The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-09-05
imagine you have nothing on Jim

imagine you have nothing on Jim
White"
"ro HI with YER he growled saw
agely. IF l had my way yed have no
tongue left to get smart with. Get
along now aftersyer things"
Dade followed me into the captains
staterOom. He was. 0bedlent enough,
but reluctant to talk, no doubt afraid
Of being overheard by Dugan.. =,
The .conspirators were grouped on
the after deck waiting my arrival, and
l followed Dade up the ladder, deter
mined they should perceive no change
In my dcmeanor, which might awaken
suspicion. McCann's manner was. fur
from cordial us 1 approached, but l
thought 1t best to ignore his churlish-
ness. &c.. ,,. - f.. 80.
You were long enough coming per
haps YOU still. think yourself In COM
mand?" he said savagely. - =
'That would indeed be a stretch Of
the Imagination" replied, holding my
temper and motioning Dade where to
place the sextant. :. However, I do not
think have.wastcd my time-it is still
two minutes Of twelve" 70. -.
He growled something, but busted
myself with the observation, only anx-
ious to make it accurate enough for
my own use. Whatever figures l re-
ported, it was absolutely necessary
that / know myself the exact position
Of the ship. Nor did l dare to juggle
them greatly In my report, tor while
Mccain was far from being an expert
navigator, he yet possessed a smatter-.
ing of knowledge, which rendered him
dangerous, and he was very sure to
check up my figures with every care
possible. However, / fooled him by
point or two, sufficient for my purpose,
and wrote down the result on the back
of an old envelope, while slowing away
the correct figures in my own brain.
Although the air was balmy enough,
the wind from the southwest almost
directly in our teeth. yet there was .
look of the north about both sea and
sky, which would have convinced me
that we were approaching higher lati.
tudes without the aid of my observa.
tion. Without being able to explain
the phenomenon the seaman instinc-
lively recognizes northern waters.
Now, as my eyes swept the wide circle
Of the horizon, vninly seeking the
CLEAN of some distant sail, the heav-
ing expanse of water, the overarching
sky were almost alike In cOlOr-a
cold, repellent blue, misting into gray
afar of, as though particles Of fog
tiled the atmosphere. Indeed 1t was
this which interested me the most, this
vague evidence of floating vapOr, for
l knew enough of these seas to sus-
pect that this might prove the fore
runner Of STORM, already preparing to
sweep down upon us out of the more
northern mystery. Others must have
noted the evidence also, for Liverpool
crossed the deck to where stood, leav-
ing Mccain with the chart in his
hands.
"What do yer think O. that sorter
mist out yonder?" he asked, indicating
the distance by sweep of the hands,
and striving to make his gruff voice
sound friendly.
1T may mean nothing" answered
civilly enough. II have never sailed
these waters, but my guess would be
that there Is storm brewing to the
north Of us. What does the barome.
ter say?" .'.:
"A slight drop in the last two hours
nothin' much yet, but it don't look
good to me-" s--..
Mccain Joined us, the chart still
half open. .,I
''There seems to be plenty OF har
bors along this Newfoundland coas
line," he said. do you know wha'
they are like?' j. &
"Only what the map says.. The
whole coast, Is rugged andsrockH dan
gerous for any vessel larger than ,
fishing schooner. Therss ore govern
menf pepi1 boats cnfiigg ssfhoss
ssssslsN SttHsy,sss .a..sssr