The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-02-11

copyright 1910 ~ Street . Smith
right. 1911. By the Macmillan Company
Sheldon lay back In his chair with
closed eyes.
''It's been fair hell. sir" Captain
Oleson began. then broke OF to help
himself to more whisky Contrary
winds and Gains We've been drfftin
al about the shop for ten days
There's ten thousand sharks following
rs for the tucker we've ben throwin'
over to them. They was snappin at
the oars when eve started to come
ashore We got 1t from the water
water from Owga creek Filled my
casks with it. How was we to know7
I've Oiled there before an 1t was all
right. We had sixty recruits full up.
and my crew of fifteen. We've been
buryin' them day an night. The beg
Gars won't live. dash them. They die
out of spite Only. three of my. crew
left ona Its legs. Five more down.
Seven dead Oh. r.! What's the
good Of talkin?''
"How many recruits leftY' Sheldon
asked.
Lost half. Thirty left. Twenty
down. and ten tottering around"
Sheldon signed.
THAT means another addition to the
hospital We've got to get them ashore
somehow. Vlabnr! Hey. You. viaburi.
ring big feila befl strong fella too
much'
The hands. called in from the fields
at that unwonted hour. were split
into detachments. Some were sent
into the woods to cut timber for house
beams. others to cutting cane grass
for thatching and forty OF them lift
ed whale boat above their heads and
carried 1t down to the sea. Sheldon
had grifted his teeth. pulled his col
lapsing soul together and taken Be-
rande plantation into his fist once
more.
..Have you seen the barometer?" Cap
tain Oleson asked. pausing at the bot
tom of the steps on his way to oversee
the Decentralization OF the sick.
NO" Sheldon answered. SIS it
DOWN
s'Its going down..
''Then you'd better sleep aboard to-
night" was Sheldon's Judgment.
Never mind the funeral. I'll see to
poor Hughie. II you can see your way
to it, come ashore tomorrow and lend
me q hand, II you can't. send the
mate"
fright o. I'll come myself. Mr..
JohnsOn's dead. sir. / forgot to tell
you three days ago"
Sheldon turned to his partner. calling
for boys 10 carry him into the house
But Hughie Drummond had reached
the end. His breathing was impercep
tible. By mere touch Sheldon could
ascertain that the dying mans tenn
perature was going down 1t must have
been going down when the Their
mometer registered one hundred and
seven. He had burned out. Sheldon
kneIt beside him. the house boys group
ed around. their white singlets and
loin cloths peculiarly at variance With
their dark skins and savage counte
nances. their huge ear plugs and carved
and glisfening nose rings. Sheldon
totteFed to bis feet at Last and half
fell into the steamer chair Oppres-
Eive as the heat had been It was now
even more oppressive. 1t was din
cult to breathe. De painted for air.
The faces and naked arms OF the house
boys were beaded with sweat.
"Marster." one OF them ventured.
''biR fella wind be come, strong fella
too much"
Sheldon nodded his head. but did not
look Much as be had loved Hughie
Drummond. his death and the funeral
II entailed seemed an lntoIerabIe bur-
den to add to what he was already
sinking under He had a feeling
nay. it was a certitude-that al! Ne
had to DO was 70 shut his eyes ana
let so and that he would die. sink
into immensely of rest His weary
body seemed torn by the oncoming
pangs OF dissolution. He was a fool
TO hang on. He had died a score of
deaths already. and what was the use
Of prolonging II to twoscore deaths
before he really diedg Not only was
he not afraid to die. but he desired
to die.