The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-16
CHAPTER XII.
COntin ued.

chamberlain pulled great ohi' az"
was in fact. far superior to Aleek III
point OF skill. but HIS stroke was not
We'll adapted 10 the choppy waves ~
shore tie had learned IL on the sleepy
Cam. where the long, gliding biadS
counts best The men stayed ashore
long time. disappearing entirely De,
yond the clump OF trees that screened
the outbuildings. When they reap
peared. az old man was with them, FOL
lowing them down 10 the boat. Then
the white handkerchief appeared. and
the boat started on It's return.
Aleck profited by Chamberlain $
work. and made the boat leap forward
by "A shorter. almost jerky stroke. lie
came back easily with i've minutes
10 spare.
Good work." said Mr.. Chamberlain.
"You have me beaten. and you'll get
the bachelors buttons: but you had
the tide with YOU"
Nonsense, had the Holsters eN-
ira" asserted Aleck
Wen. ii YOU had been born an Eng
| lishman. we'd make an oarsman out OF
! you yeti
HUH said Aleck.
and while they were having their din
ner their thoughts were turned TO an
other matter The island, II appeared
( had for some years been abandoned Dy
! its owner. and it's only inhabitant was
gray and grizzly old man, known 10
the region as the hermit. His fancy
was 10 keep light burning always by
night in the landward window OF ms
cabin. so as 10 warn sailors on the
dangerous headland. There was no
lighthouse in the vicinity. and by a
kindly consent the people on the
/ neighboring islands and on the main
/ land opposite encouraged his beneVo-
lent deluson, IL delusion IL might be
called They contrived TO send him
provisions AT least once week; ana
they had supplied him with nag
which. il was understood, he would
( fly in case he was in actual need. SO,
| alone with his COW and his fowls, the
old hermit spent his Gays, winter ana
summer. tending his lamp when the
dark came on.
Aleck and Mr.. Chamberlain had
picked up some OF this information az
the last port which the Sea Gull made;
but what was OF new and real interest
TO them now was the story which the
old man told them of a castaway on
| the island few days before.
"All hands had abandoned the yacht
| lust before she went down, IL appears.
| The owner was robbed by his own
men and marooned on the hermit S
| island--that's the gist OF II, said
Aleck
THE hermit said the man wouldn't
eat of his table" went on Mr.. Cham
berlain: but asked him for raw eggs
and ate them outdoors. Said that ex
cept when he asked for eggs he never
spoke without cursing. AT least, the
hermit couldn't understand what he
| said, so he thought il was cursing. And
/ while the old man was talking, add
ed Chamberlain resentfully tina
blooming peacock squawked like a de
mon"
-nrffiirg yacht that went down accord
ing 10 the man. was the Jeanne
Dare" said Aleck, who had beer
grave between all their light-heartec
talk. Il didn't tell you, Chamberlain
that my cousin my old chum. went or
quite unexpectedly on a boat called
the Jeanne dare Where he went Of
what for. don't know. OF course, 4
may have been another Jeanne Dare
II probably was. But II troubles me.
Melanie was instantly aroused. "Oh
II had an uncanny feeling when yol
first mentioned the Jeanne Dare
she cried But could you not find on
more? What became OF the man tha
was marooned?"
He got of the island a day or two
ago" said Aleck The people tha
brought provisions TO the old mar
took him to the mainland. to Charles
port
The beggar left without so much az
thanking the old man for his eggs.
added Chamberlain.
Wen put into Charlesport tonight
LIZ YOU don't mind said Aleck. II
III can find the man that was marooned
II may be able to learn something
about Jim. IL he really was on thu
yacht. There's a big summer hote
near by, and it's a lovely country.
We'll stay wherever it's most con
venient for you to have u.s. sail
Melanie. looking at Aleck, for once
with more than friendly interest il
her eyes
And perhaps I can help you, Van
two heads, you know said Cham
berlain.
Aleck troubledsas he was, could no