The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-15

States coast ports.
When the Wyontab was anchored inside,
among the native wineries and dugouts
that swaTmed about the man-o' -war, like
waterbugs about drifting twig, was one
near the gangway in which swart native
man stood up holding aloft two pasteboard
boxes.
Bokkis no belong m big fella marster;
belong m washee man, he explained with
native exdtability, to the boy who came
down the gangway ladder to receive the
packages. Which was to say that the
boxes did not belong to an officer, but to a
sailorman.
The officer of the deck, glancing at the
Inscriptions on the pasteboards, understood
as much, for they were addressed to John
Whittier, quartermaster, U. S. S. WyoDstdh."
Whittier, stout youth of a progressing
countenance, came aft with puzzled air;
but, after looking at the boxes doubtfully
fora moment, his gray eyes suddenly bright
ened wonderfully, and gathering up the
gifts, as he knew them to be, he hurried
with them to his rendezvous in the pilot
house.
On the boxes being opened, in one was
disclosed dainty sheN Of artificial flowers,
evidently wrought WITH the patience of
loving hands; in the other was delectable
luncheon of cold chicken, frosted cakes,
biscuits and cupped jellies, and tiny flask
Of wine. Tucked between the protecting
napkins was scented envelope from which
Whittier drew legibly, if hardly artist
cally, penned note:
Dear Jack: They told me your ship would be in
before ours fairly out; but if the luncheon is
stales remember that the love that sends 1t never
viii be. We are homeward bound on the Sal
pEida--Mrs. Carter and l. Sydney is beautiful but
Los Angeles will look better TO me. I've no time
70 write. With the love that you know all about al
ready--ALIcE."
With the missive in his hand, the sailor
stood erect, staring out through the pilot
house window toward the luminous south
east, where the Ropes Of Maui hung over
the evening and made heavenly gate
through which the ship that carried Alice
was passing.
The Wy0mtak coaled and went out the
next evening, in the tail end of heavy gale
that had been scourging that section of the
South Seas for the last twenty-four hours.
Her destination was Honolulu, and Cap
tain Ridley Monkaster was resolved on
making record trip, with view to vim
dicating certain alterations in the machin-
cry that had recently been made on his
persistent representations to the Depart
ment. at Washington. Captain Monkaster
was the type Of individual who will never
admit himself IN the wrong, who will never
shirk IN one iota task assigned him, nor
ever deviate hair s-breadth from line of
action that he has laid out for himself. In
wars alarms, such men are invaluable; in
the gentler walks of life, they are liable to be
lacking in the amenities and deficient in
humanity.
A hundred miles out from the Samoan
port, the WyonrtGh received a wireless
message from the station on Tutuila:
Native traders from the east report vessel
wrecked on the Loonlee reef. Supposed to be the
Salbhida.'
Whittier was on duty beside the helms
man when this message was handed to the
captain, standing within four feet of him,
who read it aloud to the officer of the deck,
crumpled it up in his fist, showed fist and all
into the pocket of his uniform coat, and
conplacently remarked that, if the Wy0nt-
tdk maintained the average Of her first
hundred knots, she would easily Guido any
speed performance that had yet been racked
out Of her.
The executive officer had gone on to the
bridge, but on learning that the captain was
lying down, that no order had been given
by him as to changing the course, and that
apparently none was intended, he returned
to the superstructure deck, where he paced
athwartships-past the junior officers
grouped in earnest, but low-voiced, con-
versation-in profound reflection, lifting
his lean face now and then to look into the
sultry south, where q full, unblennished
moon created world Of white night-ight,
gossamer but impenetrable
The absurdity of sleep never entered
the distraught quartermaster's mind. His
sleeping quarters at sea were In the steering
engine room far aft and below, in company
with coppersmith and gunner's mate,
where they could be convenient IN an
emergency, should anything go wrong with
the steering engines. To lie supine IN that
ncisv den tonight would have been hell
beyond his endurance. The vision of a
fra1 sirl--the others of the doomed COM
pany he saw only dimly--elinging to the
spumeIashed rocks of Loomee-spent
slipping, shrieking -assailed him wildly
enough here in the open, where he could
move and act, if only to beat his anguished
brain with frenzied fist and call on God