The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-12-29
CHAPTER v.

Sunlight and shadow playing in
swift alienation upon his face, as the
Echo courtesied to the morning
breeze. Coast awakened.
For q moment almost thoughtless
he lay drowsily enjoying the rise and
dip of the boat, as drowsily conscious
of faint thrill of excitement; most
~ comparable, perhaps, to the first
waking sensations of fourteen
year-old boy on Fourth of July
morning.
Then without warning the small
thermometer on the transverse above
his head raped out smartly two dou-
ble-chimes-ships' time: four bells:
ten o'clock in the forenoon.
Astonished, he sat up quickly, and
his still sleepy gaze, passing through
the companionway, encountered the
amused regard of the soi-disant Mel
chisedec Appleyard. Promptly Coast
found himself in full possession of his
faculties. That in obedience to first
instincts he nodded with a cordial
smile, was significant.
Appleyard returned the salutation
with a quick bob of his small head.
r'Good-morning, hero!" he sang out
cheerfully.
, He sat in the cockpit. huddled into
the folds Of gray blanket, volumin.
GUS for his slight figure, thin but
wiry forearm barred to WELD the Gig
arctic he was smoking with every in
dication of enjoyment.
"Good-morning," he returned. How
d'you feel after your adventure?"
"Unclothed but in my right mind, %
said Appleyard. with twinkle OF anx-
tety amending: Ito the best of my
Knowledge and belief" He indicated
airtly the various articles constituting
his painfully simple wardrobe. Wait
ing for 'em to dry"
Appleyard hoped up, fingered his
everyday attire critically, and pro-
nounced It bone-dry; then, bundling
It up, he returned to the cabin, seat
ing himself on the opposite transom
to dress.
And the sensations of hero, re-
freshed by sound slumbers, are"
Hunger" said Coast. He moved
forward and began to experiment
gingerly with a new and untried alco-
.hol stove. Il can offer you eggs, cof-
fee, biscuit--and nothing else," he
added, producing raw materials from
a locker. You see, hadn't expected
to entertain
Rotten inconsiderate of you," Ap.
pleyard grumbled. I'm wire you a
warning next time it occurs to me to
drop in unexpectedly"
Divided between amusement and
perplexity. in the course of the meal
Coast reviewed personality singu.
larry enriched by a variety of sug.
gestions consistently negative. The
mans age was ndeterminable-some
where between thirty and forty-five
Loosely summarized, he might have
been anybody or nobody on lark or
his uppers.
Appleyard looked up quickly, with &
3hy, humorous smile.
well, what d'you make of me?'
Its hard enough to guess wha,
you've made of yourself"
''Flattery note" observed Apple
yard obscurely. yet you win my sym
patty; sometimes am moved to won
der-really." He tapped an egg
Ithoughtfully, crinkle forming be
tween his colorless eyebrows. 1T,
really not what man makes Of him
self; it's what his temperament doe.
to him."
Temperament"
Yes: you really ought to keep one
too: they're all the rage just now
and such excellent excuses for the in
dulgence Of your bet idiosyncrasies.'
"Oh! Ard you blame your,
for what?'
For making me al presume pos
terity. In the dnal analysis. VIII aid
Ndge me Romantic" Il
a "Literature?" asked Coast, aghast
Good Heavens. ~ Netting Mk,
that: LIE He sfgAeA profoundly
f-sAall / rshearss 6 yoa the story o
ny lifs1 No, l shaII not rehearse I,
boa ~ story q nv He. But ct a
lcosts ! shan taIk at0nt myself for ,
lspaoe: I II instst urca j.: I loys 10. 10
49, l + h os5 ~ = 49,