The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-30

and bandying rough jests, but took | care never to be in any position where | I could not command the companion | hatch, which led to the cabin.
 Our drift was slowly but surely in | the direction of the island Indeed, I | think we had made half a league or more to leeward since we had been hove to. From time to time I search ed the shore with a glass, seeing that the land was protected and completely incIosed by a reef, on that side at least, which agreed with the chart, but the sky continued overcast, and the mist grew thicker, so I couldn't make out much more than that. It was land, and that was enough. It was big enough to support life, and I thought that detected green patches here and there that betokened vegetation and, if so, water and life.
 Nobody took any care to strike the bells, but when darkness fell declar- ed noisily that I would go below and turn in. All but the most seasoned and hardy drinkers were by this time dead drunk. There was evidently some little remembrance of my rank, for no one yet conscious made any .ob-I jection. Pimball, lying supine on the deck, and Ghbby, who was in no better case, with drunken enusiveness assur- ed me that they would take care of the ship, and I went below, having provid- 1 ed all of them with fresh supply of 1 drink just before. l sometimes wonder if would not 1 have been justified in killing them all while they were rendered thus help less. But I could not bring myself to l such wholesale murder, richly as they deserved it and little as I was inclined l oIc of aIa them in irons and slowing them below. But there were not irons enough aboard for that purpose, and Mistress Lucy i and could not work the ship unaided. We could not even feed and water our prisoners. Yet if could have counted on three or four true mems assistance 1 I would have risked it.
 How Mistress Lucy had passed the dragging, anxioes hours of that awful day you can better imagine than can kdescribe. And my occasional visits had scarcely treasured her greatly. Yet in an emergency I have never known a woman who had more spirit.
 She had left her noon meal practical ly untouched, and she was sitting there in the cabin nervous1y clutching the pistol, frightened half to death. Poor girl! I don't blame her. Whatever may have been the cause of it, she was | genuinely glad to see me when came in and lighted the cabin lanterns.
 "Oh," she cried, 'I have been in agony the whole day. Every sound has caused me to seize this weapon, and when have not been watching
 the door I have been on my knees
 praying for you and for myself. do not think can stand another day like this.''
 .sPlease God, dear lady, you shall
 not" I said, smiling reassuringly at
 her.
 .what do you mean? Have you a
 plan2"
 'I have. The men are all drunk. I
 am going to leave the ship and take l you with me-
 l +'Buts how-when?'
 l For answer I threw open the stern
 window of her cabin. On a level with
 it swung a small boat, a whaleboat.
 Now I had taken occasion during the
 day to lower that boat little by little,
 a few inches at time and then few
 inches at another time, as I had op-
 portunity to get near the falls and to
 manipulate them unobserved, but I
 had brought it down to the level of the
 cabin windows. It's sea lashings were
 cast of, and I had mo doubt, if condi- l
 I could lower it all the way later with
 impunity.
 EsWhat do you meanT' she asked
 staring out of the window and into
 the empty boat.
 "I mean that you and I are going to
 embark in that boat tonight and leave this ship.''
 .'But where are we goingT ''There is land not a league and 8 half under our lee. It seems to be the most easterly of cluster of islands, : "Is it the island we seek, do you think? ?''
 l 'Wei are in exactly the latitude and the longitude of the4chart if my calcu latfons are correct"
 '.The island was uninhabited wher } my ancestor was cast away upon it.''
 tFYes,'' said I, +fbut there may be na tives there now, but no savages of the south seas could be more cruel an6 ruthless than the men on this ship.'' } t'Let us go,'' she said, shuddering What is your plan?'
 sI want you to dress yourself in you stoutest clothes, with your heavies
 shoes, wrap yourself up in boat cloak 7 and take with you a change of clothe: 7 and some few necessaries for you , comfort. I will go and rummage the , lazarette for provisions, and will SC,
 if can turn up any more weapons il : the captains room. dare not go tc
 the arms chest''-it was below in the < hold anyway, and I could not vast. , the time to hunt it out-'twe mus
 hurry"
 . ''Why, you said they were insensi ble."
 They'll recover their senses before ," we know it I want as long a start a. :. l possible.''
 vWait a moment'' she said. sh, : opened a drawer under her berth anC Z drew out leather case, which sh,