The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1912-05-09

nautical; he was most probably a cap
tain. from a certain air of determine
ton and command that lurked be-
meath his free-and-easy manner.
Therefore, having summed the
stranger up in a glance, And when
did We get in. captain?" inquired
O'Rourke.
The maj jumped with surprise and
shot a frightened-at least a ques.
tioning-glance at O'Rourke. Then.
seeing that he vas smiling in a friend
ly fashion. Gained and continued to
cool his face and heat his blood by
tanning himself vigorously with a
straw hat.
low the dooce do you know I'm a
captain?" he demanded. with a slight
ly aggrieved manner
1T shouldn't take a man an hour to
guess that. captain-any more than
1T would to pick We out for an Eng
lishman."
The captain stared, gray eyes wild
ening. An perhaps you'll tell me my
nyme next?" he suggested rather
truculently.
"Divvle a bit. IT'S no clairvoyant I
am" laughed O'Rourke. But | can
tell We me own. IT'S O'Rourke, and
It's delighted l am to meet a white
mar in this heather country. Sir, your
hand!"
He put his W across the table and
gripped the captains heartily.
Mines OLE" the latter Informed
him.
"ole?" queried o'Rourke. "ole
what?"
Mot Ole nothing" said the cap
tain with some %pardonable asperity.
Il didn't sly ole. l sgd Ole"
"Of course" O'Rourke assented
gravely. I'm stupid, Captain Hole.
and a bit deaf in me off ear" This,
however. was a polite lie.
THAT explyns it," agreed the molli.
fed man. Its ole, plyn Will'm ole,
master of the Pelican, fryghter. just
in from Malta"
A light Of interest kindled in
O'Rourke's eyes. He reviewed the mar
with more respect, as due to one who
might prove useful. And bound-?"
he i%nsinuated craftily.
Alexandria. | just dropped
in for a dy or two to pick up a bit
of cargo from a chap down at Piraeus.
It's devlish 'ot and | thought as 'ow
I'd tyke a run up and see the city
-'aving a bit of time free, y'know."
Surely" sighed O'Rourke, a far.
away look in his eyes. For Alexan.
dria, eh? Faith. I'd like to be sailing
with ye."
Again the captain eyed O'Rourke
askance. "Wot for?" he demanded
directly. The Pelican's a slow old
tramp. You can pick up a swifter pas
sage OF 'arf-a-dozen boats a day"
"'Tis meself that knows that, sure
assented the Irishman. "'Tis but a
trifing difficulty about ready money
that detains me-" he pursued boldly,
with a confidential jerk of his head.
There's a bit Of stuff-no matter
what-that don't want to pass
through the Custom House at Alex.
andria. I'm not saying a word, cap
ta',, but If l could smuggle it into
Egypt, the profit would be great
enough to pay me passage-money a
dozen times yer I'm saying this to
We in strict confidence, for, being an
IJnglishman. We won't let on"
Never fear" Hole asserted stout.
ly. "Umm. Er-I don't mind
telling you, Mr.. O'Rourke, | some
times do a little in that line myself.
Being a casual tramp and sometimes
lyd by for weeks at a stretch for want
of consignment"
Not another word, captain. l un.
derstand perfectly. VIII ye be having
a bit of a drink. now?"
Captain Hole would. 1T won't 'urt
to talk this over" he remarked. Per.
APPS we might myke some sort Of a
decker"
Faith. tbs meself that's agreeable"
laughed the lrishman lightly.
And when, at midnight that night.
he parted from a moist and senti.
mental sailor-man. whose capacity for
liquor-even including the indescrib.
able native retsinato and masticha-
had proved enormous, the arrangement
had been arrived at, signed, sealed
and delivered by a clasping Of hands.
And it was O'Rourke was the happy
man.
"'Tis Danny who'll be giving me
the welcome" he assured himself, sit.
ting on the edge of his bed and star.
ing thoughtfully into the %disheveiled
depths of the battered steel kit-boz
that housed everything he owned in
the world-for he was packing to Join
the Pelican at noon.
Il hope to hiven he has five
pounds" announced O'Rourke later
frowning obviously.
Five pounds happened to be the
sum he had agreed to pay Captain
Hole for the accommodation. it beins
further conditioned that the latter
was to accompany the adventure,
! ashore at Alexandria and not par,