little cask up the beach. didn't
recognize her at first without Ter gold
eyeglasses, but when she stood up.
right and started at me. l saw it was
Miss Horton. whom we called Miss
F. : q 70. IA was ~ ~
ana mighty She had a little money.
and Il lot Of book-learning, and was
about oigit-and twenty. SHE was good.
looking, in "A scornful sort OF STYLE,
and turned up her mouth, and hardly
looked at you when you epoke 10 her.
SO I'd rather have seen any OF the
other. passengers cast up on my island.
"HoWsomever,' ! thought, she'll be
bette: than nobody. Shes a woman,
and not used to roughins it. so I'll have
to give her the cave" And ] walked
up and touched my head with a friend
~ grin.
tGla1 TO sec YOU. miss" I said. EutI
she backed away from me with her
eyes vide open. her hands goiny'3s II
she we're swimming. To keep mo OF. II
wa plain enough that she was in q
mortal fright of me.
BLESS you, miss" I told her. Il
sha'a't hurt you. I'm Thompson-Jack
Thompson-off tho old ship. It's a bit
OF rough luck, this wreck, but Well
he more comfortable than you'd expect.
There's eggs and shell-tish and fresh
water. and I reckon We'll set no end
of things from tho wreck; and I've
found a nice little cave that will do
for a house, and
She gave a shrek aud c1enched her
hands.
IF you touch me Ill kill myself"
she declared, jumping back.
you've got wrong ideas Of me. miss"
! said. II wouldn't hurt you on any
account You shall have half the island
to yourself, If you like
Swear it," she cried, i'll a great
state Of excitement. swear it!'--as
81 the word Of a common sailor wasn't.
enough;
So / made believe to kiss a book. to
pacify her.
The truth and the whole truth"
said I. holding out my hand.
Draw q line!" she screamed. as IL
she were going to have histories.
Draw q line across the sand. That
will be your side, and this wnl be mine,
Just as If it went right across the is,
land, to those trees
"VarY well MISC aernAh Chung.