The Washington times., 1913-07-25
CHAPTER XIV.
The New First Mate.

WY ARMED of a sudden that the
N sun was near the zenith,
w Paul hastened from the en-
gine room aft. Although he
tried to go softly when he reached the
poop for fear of waking Emily, he
could not control the heels nor the
squeaking of his new slop-chest shoes.
He heard her calling him before he was
half way to the wheel.
AS he appeared in the lounge door she
sat UP in dumb fear. For the moment
she did not recognize him in the rough
blue shirt and corduroys and strange
cap into which he had changed.
It's t. he said, removing his cap
with a smile.
'-Oh, Paul, PaulI' she sobbed hysteri-
cally, and covering her face as If to
shut something Unpleasant away from
her. IL have had such-such a horri-
There, there!' he said comfortingly.
and going in to her. She caught hold of
his hand. 'Everything's going to come
out all right, little woman. You know
you've been through an awful drive.
film sorry 1 woke you. Try to go
back to sleep for another hour"
Il couldn't-I couldn't l was dream
ing that-that you were out there in the
you-pressing you down. down, down!
It isn't truel 1t isn't true!'
Her voice rose nearly to a shrek in
her effort to reassure herself. He had
won his old control Of himself
mo. no; it isn't truei Now listen.
We're playing a big. big game here.
You're my partner. The only one I can
depend on
Forgive mel don't mean to be
selfish or thoughtless-or whimpery."
ITS all right. All right, partner. It's
a wonder you've nerve left. There's
mighty few men who could have come
through what you have and not be fold
ed up now. But l want you to think of
this game. It's so big-so big-that it's
worth winning!"
His tone his expression, brought a
smile OF interest into her face.
If you think you can't sleep / want
you TO 60 down below and get into a
heavy shirt like mine-the strongest.
heaviest clothes you can find. I've pulled
q lot out of the slop-chest-socks and
things. Then there's a little room
you'n find 1t in a corner of the skip
per's. It's filled with lot of woman's
things. There's a cedarwood chest
You win know what to take"
"A woman's things! There was a.
'All can say is that the Daphne has
known a woman's presence. When she
was here-what has become Of her-God
knowsi"
Before slept said a prayer for
her. And every time ! lie down to rest
Il
Emily stood up, but she hesitated as
SIZE started to descend the companion
way.
tits all right now. There is nobody
down there now. We're absolutely
alone" Paul said, noting her tRepida-
don. " Home is the sailor, home from
the sea, and the hunter home from the
hill"
Peace came to her spirit at the gem
tIeness OF his words, and she went be-
low unafraid-
By the noon sights, which the Daph-
ne's new master got, he fixed her posi-
ton at latitude 80 degrees is minutes
north, longitude III degrees 70 minutes
east II astounded him. He worked his
calculations over and over again. aC-
cording to a half-dozen different for
muIas The result was the same, with
an unappreciable difference in Iongi-
ture. So he made II u o'clock, setting
the time by an old-fashioned silver
watch which he had discovered under
the pillow in EIstons berth.
Assuming the correctness OF his ig-
ures. the Daphne was approximately
200 miles north and west Of where the
Cambodia had gone down. In the li"ht
Of this he had TO accept Il as n fact
that the island had drifted across the
steamship lane.
On the 9th the Daphne had been in
latitude 80 degrees 90 minutes and longi-
tude I7e degrees 2S minutes. He visual
lied tEat day on the Island. There had
been a light breeze from sunrise to
sunset out OF the northeast. With the
going down of the sun IL had begun to
Veer until It brought out Of the south
west
Hove to on the port tack. the bark
must have been headed by the hauling
breeze until she had circled the island,
and then drifted up on II with the
swell. 1t was the only satisfactory So
luton Of which Paul could think. There
came TO him with redoubled force a
thought which had formed the in
slant he had read in the log the port
OF the vessels departure and her Ges-
tinaton: What can have caused a !
ship bound from Sydney. New South !
Wales, toward San Francisco. TO be
steered so far to the westward7 He