The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-06-07

SO soft, so clear, so balmy, all were
10th to close their eyes on it; the pas
sengers fingered long on deck, watch
ing the Great Bear dip, and the South
ern Cross rise, and overhead whole
heaven of glorious stars most of US
have never seen, and never shall see
an this world. SO the night passed.
Now carmine streaks tinged the
eastern sky at the waters edge; and
that water blushed; now the streaks
turned orange, and the waves below
them sparkled Thence splashes Of
living gold flew and settled on the
ships white sails, the deck and the
faces; and with no more prologue,
being so near the line, up came ma
JesticalIy huge, fiery, golden sun, and
set the sea flaming liquid topaz.
Instantly the lookout at the fOretop-
gallant-masthead hailed the deck be-
How.
Strange sail Right ahead!"
The strange sail was reported to
Captain Dodd, then dressing in the
cabin. He came soon after on deck
RiuU IuG IOUhOuI. w Hull way
Is she standing?"
Cant say, sir. Can't see her move
any"
Dodd ordered the boatswain to pipe
SO breakfast; and taking his deck
glass went lightly up to the fOre-top-
gallant mast crosstrees. Thence,
through the light haze of a glorious
znorning, he espied long low schoon-
Ger, iateen-rigged lying close under
Point Leaf, small island about nine
miles distant on the weather bow; and
NEARLY in the Agra's course then APP
prOaching the Straits of Casper, 4
latitude S.
''She is hove to-" said Dodd, very
gravely.
At eight o'clock, the stranger lay
about two miles to windward; and
still hove to.
BY this time all eyes were turned
upon her; and a half dozen glasses.
Everybody, except the captain, deliv-
erred an opinion. She was a. Greek
lying to for water; she was Malay
coming north with canes.
The captain leaned silent and SOM
ure with his arms on the bulwarks,
and watched the suspected craft.
Mr.. Fullalove joined the group, and
1eveIIed a powerful glass, of his own
construction His inspection was long
and minute, and, while the glass was
at his eye, Sharpe asked him half in
n whisper, could he make out any
thing?
"WaI,' said he, "the varmint looks
considerably snaky." Then without
moving his glass he let drop a word
at time, as if the facts were trick
ling into his telescope at the lens, and
out at the sight. "One-two-fOur-
seven false ports"
The next observation that trickled
out of Fullalove'S tube was this: 81
Judge there are too few hands on
deck, and too many-white-eye
'grfttering at the portfolios"
|Confound itr muttered Bayliss,
nneasily; chow can you see that's"
6'uIlalove replied only by quietly
Sanding his glass to Dodd. The cap
tain, thus appealed to, glued his eye
TO the tube.
''Weli, sir; see the false ports, and
the white eyebrows?" asked Sharpe,
ironically.
al see this is the best glass ever
looked through" said Dodd doggedly,
without interrupting his inspection.
Il think he is Malay pirate" said
Mr.. Grey.
Sharpe took him up very quickly,
and, indeed angrily. Nonsense! And
if he is, ne won't venture on craft
of this size"
"Says the whale to the swordfish,"
suggested Fullalove, with little gut
tural laugh.
The captain, with the American
glass at his eye, turned half around to
the man at the wheel: "StarbOardw
''Starboard it is"
"Steer south southeast"
gay, ay, sir" And the ships course
WAS thus altered two points.
This order lowered Dodd so per
cent in Mr.. Sharpe's estimation. He
held his tongue as long as he could;
but at last his surprise and dissatis-
faction burst out of him, won't that
bring him out on usT
every likely, sir" replied Dodd.
Z Begging your pardon, captain,
would 1t not be wiser to keep our
course, and show the BLACKBOARD we
don't fear him?''
SsWhen we do. Sharpe, he has made
I'D his mind an hour ago whether to
lie still, or bite; my changing my
course two points won't change his
mind but it may make him declare
1T; and l must know what he does
Intend. before / run the ship into the
narrows ahead"
ooh, / see," said Sharpe, half con-
WINGED.
The alteration in the Agra's course
produced no movement on the part
OF the mysterious schooner. She lay
40 under the land still, and with only
a few hands on deck, while the Agra
edged away from her and entered the
straits between Long Island and Point
Leaf leaving the schooner about two
aniIes and a half distant to the n. w.
All! The strangers deck swarms
black with men.
His sham ports fell as if by magic,
his guns grinned through the gaps
like black teeth his huge foresail rose
and filed and ont he came in chase