Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-19

adrft and you will be in Gods hands.
don't think they Will see me. and / am
going to do my best to see that nothing
does happen. but if IL does you will have
to trust to Him
Il do, 1 do she whispered. "and to
YOU
There was no irreverence in that l am
sure. and 1 bowed my head, silently as
siSting her to take her place I'm the stern
sheets. 1t was not a large boat. on the
contrary. yet she made but a small figure
sitting there. Then I went on deck. l
had a can of oil with me tn oil the blocks.
1t was as l fancied BY that time every
body on the ship was asleep in a drunken
stupor. and the bottle I had passed to the
hard headed Glibby had left him had
done its work, too. The man at the wheel
had dashed it and he was sleeping with
the others. The man forward was sprawl
ed on the deck. went forward to make
sure. The ship was deserted SO far as
human supervision was concerned.
Still. didn't neglect any precaution.
L oiled the shives of the block and low
cred the boat very carefully. inch by
inch. until it was water borne. 1 reas-
sured my mistress by whispered words
as did She had had her instructions
and right We'll she followed them. She
had her boathook out and Tended off the
minute the boat touched the water. For
me to Delay the falls and slide down the
forward ore to cast off and take my
place in the boat was hut the work OF an
instant. The oars had been carefully
muffied. Although the noise of the waves
rendered conversation quite safe we
neither of US spoke a word until / had
rowed some distance from the ship.
AS [ pulled away I half regretted that
/ had not poured the remainder OF the
oil down the forehatch and set fire to il.
But as l said. could not bring myself
to wholesale murder like that for drunk
as they We're none could have escaped.
No. the only thing could do was 10
leave them, though there came a time
when ! regretted my squeamshness and
i had a chance.
We were very silent for the first ten
minutes or so. / think my mistress was
saying her prayers while I rowed as !
stern cabin lights plainly as We drew
from the ship, although for the rest she
was in total darkness. no other lights
showing. When we did get far enough
away to render talking advisable / had
too much to do to spend any time in dis
cussion. i had to get the mast stepped
and the sail spread. Fortunately the
breeze was blowing directly westward and
that was the course we wanted to log.
suppose it was nearly midnight before We
got everything shipshape, my lady brave
ly helping me with her best efforts, and
the little vessel thrashed gallantly through
the big seas.
The wind had gone down considerably.
to what it had been on the ship, and my
mistress covered close beside me. cling
ing to my arm with that instructive crav-
ing for human contact and for human
society which We all feel under such cir
cumStanceS
1 had carefully taken my bearings dur
ing the day. and as l had a good COM
pass on the boat 1 knew exactly how to
steer. Fortunately the wind held steady.
l laid her course so as to clear the north
east end of the island, around which /
intended to swing, so as to be hidden
from the ship at daybreak. OF course
could get a long start there might be
other islands from which l could choose
my refuge. Many things might turn up
of which a bold man might take advan-
tage. At any rate. / had escaped from
them and the one l loved sat by my side.
We We're alone together. The clouds had
gone, overhead the sky sparkled with
tropic stars. We looked to the Southern
Cross and took courage.
We didn't talk much. ] didn't dare
and, for wonder, she had nothing to
say. L managed the boat, even il 1 dc
say it myself with great skill 1 told
her after while that she was safe. Nc
sound had come from the ship and the
lights in the cabin, which at first We
could see dimly, presently disappeared.
Our escape had not been discovered.
suggested. at last that she should go 70
sleep. / arranged the boat cloak and
blankets, and. although she had to be
much persuaded. 1 finally prevailed upon
her to lie down in the boat, her head by
my knees, and thus we sailed on through
the night.
Go be continued tomorrow