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

What do You mean: Have you
pIan?''
Il have The men are all drunk.
81 heard them taking the spirits from
the rack. and"
II gave them all they wanted and
MORE l interposed.
"Was that wiser
Certainly
II don't understand"
"A little liquor would have inflamed
them, a great deal stupetes them. They
are as helpless as logs now. and if / had
three good men beside myself l could take
the ship. AS it isl hesitated-'I am
here to serve you. I am going to leave
the ship and take you with me-
But how-when?'
For answer / threw open the stern WIN
dow of her cabin. On level with 1t
swung a small boat, a whaleboat. Now
/ had taken occasion during the day TO
lower that boat little by little, few
inches at time. and then few inches
at another time. as | had opportunity to
get near the falls and to manipulate them
unobserved. and / had succeeded in my
purpose without attracting attention. al
though the risk had been tremendous. OF
course, I couldn't lower it clear 10 the
water, but / had brought 1t down to the
level of the cabin windows. Its sea lash
lnES were cast OF, ana IdI fio d'urt'
if conditions on deck We're as l expected
them, l could lower it all the way later
with impunity.
What do you mean?' she asked. star
ing out of the window and into the empty
boat.
II mean that you and I are going TO
embark in that boat tonight and leave
this ship
But where are we going?'
''There is land not "A league and half
10 t1n
easterly of cluster of islands.v
rs it the island We seek. do you
Think?
Il have no doubt" replied. IF there
is such an island that it will be one OF the
cluster. We are in exactly the latitude
and the longitude of the chart. if my
calculations are correct
The island was uninhabited when my
ancestor was cast away upon it.
YES" said /. but there may be ma
tives there now. but no Savages of the
South seas could be more cruel and ruth
less than the men on this ship. To be
frank with you, have no doubt that as
soon as they are sure that they have
reached the island and that my services
are no longer necessary to enable them
to find the treasure they will murder me
out of hand"
And me?"
"They would not be so merciful to you"
But wouldn't they want to keep you
to take the ship back
THAT is an easy matter" I answered
''All they would have to do would be to
lay a course as nearly possible due east
and they would bring up on the South
American coast-Peru, Chile, somewhere,
it would not make very much difference
where, SO long as it was near Spanish
settlements, for they would divide the
treasure, wreck the ship and scatter
themselves and their gains. No. my use
fulness ends as soon as they determine
that that is the island and that the
treasure is there.
Let us co. she said, shuddering.
81 thought you would see it that way"
I replied. THE worst the natives can do.
if there are any, is to murder us, and
shall always save the last shot"
paused, l couldn't bear to say it.
For me- she added, softly, laying her
little hand again upon my arm. and how
/ loved and priced those little touches;
those little evidences of trust and conf
dence
l nodded stupidity. speechless. as usual.
What is your plan?" she asked.
81 want you to dress yourself in your
stoutest clothes, with your heaviest shoes.
wrap yourself up in boat cloak and
take with you a change of clothes and
some few necessarieS for your comfort.
l will go and rummage the laZarette for
provisions, and | will see if | can turn
up any more weapons in the captain S
room. 1 dare not go to the arms chest
it was below in the hold, anyway, and L
could not waste the time to hunt 1t out
I'VE must hurry"
why. you said they were insensible?"
"They carry liquor like line of battle
ship her tOpS'ls in a storm l answered
They'll recover their senses before we
know it. l want as long a start as pos
sible. and. indeed, / must hasten now"
Wait moment she said. She opened
a drawer under her berth and drew out a
leather case, which she opened and placed
before me. There We're two ivory-han-
died. silver-mounted pistols in it. ''They
belonged to my father she said. with
one of them he-he-'' Her voice broke.
I nodded. I knew what he had done with
one of them She rummaged farther and
drew out an exquisite sword, quite unlike
my heavy one but, if could Judge any
thing about Weapons. of fine temper and
strength, and with its hilt studded with
diamonds. This was my fathers. too
she said, and l recognized it also. 1t was
that l had taken from Arcester.
The pistols were smaller than my huge
bankers. better suited for her hand. and
to load them from the TASKS which ac-
companied them was the work of a few
minutes. / thrust my own heavy weapon
back into my belt. I then buckled her
two pistols around her waist and babe
her take the sword Also We might need
all these weapons.
Then l left her and went out on deck
The men were in profound drunken
stupor. Pimball was sound asleep. Glib
&,
could hardly keep himself awake, and the
lookout forward was in the same condi-
ton. The rest Of the men We're as help
less as logs. like dead men almost. l
made a circuit Of the ship. Glibby leered
at me as 1 drew abreast Of him.
''Everyth-th-ing ALI r-rightT' he
hiccoughed.
Everything" I answered, shortly, "the
old bark doesn't need much watching to-
night"
The wind had fallen somewhat and the
sea was much calmer.
''W-we will g-get a s-s-shot at
the s-sun in the m-morning." he con-
tinued, land then We will s-s-see
where w-we are"
AYE" said I. lin the morning" !
yawned extravagantly. Il will go and
turn in, l think. If you need me call
me-
He flung a vile suggestion after me
which made me want to turn and heave
him overheard, but had to force a laugh
as I went below into the cabin. l saw
that in few moments he and the look
out and the man at the wheel would be
like the rest
The 1aZarette was we'll provided and I
stocked the boat handsomely, not for
getting an ak. a lantern and finder box.
There was not much water, but / emptied
some bottles of wine and filled them. al
though l did not much worry on that &C
count. because there would be plenty of
water, undoubtedly, on the island The
boat was provided with a compass and a
mast and sail. I got into her as she
tbo &c r1,o la5