Putnam patriot., 1916-06-16
CHAPTER I.
h Which the Tide Takes a Hand.

~HE ship stole through the dark
 ness with eNtremest caution.
 feeling her way past bay and
 promuntory. Around her. was none of that phesphoresGent glow which lies above the open GcealA even on the darkest might. for the mountains ran down tO,the channel on either side. In place they oyerhung, and where they lay upturneh against the dim sky Il could be seen that they were man ted with heavy timber. All day long the Nebraska had made her way through an endless succession Of straits and sounds, dfow ;sQueezing through an inlet so alarrow thatithe sombeF spruce trees seemed to Joe within a short stones tlarOw, again blowing across some 0pen re:teh where tue pulse of the north Pacific 'could'be felt. Out through the openings to .seaward stretched the restless oeeam. on across uneounted leagues. t@ Saghalien and the rimoof Russia's lH.ison yard.
 Always Dear at hand Was the deep green of the Canadian forests. denser, darker than q tropic jungle, for this Was the land of ''llleuty waters. The hilSides were c;rneted knee. deep with moss, wet to .saturation. e0ut of every gulch came a brawling stream whip ped to milk white frenzy; snow lay heavy upon the higher levels. while now and then from farther inland .peered a glacier. Hike some dead mon- tSflT had ta4rt fhn mite peaks. There were villages. too. and hshing stations. and fnines and q6ifr- 'rieS- These burst suddenly upon Etbe View, then slipped irasu with gtlreamiike ssFiftness. Other ships swung iBtc sight, rushed by and wepe swallowet Apin the labyrintiiine maze :astefn.
 Those passengers of the Nebraska Who had dHever before traversedfhe in sFie passage were loud in riie praises T its 'piesuresqueness. wbite those to whom tbe 4'oute was familiar seemed 70 Ind an, eter fresh fascination ila its shifting seones
 Among the h tier was Murray ONet The whole inQr.h coast from f9attery 10 st Elias was as well mapped in his
 
 ae vas forever discovering new yistas, surprising RanoraInas. amazing varia- uohs of eOdssr and topography. The aasterlous YiffS and Fassageways that oiened and closed as if to lure the ship astrly the traekleSs ,confslsion of islets. hne siren song @f the waterfalls, the sAeht hills and glaciers and snow soaked foreSts-asl appealed 10 him foSs gIy. for he was sf heart s dreamer.
 'e he did not forget that scenery eae1 &s this. lovely ss fl is by day, nay he dangerous af night. fer he aes the weakness of steel bulls. On sone sides his experience and business Uaihing had made him sternly praen eai and prosaic. Ships aroused no manner of enthusiasm in him except ss means to RB end. Railroads had no sAmor of romaHce in his eyes. Tor Aafihs built a number of them, he had sAtlFed all poetic notions regarding 'As iron horse" and once the rails @efe laid he was apt to lose interest @ them- Nevertheless he was almost Fsetle in his own quiet way. inter etFlhg practical thoughts with fanel- VI visions. and he loved his dreams As Vas dreaming now us he leaned -l9A the bridge rail of the Nebraska sTfing into the gloom with watehfui yes From somewhere to port came Ae occasional eommands of the officer watch. echoed instantly from the NAF interior of the wheelhouse. tp ssslde rose the whisper of rushing @lerS from underfoot came tue @ thmie beat af the engines fur be- f"Na't ~s-~~rs ~