Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-17

nRcles East Dy eoutn D quarter east,
sir"
Can you open out any land behind
it?" n
The old fellow peered again. mo.
sir. The hummock's on my skyline,
with a clean edge to It,"
VERY good. Then call away the
surf.boat, and get water and some bis
cult into her"
CHAPTER X.-(Continued.))
Captain Kettle came down from
aloft as briskly as he had gone up,
and Il was typical Of him that he did
not make any pronouncement to salts
fy the curiosity of his crew. Instead,
he went quietly to where Sir George
sat with his sister, and gave the news
to them.
There's a regular fshing.net Of
islands In at the back there. | can
see no trace OF our steamer, but It's
quite possible she's there. Many OF
the islands are tidy size, and she
might easily be tucked in at the back
and out of sight. can't take the
steamer in without lot Of sounding
so I'm going OF in the boat"
"Not yourself? Not by night?" 1t
was Miss Chesterman who raised the
objection.
1T will be cooler for the men for
one thing, miss, and in a couple OF
hours from now when the moons up,
it will be just as easy to see as In
daylight"
You'd better go, too. Violet. II you
think the skipper needs chaperoning.
"rd love to-"
THE DEVIL be very heavy, miss.
what We are looking for, we shall have
to do.A lot Of sounding. and may be
awaNa couple of days. l couldn't un-
dertake to look after lady all that
time In an open boat
''Oh. all right" said Miss Chester
man, and frowned at her brother. who
had caught her eye behind Captain
Kettles back land winked. That Of
ficer, had gone to the side to see II the
boats company and the rest Of her
equipment were to his taste. and pres
entlT returned to his room for re.
volver and bottle of Horners Per
feet Cure, which he slowed in his out.
sideNpockets. @
THE drugs guard against NAL
arias SIR he explained. Sea chills
Just about twilight are very dangerous
In this climate. shall give all hands
OF my boats crew q tot of Horner's
presently, and you'll see they'll never
turn hair, Mr.. Mate, leave you
in charge. I may be gone up to three
days. Hang on here till then. and II
we ,don't turn up, send In another
boat, well armed. It's just possible
we may get split in the surf or stove
on reef, and need fetching of. Miss
Chesterman and Sir George, i wish
you. good evening. With luck, I hope
to be back on board here again before
breakfast
A naked rope dangling down the
Wangaroo's sleek black side was the
only high road to the boat. and Mr.
Kettle went down 1t nlmbly hand
over hand, walking with his feet
against the ships plating. From bow
and stern the guess warp was dropped.
and boat-hooks thrust the boat out
from the ships side: oars rose and fell
into the water and settled comfort
ably between their thole-pins, and at
"GWe way" the oars bit the surface
az one machine, and the boat gathered
way. p&
"'Good luck shouted Sir George
from the rail. and Miss Chestermail,
with moist eyes. waved an atom OF
handkerchief. and the black retriever
swung thoughtful tail. Captain Ket.
tles waved in return, and then his
eyes sought lower level. and ran
over two or three Of the round cabin
port holes Apparently he saw what
he sought for there. for he waved
again, and lifting his nose fancied he
scented in the air the faint trace OF
the Transplant which Miss Dubbs af-
fected for her toilet.
The watchers followed the sur-boat
with their eyes till night snapped
down with tropical suddenncss; and
as at the same time the steamers
lights were ktndled, and dazzled the
eye, the boat vanished into the gloom
which had come down to cover the
sea.
Violet Chesterman shivered. - be-
liete I'm afraid" she said. ANY
way It's quite q new feeling. and l
can't think what else 1t can, be"
sThen you ought to be rather pleas.
ed" was the. brotherly retort, "as
suppose you Ulcdk lltb q HcW oAu tAOI e
fore pleasurable sensation for; you. In
the meanwhile, II you're thinking of
yourself, I've reason to believe that
the ship Is being efficiently looked
after by what's his name-oh, yes,
Trethewy, the mate. can'tsimagine
your fears are on behalf of orr excel
lent skipper. He strikes me asa man
one couldn't get killed however much
one tried. So come along down to
dinner That unfortunate steward has
been banging that tin pan he calls a
gong this half.hour back. Look here,
Violet, I'll bet you hair Of gloves
that as Kettles out Of the way that
Scotch engineer takes under us hiSkind
patronage. and that his own oflcial
chief looks blue murder at him but un-
der the baleful glance Of your dis.
tinguished eye eats his victuals In re-
spectful silence" ss Z
.Pooh!" said Miss Chesterman,
"you don't provide yourself with
gloves at my expense by obvious tricks
like that. Kindly remember had the
advantage Of being introduced to Mr..
1lAA1~ ,,o,,. 1a~- h4<o~o r,~,,