Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1919-12-16

The boy shot me warm glance Of
gratitude.
"All right" agreed Charlie, begin
ming to lose his temper. too. "Tm
damned IL / don't" And, his hand on
the tiller, he made as II to turn the
boat about and tack for the shore.
"Noi moi" cried the boy. springing
between us and appealingly laying one
hand on Charles shoulder, the other
on mine. "You mustn't let me spoil
your trip. I'll compromise. And, skip
per, I'll tell your friend here all there
is TO tell--everything-I swear-if you
will leave 1t to his judgment"
"Right-o" agreed Charlie at last !;
so our passenger and I thereupon
withdrew for our conference.
1t was soon over and couldn't help
laughing aloud at the simplicity of it
all.
"Just as / told you, Charlie" / ex-
claimed; 'it's innocence ITSELF" Turn
ing to the lad, / said: Dear boy,
there is really no need to keep such a
small secret as that from the skipper
here. You'll really have to let me tell
him."
The boy nodded acquiescence.
"All the same, gave my word" he
said.
When I told Charlie the innocent Sc
cret, he laughed as had done, and
his usual good humor instantly re-
turned.
The stubbornly held secret had
merely amounted to this: Our lad was
acquainted with my conchologist, and
had paid him a visit the very after
noon I did, had in fact seen me leav-
ing the house. Answering to the boys
romantic talk of buried treasure and
so forth, the shell enthusiast had
thought no harm to tell him of ouI
projected trip; and that was the whole
of the mysterious matter.
Yet the day was not to end without
a little incident which, slight though
| indeed 1t was, was momentarily tt
arouse Charles suspicious of oul
charming young companions once more
Presently, In the far southwest, tiny
points like row of pins began very
family to range themselves along the
skyline. They were palm trees
though you could not make them on
to be such, or anything in particular
seemed closer than the rest.
There's High Cay!" rang out thu
rich young voice of our passenger
whom we'd half forgotten in our tens
scanning of the horizon. Charlie ant
1 both turned to him together In sur
prise-and his face certainly be
trayed the confusion of one who ha
let something slip involuntarily.
"Ho! no! young man." cried Charlie
his face darkening again, what d.
you know about High Cay? / though
this was your first trip"
$50 it Is" answered the boy, "ol
the sea-"
what do you mean: ON the scar
81 mean that I've done 1t many
time-on the chart. / know ever
bluff and roof and shoal and ca
around Andres from Morgan's BLU
to Washington's Cut"
"You do, eh?"
"On the chart. Why, I've studio
charts since 1 was a kid, and gon
every kind Of voyage you can think
playing at buccaneering or whalin:
or discovering the north pole. Ever
kid does that"
"They do, chi" said Charlie, ev
IDENTIFY quite unimpressed. Il neve
did,"
That's because you've about a
much Imagination as turnip In tha
head of yours" broke in, in defens
of my young Apollo.
Maybe, If you're so smart" contiI
ued Charlie, paying no attention
me, ''you can navigate US through tn
North Bight?"
"Maybew answered our youngste
pertly, with an odd little smile. ID
had evidently recovered his nerve, an
seemed to take pleasure In piquin
Charles suspicious.