Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-13
CHAPTER III.
Ell Parish.

On the stealthy-looking little gray
steamship at anchor under the obscure
stars not even a riding light was visible.
ButAshe was close to the desOlate coast,
well out of the way Of all respectable
traffic And a solitary figure. squatted in
the bows, pipe in mouth. pannikin OF rum
within easy reach, was keeping a per-
functory anchor watch. staring idly sea
ward. so that he saw nothing of tiny
light which flashed three times from the
shore in belated response to a similar sig
nal from screened port in the poop
cabin
But for him the decks were deserted.
From the crews quarters came frequent
outbursts OF ribald talk and uproarious
laughter, the odor of food. the clank and
clatter OF tinware empty or full. The
crew were at supper and satisfied for the
present.
From the companion hatch on the poop
four soundless shadows emerged Two
of them were carrying cautiously long,
fiat fabric, which they in a moment or
two converted into a fourteen-fOot cam
vas boat. These two lowered that over
side One of the others. bundle in
hand, slipped easily down into it by
means of a rope made fast to stanchion.
The last. cursing under his breath. was
helped over the rail, with one foot In
loop Of the same line, Dy the TWO reHiaih-
ing on deck.
SaIlie. safely seated in the cockleshell
below. laid pair Of muff1ed oars In the
rowlocks and pushed quietly off from
under the dripping overhang OF the snip.
pered curt directions to her. She could
lust see Reuben Yoxall and Jasper Slyne
standing side by side at the steamer S
taffrail and then the black bulk of the
Olive Branch became merged III the
blacker water.
once out Of earshot of the ship. she set
to rowing in earnest strong, steady
stroke. like one well accustomed to that
exercise: and Capt. Dove, with an eye
cooked at a helpful star twi9klfng dimly
through the heat-haze kept her heading
straight for the shore. The boom of the
breakers soon began to grow louder. but
even when 1t had become almost deaten-
ing she did not look round They had
got into broken water, and 1t was taking
her all her time to handle the oars.
She was breathless and all but ex-
hausted before they at length shot dizzily
out of the wild turmoil Of the surf into
a tranquil land-lOcked lagoon. concealed
from seward by a long sandspit. which
served II as a breakwater in such smooth
weather.
Way enough said the old man. gruff.
~. and as Sallie shipped her oars the
light craft lost speed. Presently its prov
look the SaUO. anu dt idSl tHCy WOAS - "
of the ominous. phosphorescent black fin:
which had followed them from where
they had left the ship.
.Strike a match,'' ordered Capt. Dove
and held out a stump Of candle. Light
this and stick it on the gunwale. Now
on with your cloak and hood-and len6
me a hand with mine
The tiny flame at her elbow burned
steadily enough In the still night while
| Sallie was slipping on over her dark dres.
ho xx-hi to he hrins
with her. AS soon as she had hooded
| her head and drawn the veil we'll Over
| her features. she turned to help him. Sh,
was smoothing the crumpled burnou!
| about his shoulders while he tugged ir
| rltably at il with his only available hand
| grumbling at her in low monotone
| when she heard q sudden splashing be
] hind her. and, glancing around, saw ;