, 1913-04-10

under his partners tongue.
captain Oleson swore blasphemousIy
and sent a house hoy to bring whiskey
and soda. Sheldon glanced at the tber.
mometer.
Zone hundred and seven," he said.
"Poor Hughie."
Captain Oleson offered him some
whiskey.
Couldn't think Of it-perforation.
you know" Sheldon said.
He sent for a boss boy and ordered
a grave to be dug: also, some of the
packing cases to be knocked together
into a coffin. Having given the orders.
Sheldon lay back In his chair with
closed eyes.
IT'S been fair hell, sir" Captain
Oleson began. then broke of to help
himself to more whisky. Contrary
winds and Gains. We've been driftin'
all about the shop for ten days.
There's ten thousand sharks following
us for the tucker we've ben THROWN
over to them. They was snappin' at
the oars when we started to come
ashore. We got It from the water
water from Owga creek. Filled my
casks with 1t. How was we to known
I've filed there before an 1t was all
right. We had sixty recruits-full up.
and my crew Of fifteen. We've been
buryin' them day an night. The beg.
gars won't live. dash them! They die
out Of spite. Only three " my
left on its legs. Five more down.
Seven dead. Oh. hi What's the
good Of talkin'?'
"How many recruits left9' Sheldon
asked.
Lost half. Thirty left. Twenty
down, and ten tottering around"
Sheldon sighed.
THAT means another addition to the
hospital. We've got to get them ashore
somehow. viaburi! Hey. you, viaburi,
ring big fella bell strong fella too
much"
The hands. called In from the fields
at that unwonted hour. were split
into detachments. Some were sent
into the woods to cut timber for house
beams, others to cutting cane grass
for matching and forty of them lift
ed a whale boat above their heads and
carried 1t down to the sea. Sheldon
had gritted his teeth. pulled his col
lapsing soul together and taken Be-
rande plantation into his fist once
more.
"Have you seen the barometer7" Cap
tain Oleson asked. pausing at the BOZ
tom of the steps on his way to oversee
the Decentralization Of the sick.
"No," Sheldon answered. "Is It
DOWN."
Its going down."
'"Then you'd better sleep aboard to-
night" was Sheldon's Judgment.
"Never mind the funeral. I'll see to
poor Hughie. II you can see your way
to 1t, come ashore tomorrow and lend
me a hand. II you can't, send the
mate"
Fright o. III come myself. Mr..
Johnson's dead. sir. 1 forgot to tell
you-three days ago."
Sheldon turned to his partner. calling
for boys to carry him into the house.
But Hughie Drummond, had reached
the end. His breathing was impercep-
tible. BY mere touch Sheldon could
ascertain that the dying mans tem-
p%erature was going down. 1t must have
been going down when the Their
mometer registered one hundred and
seven. He had burned out. Sheldon
knelt beside him. the house boys group
ed around. their white singlets and
pin cloths peculiarly at variance with
their dark skins and savage counte-
nances, their huge ear plugs and carved
and ~glistening nose rings. Sheldon
tottered to his feet at last ana haif
fell into the steamer chair. Oppres-
siye as the heat had been 1t was now
ever more oppressive. 1t was din
cult to breathe. he painted for air.
The faces and naked arms Of the house
boys were beaded with sweat.
"Marstsr." one Of them ventured,
'big fella wind he come. strong feiia
too much"
Sheldon nodded his head. but did not
look. Much as he had loved Hughie
Drummond. his Death and the funera'
II entsilsd seemed an intolerable u
dan tn ADJ to ~hst he was already
siphfns upAsS. He had q feeling
nav. d vps Z .artinds-that all ne
had = % ~~s % shuf his eyes n
let 70 and that be would die, sink
into immensely Of rest. His weary
body seemed torn by the oncoming
pangs of dissolution. He was a fooI
to hang on. He had died u score OF
Deaths already. and what was the use
Of prolonging II 10 twoscore deaths
before he really died? Not only was
he not afraid to die. but he desired
to die.
But his mind that could win life or
death still pulsed on. He saw the two
w~haleboats land on the beach ano
the sick. ON stretchers or ~piekaback'
groaninq and wailing. go by in lugu-