The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-08-09

What with the genius of Cookie and
the fruitfulness of Dur island, not to
speak of supplies from the Army and
Navy stores. we lived like sybarites
There were fish from stream and sea.
coconuts and bananas and oranges
from the trees in the clearing. l had
hopes of yams and breadfruit also, but
If they grew on Leeward none of
us had a speaking acquaintance with
them. Cookie did wonders with the
pigs that were shot and brought in
to him, though never could sit down
with appetite to a massacred infant
served up on platter which Is just
what little pigs look like.
''Jes' yo' cas- yo' eve on dis yere in
nahcant," Cookie would request, as he
placed the sucking before Mr.. Tubbs.
'Tendah as a newton babe, he am.
Jes' lax he been tucked up to sleep by
his nanny. Sh0' now, how yo' got
de heart to stick de knife In him, Mis-
tab Tubbs?''
1t was significant that Mr.. Tubbs,
after occupying for a day or two an
undistinguished middle place at the
board, had somehow slid into the
carver's post at the head of the table.
Thanking him were the two ladies.
Everybody else had a sense of sit
ting in outer darkness, particularly L,
whom fate had placed opposite Cap
tain Magnus. Since landing on the
island. Captain Magnus had for
sworn the effeminacy of forks. Load
ed TO the hilt, his knife would ap-
proach his cavernous mouth and dis
appear in it. Yet when it emerged
Captain Magnus was alive. Where
did it go? This was a. question that
agitated me daily.
The history of Captain Magnus was
obscure. 1t was certain that he had
his captains papers. though how he
had mastered the science of navigation
sufficiently to obtain them was a prob
lem. Though he held British nayi-
gators license, he did not appear to
be GIN Englishman.
The captain, as Mr. Vane had re
marked. was Miss Brownies own find
Before the objections of Mr. Shaw
evidently a Negative Influence from
the beginning caused her Il
abandon the scheme, Miss Browne haG
planned to charter a vessel in New
York and sail around the Horn tC
the island. While nursing this prof
ect she had formed an extensive &C
quaintance with persons frequenting
the New York waterfront. among
whom was Captain Magnus As
heard her remark, he was the one
nautical character whom she found
sympathetic, by which i judge thai
the others were skeptical and rude
Being sympathetic. Captain Magnus
found 1t an easy matter to attach him
self to the expedition-or perhaps il
was Violet who annexed him, donr
knew which.
lit was fortunate that Cookie knew
nothing of the solitary grave some
where on the island, with its stone
marked with B. a. and a croSs-bones
nor that the inhabitant thereof wa:
supposed to walk. If he had. l thinl
the strange spectacle of a lone Negro
In a small boat rowing Justify for tn,
American continent might soon hay'
been Witnessed on the Pacific by an,
eyes that were there to see. And w
could Ill have spared either boat o.
cook.
Yet even though unyexed by thi
grewsome knowledge, after two O
three days l noticed that Cookie wa
III nt ease. AS the leisure member O
the party, l enjoyed more of Cookie.
society than the rest. On this occa
sion while the morning was still IN it
freshness he was permitting me {,
make fudge. But his usual jovialit.
was gone. / saw that he glanced owe
his shoulder at intervals, mutterini
aarkly TO himself Also that n rabbit