The Detroit times., 1912-11-20
CHAPTER X
(ContinuedD


he is as hard as a nut. quick as a
flash and bold as a bull-terrier; and
then teach him TO shoot and take
cover. Leading will do the rest
The letter from Sir Georges cousin,
that unfortunate medical man from
Harley street who had gone astray,
on which the plan OF the whole ex-
pedition was built, though excellent
in many details, was weak where it
touched on the exact art OF nautical
astronomy.
The admiralty charts, also, OF the
whole OF the West African seaboard
are VIGOROUSLY defective, and those
OF that section OF the coast which just
then interested Sir George Chester
man and his skipper were worse than
this-they were imaginative. They
marked reefs where there was none,
islets where the sea swells swept I'M
checked and deep waters 10 which
ominous breakers gave the open lie.
Once, a good five miles out from the
rolling dunes of the beach, the Wan
garoo stopped suddenly In her steady
eight-knot gait. shivered a little. and
then went on; and Captain Kettle
near he had come to casting away his
first command.
Henceforward the steamer kept an
offing where the depth OF water was
beyond suspicion, and crows. nests
were rugged INHALER fashion at the
mastheads, in which the hands ttok
Il in turn to be seasick, and TO search
the shore-line with strong binoculars.
Even then they missed the object
OF their search on the first run down
the coast. but when they had passed
the southern limit OF possibility, the
Kangaroo turned north again TO re-
peat doggedly the hunt with more
thoroughness, and at a slower pace
This time, when an atom or doubt
rested on the exact position OF the
shore-line, a boat was manned and
sent away to explore II at closer range
and the jottings on the chart which in.
dicated this boats discoveries, as ar
Shesterman to the proper quarters.
form today a very useful addition Ia
the worlds knowledge OF hydro
graphy. ~
That northwest coast OF Africa had
by no>means the smooth shore-line the
authorized sea maps would have lea
them to believe. II sung out into CULTS
and bays, and was incrusted with
islets: here. the mouth Of dead river
that had once fperhaps no farther
hack than Roman days. flowed from
the Sahara country, showed silted
lagoon dry at half-ebb: there, sand
polished rocks and a scour OF cur
rent had made a deep water harbor
IN which a navy might moor.
For miles the coast would show
nothing but barren rock and roasting
sand; then a few lean palms would
struggle across the crest OF the dunes /;
and once in way in the mouth OF
some wady that carried trickle OF
moisture. there would be genuine
patch of good dense tropical bush.
But on the whole, the coast-line and
Its islets were for mile after mile
sterile and uninviting. and for big
ore steamer To be tucked away there
In hiding seemed TO be thing i'm
possible.
Twice indeed there were loud cries
Of, There she Isl" and consequent
excitement But the first, on nearer
inspection, proved TO be the shell or
wrecked iron sailing ship. ruin
that had been grilled there by twenty
years OF outrageous sun: and the
cause OF the second alarm showed IT.
self on examination TO be no ship at
all, but an outcrop OF red hematite
rock fashioned presumably by Satan
for their irritation and annoyance.
This" said Sir George, tanning
himself under an awning, isn't nearly
es amusing az | expected" He and
his black retriever had been OF in
the boat on the lure OF the iron out
crop, and the pair OF them had been
nearly cooked alive on the passage.
and narrowly escaped a spill In get
ting back on the rolling steamer
The ice-chest's empty. the fresh meat
Is finished, and by the taste OF the
water the cook makes tea and things
OF. | should imagine that some one
must have been drowning a ferret in
IL. Also the coat OF mold that col
lects on the outside OF my cigars
doesn't improve their flavor ! say.
Skipper, what about turning back
You're owner, sir" said Kettle
stifhy ITS for you to give orders"
What do you say, Violet?"
II agree with you that it's acutely
uncomfortable"-she glanced out or
the tail OF her eye at Captain Kettle
in more ways than one But I>dont
think you ought 10 give the thing up
so long as there's chance left. IL
isn't as IL you were rich man.
George, now II you found the ship
and realized on her, you'd be put nice
ly on your financial feet again. while
II you don't | would say you'll find
yourself badly dipped This triI
must have cost you a tidy penny, on'
way and another"
"And is continuing TO cost so mucl
a day. I'm beginning TO think poo
Fred wrote that letter when he wa
dght.headed. and that he never reall.
saw the steamer again, once he hat
left her"
II don't agree with you a bit. Re
member I knew Fred as we'll or bet
ter than you did, and he hadn't a par
ticie of Imagination I'm the whole o
his composition. lie was the NOV
literal matteroffact- soFt-ef peF4ei
that ever bungled a medical practice
lie prided himself on Unconditional oh
servation. and II he says there wer,
islands and a steamer behind them
islands there are and steamer Their,
Is. Don't you agree with me. Cap
tafnP" -- -----
Miss" said Captain Kettle. "Tn
n nam urffhOut lima prfnation unvaai,