The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-06-16


* dimples; it was the
y ~ r first glowing smile OF
Southern latitude. The night stole on
sss soft, so clear, so balmy, all were
Iath 10 close their eyes on it; the pas.
SINGERS fingered long on deck. watch
eng the Great Bear dip, and the South
&sfn Cross rise and overhead a whole
heaven of glorious stars most of us
have never seen, and never shall see
fH this world. SO the night passed.
Now Carmine Streaks tingpd the
HAastern sky at the waters edge; and
that water blushed; now the streaks
fIrned orange, and the waves below
rfsem 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
-lestically a huge, fiery, golden sun, and
SET the sea flaming liquid topaz
Instantly the lookout at the fOretOn-
raiiant-masthead hailed the deck be-
low.
strange sail Right ahead.
The strange sail was reported to
Captain Dodd, then dressing in the
enhin. He came soon after on deck
and hailed the lookout: (Which way
IS she standing?"
Cant say, sir. Can't see her move
any"
D0dd ordered the boatswain to pine
Ia breakfast; and taking his deck
glass went lightly up to the fOre-toD-
gallant mast crOsStreeS Thence.
Through the light haze of glorious |
morning. he espied long low schoon-
or, latcen-rigged lying close under
Point Leaf, a small island about nine !
miles distant on the weather bow; and .
nearly in the Agra's course then ap- |
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 half dozen glasses.
Everybody, except the captain, deliv-
cred an opinion. She was a Greek
lying to for water; she was a Malay
coming north with canes.
The captain leaned silent and SOM
bre with his arms on the buIwarks,
and watched the suspected craft.
Mr. FullalOve joined the group, and
leveiled 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
a whisper, could he make out any
thing?
"Wal," said he, "the varmint looks
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: II {
Judge there are too few hands on G
deck, and too ny-white-eyeballs- l
siittering at the portfolios" &
''COnfound it," muttered Bayliss, t
lneasily; show can you see that?' c
Fullalove replied only by quietly s
handing his glass to Dodd. The cap q
.ain, thus appealed to, glued his eye S
% the tube. n
''Well, sir; see the false ports. and q
he white eyebrows?" asked Sharpe, h
il
II see this is the best glass ever h
ooked through" said Dodd doggcdly, F
Without interrupting his inspection. Il
81 think he is a Malay pirate" said f,
Ir. Grey. G.
Sharpe took him up very quickly, d
md, indeed, angrily. Nonsense! And n
he is, he won't venture on craft IL
# this size"
"Says the whale to the swordfish," fl
uggested Fullalove, with little gut d
ural laugh. 81
The captain, with "the American OF
lass at his eye, turned half around to h
he man at the wheel: "Starboard!" Sc
"Starboard it Isl OF
'.Steer south southeast" h,
~Ay, ay, sir" And the ships course VI
'as thus altered two points. W
This order lowered Dodd so per re
tuL III MT. oudFpe eSliIudtlOH. lie So
cid his tongue as long as he could; til
ut at last his surprise and dissatis- al
action burst out of him, won't that hi
ring him out on us?" in
''Very likely, sir" replied Dodd. m
Begging your pardon, captain, W
'Ould it not be wiser to keep our ar
curse, and show the blackguard we or
ont fear him?" 10
"When we do. Sharpe, he has made lis
p his mind IN hour ago whether to bu
e still, or bite; my changing my 81
purse two points won't change his TO
ind; but it may make him declare
j; and l must know what he does DO
tend. before run the ship into the As
arrows ahead" ba
ooh, see," said Sharpe, half con- tn
need. de
The alteration in the Agra's course at
reduced no movement on the part ne
the mysterious schooner. She lay sn
under the land still, and with only do
few hands on deck, while the Aga an