Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-25
The Argus Daily Story
The Cruise of the Dawn-By Harold Winston
copyrighted. 1912. by Associated Literary Bureau


brought up on salt water. | loved 1t.
but was ambitious to break away from
so simple life and make something of
myself. il not better, at least more
prominent l was twenty-one when,
with 500 in my pocket that l had
saved. l went to New York for the
purpose of finding position.
Positions are not to be had in a mo-
ment in the metropolis, and the best
could do was to enter my name ut the
bottom of a list awaiting vacancies.
My money was being used up, though
/ husbanded my resources, and ! be-
came discouraged. Every morning I
bought q newspaper and looked over
the advertisements to see If young
man Of my description was wanted. 1
finally saw one that met my case. but
not for business. 1t was an advertise
ment for a skipper for a yacht.
i had seen enough of the crowds OF
a big city. The continual whirl sick
ened me. The display of wealth side by
side with abject misery made me long
again for the water, upon which there
are no streets. no alleys, no dirt True,
the vehicles on the ocean differ in de-
gree as those on the land. l had been
used to nothing better than a fishing
boat and was fascinated at the idea of
sailing yacht.
/ answered the advertisement, but
with no more hope of getting the posi-
ton than had OF securing any OF the
clerkships for which l had applied.
But ! had an advantage in knowing
how to sail a boat, while was entire
~ ignorant of business. A few days
after l mailed my letter l received an
invitation to call at a dwelling in the
upper part of the city.
was received by a woman about
thirty five years old. She repealed me
from the moment met her, looking at
me critically, as IL sizing me up for
something besides my marine qualitica-
tons. She asked me to state them,
however, and l did so. When l told
her / had been born and brought up
near Bath, Me-, noticed that she
pricked up her ears, and when l added
! that knew the coast thereabout from
| Portland to Mount Desert l saw that l
had affected her favorably.
| She told me that her uncle. with
whom she lived and of whom she
had the care. was a very old man and
an invalid He had been failing lately,
and his physician had advised his
! getting out into the open. A yacht
had been purchased with a view to
taking him on q cruise along the New
England coast. 1t was rather late In
the season for yachting and she asked
me how long it would be safe and
comfortable to remain on the water
/ replied that II the vessel was not toe
small and was capable of being heated
1t might remain in commission till the
first of November. After an interview
lasting nearly an hour. during which
she surprised me by the large salary
she would pay-$250 a month-she
dismissed me. saying that when she
had decided among those who had ap
piled she would let me know.
One morning when 1 had about
given the matter up received a note
from the lady advising my of my ap
pointment and directing me to get to
gether a crew. | got busy at once
visited the yacht. saw that she needed
six men and engaged them. Mis-.
Hurlbert-the lady who engaged me
procured the servants.
We sailed on the day when tourist!
were returning from their outings
the first of September-and l was di
rected to coast eastward The onl!
persons aboard were Miss Hurlbert
Mr.. Townsend. the invalid. and thu
crew and servants. After rounding
Nantucket / was directed to steer 70
Portland, where, on arrival. we pu
into the barbor and / was directed I,
go ashore for mail. | brought on
letter addressed to Miss Hurlbert
which she tore open at once, and It
contents affected her percepibly. Sh
asked me to go down into the cabil
with her where there was no one bu
Ourselves-Mr Townsend kept mi
stateroom-and when we We're alon
she said:
Captain, are you a fighter"
Surprised, | replied by inquiring VIII
she asked such a question. Where
upon she told me that her uncle wa
engaged in lawsuit in which
: fortune was involved. All his prop
erty. except his real estate, had beer
turned into jewels. which were aboarc
the yacht. The move had been ad
vised by his attorneys on the groun'
that possession is nine points in tn
law. She had received a warning from
one in her interest that the plaintiff
in the suit. great rascal and a yer.
: determined man, had got wind of Nj
Townsend s-or rather Miss Hurlbert'
method of procedure and had tittet
J ont a yacht to follow and take tn
property by force Could she depeni
upon me in the matter?
The affair was not to my likin
ard ! gave her no Immediate reply
She followed up the question By Offer
ing me $1,000 for myself and
2 thousand dollars for each one of tn
crew In case her expedition were sue
cessf1l. to be paid whether there wa
fighting 10 be done or II the scbem
/ could be handled peacefully. / cor
suited the crew and they agreed tina
5 II ! thought the matter involved n
rascality they would 90 in under m
command. The deal was made wit
} this provIso.
The contract was no sooner mad
| r.