Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1912-12-26

keelsOn before o0ifing. Inc coal was
examined as carefully AZ that Of bat.
tleship In time OF war: every locker
and cupboard was inspected: even the
ventilators were metapEorically turn.
ed inside out and the record OF ev.
cry man Of the crew was looked into
with vigorous scrutiny. So could see
no loophole unguarded. But the past
naught. II such things could be as
that which had happened a month ago
In Cameron's dressing room. how
much further might the inexplicable
carry7 or what use we're precau.
tons against an enemy who with ap-
parent ease calmly defed all natural
laws,
All the morning my thoughts had
been running In this line. Foolish
thoughts they must seem to one who
reads OF them: worthy only to be
classed with the idle. superstitious
fears OF young girls and old women.
and impossible to a well-balanced.
clear.headed man Of twenty-nine. II
may be that was not wel!.balanced
and clear-headed. And yet the Sc
quel would tend rather to a contrary
conclusion.
Cameron was still reading the Her
aid. and | sat with a pair Of biLocu.
lars at my eyes sweeping the waters
for the trailing smoke Of liner or
some object Of lesser interest
Presently the silence was broken
by my companion.
Il see." he began. dropping the pa
per to his knees. that China is really
! In earnest In her anti-opium cam
paign. Two Peking officials have died
from the effects Of a too-hasty break
ing OF the habit. Men do not die In
the attempt to obey mere paper re-
forms. The Chinese are wonderful
old people. Clyde"
lowered my glasses. all at once In.
! terested
you've been in China?" I asked.
No, | haven't" was his answer.
I've always meant to co. but when
| was nearest. iii news drew me home:
and so | never got closer than Yoko-
hama on one side, and Srinagar. in
kashmir. on the other"
You've seen something OF them in
this country, ] suppose?"
| No. very little. | attended din
ner once at which Ii Hung Chang was
the guest of honor; and I've eaten
chop suey in enc of those Chinese
eating palaces they have in Chicago.
| That's about the extent OF my person.
al Chinese experience But have
always been Interested In the country
and its people. | have read about
everything that has been published
ever find out who killed that boy of
Murphy's?"
| Not yet" | answered They've
had some of his own kind under sur.
veillance. but no more arrests have
been made"
Murphy was released?"
Yes"
once more ! applied myself to sea.
gazing.
Far away 10 the northeast | made
| out what appeared to me to be a sea
going tug or pilot boat, steaming, |
thought. with rather unusual speed for
vessel OF her class II was not
much OF a discovery, but the waters
had been very barren that morning
especially for the last two hours, and
insignificant as this object was felt
In a manner rewarded for my vigil
Half an hour later she had slipped
out of sight and | was busy in an ef-
fort TO pick her up again, when a cry
| from the lookout forward directed my
attention to floating speck possibly
| two miles or more dead ahead. and
not more than n point off our course.
Come" | said to Cameron. lets
| go up on the bridge and have look."
| And have our trouble fer our
| pains?" he returned. incredulously
It's probably some bit OF wreckage,
! a box or n cask."
Very well" agreed. starting off
alone Even a box or a cask is worth
while as IA variation
When on nearer approach the drift
ing object proved to he n fisherman :
| dory, with man, either dead or un.
| conscious, plainly discernible In the
bottom. should hardly have been hu.
man had | not experienced degree
| of satisfaction over Cameron's failure
as a prophet That. however, was ths
least abiding Of my sensations. In al
instant 1t had given way to anxiety
concerning the boats occupant and
| interest In the businesslike name.
In which Macleod. the stocky young
executive officer OF the Sibylla. wa2
preparing TO pick up our find.
The engine room had been signales