Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-03-13

three-quarter inch apanner, and II
youH bring the boat up to close
cuartera I'll show you how 1t is
used by an expert. Have We matches? :?
fhis talklng's put my pipe out"t
The gig crawled on steadily
through the night, stirring lambent
hames; and twice more did flares
OF gunpowder among the foothills
of the Atlas call notice to the fact
that Africa was awake Captain
Kettle steered by compass alone,
and (as the current was running
strongly had to make cast back
before he found the Norman Tow
ers; and even then, so black was
the night that the noise OF his oars
scraping along her plates was the
frst advertisement he had of har
nearness.
Row steady, men," he ordered,
and coasted down her length, and
then swung the boat under her ccun-
ter, and brought up against the lad
der which hung down her farther
side. The heavy teak ladder had
rungs broken, and the davit to which
1t hung was bent outboard.
You will stay here" he ordered,
ready to put Off when come
back" and with that he stepped out
on the grating and ran lightly up
the steps, and disappeared into the
black silence of the night
Presently his voice called down in
ghostly whisper from the rail
above "Mr. McTodd, tell the men
to pass the boat slowly round to
the starboard side. Mind, they're to
work her along inch by inch, so a.
not to stir the rhosphorescence and
| will drop them ropes end over.
board to ride to. jnst level with the
break of the bridge deck. Dye hear
me?"
AYE, aye"
And do you come up on top here
yourself, and bring that spanner
you're SO proud Of"
MIR. McTodd's gait was ungainlS
but his oil-soaked slippers made No
sound. Also, being shipman, he
knew which way to turn and what
to avoid
"Weel," he said, when he Joined
his commander, its a fine night
and forget when | enjoyed an
evenings prospects more thoroughly
But when's the entertainment to
commence?"
Hold your tongue, Mac, and lis
ten. Listen hard"
Mr., McTodd removed his pipe
opened his mouth and cooked an at
tentive ear
We'll, what do you make out?"
hear a small slap-dashing oil
wavelets upon the old girls skin
and bit of sough of the wind
and you're breathing although
reckon you're trying to keep it quiet
and think there's a yap of dog
though maybe it's a jackal-some.
where among those mountains In
the far distance"
But where are the Moors whc
should he waiting around t = cor
ner to jump out and cut our
throats?"
Il can only hear what tellet
ye."
81 can make out no more myself
II there were men here in quantit,
we ought to hear them breathing
or rustling, or coughing. Mac,
believe they've played game on us
We came here (both of us, sup
pose) ready for battle, murder, anC
sudden death, and it's my idea the
ships deserted"
But We'll go-look-see before .
X. that" said the cautious Scot.
-e-"And We'll go together, and stanc
by ready for trouble. But it's m,
idea we shall find none"
aye" said McTodd, reading hi.
thoughts, it'll look ugly if tbey'v,
left her. Weel, we may as well be
gin where therell be the wors
smell, and that's forrard."
Section by section they searched
the Norman Towers. They wen
through both firemen's and seamen'.
forecastle, and found no living soul
Ratches were off, and they peeret
into the gloom of holds, and int
the gassy corners of bunkers. The,
clattered down the rusted engine
room ladder and hunted throuGl
shaft tunnel, pump alley boiler
room more bunkers.
McTodd climbed aloft and investi
gated dusty corners behind the don
key boiler. They went through mes
room, galley, pantries, state-rooms
they hunted through more holds
They searched the chart house, an,
Gas last afterthought) the pain
store And nowhere did they find
single Moor or Berber alive o
dead.
This is a beggar," said Mr.. Nc
Todd.
"One can understand that the
would go over every bit of her eve,
more carefully than we have done
and loot her right and left But tn
astonishing thing To me is: frs.
the amount Of dirt they hav
brought on board. and. second, VIII
they should have left It PRACTICAL,
m.