Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-01
CHAPTER TX.

In Which We Plan to Escape Together
From the Ship.
- HAD no idea that It was morning
already, the night had passed so
quickly. The eastern sky was
already gray. and although the
day babe fair TO be an unpleasant one
there was already light enough to dis
tinguish land or to starboard. We
had run quite near it in the night. II
was still too gray to make out much
more than the existence OF the land
itself. but thought saw beyond the
nearest island others rising. At any
rate, there IL was where 1t ought 10 be.
and I didn't make any doubt but that
Il was the island which we had been
seeking these weary months at sea.
The whole crew was on deck.
didn't see any signs OF Captain Mat.
thews' body. although I looked hastily
about for II. learned later that they
had tumbled him overheard without
a prayer or word after they had
knocked him on the head. Pimball,
Glibby and one or two others OF the
older seamen were on the quarterback,
the rest being strung along the leerail
In the waist staring at the island.
Two hands were at the wheel. The
ship was pitching and laboring heavily.
and It required two hands to hold her
up TO II.
During the night they had taken
second reef i'm the tops'ls. A whole
gale was now blowing. Everything
81. 81
OF course The Rose OF Devon was a
wet ship In seaway. and she was
making heavy weather out OF It.
noticed one thing with satisfaction
They had evidently not thought II
worth while TO break open the arms
chest OF to force the key from me-
which they could easily have done.
and none OF them was armed.
We'll" began. as / climbed over
the hatch combing and turned aft.
II sent for you. Hampton" began
Pimball insolently. and his failure TO
mister me or TO give me any title
indicated our present relations. ''be-
cause OF that" and he pointed TO the
leeward toward the island.
at looks like land" said.
eft is land. What land?"
"How can / tell?" / answered 81
have never been in these seas before"
'well. you took an observation yes.
terday. didn't you?"
Certainly"
"And where were we?'
named latitude and longitude
not cNast!y what ! had worked ont
but nrr enough. didn't want thcs,
rufiars 70 know exactly where we
were lie pulled out the chart as
spoke and compared its figures with
what had given them. He could
read figures II not letters.
AT any rate" he said. after study
ing over the map for little time
''that is not far from the point we ar,
making for. Is it?"
mo" l admitted. mot very"
'Do you think that can be itT"
az can't tell for certain" | replied
''until / get another shot at the sun
should think the latitude about right
but rs to the ionEitude"-
And you can't get no shot at tn
sun until noon. can your unceremOni
ously PIT IN Glibby. casting long lool
90 the eastward where the sky wa
thick and cloudy already.
Il can't oven get an observation the
unless we have clear weather" / an
swereI
"Thcre'n be no clear weather today
take t." said an old seaman standin
with the other two.
1T don't much think e." asSented.
"Wcll what 30 you advise then
asked Pimball
THAT we stnnd on slowly dnring tn
day AMI heEye 10 at night. and Il W
can't get shot at the sun stay here
Abouts until the sky IS clear and til
sun visible. then we viii know Just e1
nctly what course TO take and jus
what's best to he done"
The advice was so self evidentl
good, I'm fact the only practicable ad
vice. that there was no hesitation i
accepting Il. The boatswain steppe
Up 70 ;he horseback. grabbed the truu
pet ana shouted his orders. Present.
the ship was hove TO with the islam
we'll under her lee, distant perhaps
league aud 2 half or maybe two league.
Personally | should not have hove
ship on a lee shore. should nc
have advised Il, and indeed would hay
protested against Il had not suddeI
ly developed n PLAZA plan as despe
ale as ever came into mans head. b.
then the situation required despern'
remedies. And for the accomplishing
of the plau the ship was now in Il
very best position could have put be