The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-07-24
CHAPTER VIII
Without Lights.

ioHsltuue Oh, tne spot at wnlcn cap
tain Bunker was to open the envelope
inclosing his instructions and was pre-
sumably, to ascertain the exact place
where he was to find Mr.. Archmnn.
Naturally, all on board were agog to
learn what the envelope contained.
Bess was especially and admittedly
excited
A little before noon she had a sur
prise. She had torn herself reluctant
ly away from the deck and had gone
below to get one of her lesson books
She found the book. but she also found.
lying on top of it, a folded paper ad-
dressed to herself in handwriting
that she did not recognize 1t ran as
follows:
Warn Captain Bunker to keep spe-
cial watch over his instructions. An
effort is likely to be made to find them
out in advance, probably today"
The note bore no signature. Bess
read the words again. Then she sat
down and stared at the paper Was
| 1t hoax? she asked herself Why
should any one want to learn the
contents of the instructions in advance
of their formal opening? Who could
want to do such thing?
Warn Captain Bunker" said the
note But should she do 1t? Would
she not make herself ridiculous by do
ing it? Would the writer be watching
to laugh at her? Such note seemed
like Harry's idea of fun.
After a while she decided to 20 on
deck and see If she could find amy
| clew in the expressions of her fellow
passengers. AS she passed Harry's
stateroom the sound of mans and
woman's voice within it, engaged in
earnest though low-pitched discussion,
came to her ears. She paid little at
tentiOn to them, supposing that Harry
was giving instructions to the mafd
about sewing on a button or some
such tritle. After a brief pause in
her mothers stateroOm, she went on
deck and met Harry. She made some
reference to his visitor. Harry start
ed and stared at her. half angrily, half
suspiciously. What are you trying to
start now, Bess?' he asked. "I'll bite
What's the joke?"
Bess stared. NO Joke" she said
Il certainly heard voices in your state
room and"
Not in mine, You're dnffy. Bess.'
Bess shrugged her shoulders. "Oh
well! Never mind. Maybe it WAS
somewhere else" she granted ''Ii's
of no Importance. anyway. wonder
what Captain Bunker's instructions
will say?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders indif
ferently. Search me-" he replied.
In vain Bess made other remarks
both to Hanvy and to the other pas
sengers, ATTEMPTING To obtain some an
swer that woul,i help her suspicion'
to settle. None of them disclosed any,
thing. and IL was not until the sun hat
crossed the meridian and Captain
Bunker, with his sextant under hi'
arm, passed by on his way to worl
out the noon observation and deter
mine the position of the ship that sh,
got her chance.
Are we there, captain?' she de
manded eagerly.
Captain Bunker shook his head
Not yet" he said: hut we shall h,
soon. When I've worked out the oh
servatiOn. III he able TO tell you jus
how soon"
"Oh. isn't it thrilling, captnin
You'll let Lord George and me oner
the instructions. won't yom?" Bes
glanced at the Englishnan rs sh,
spoke.
Captain Bunker shook his head
Cant do that. Miss Bess." he Il"
IL, ssI" Il. IL
I'll have to seek the s.clus'on that III.
cabin grants before | d" it
Bess turned to the F.ngliSlmnn
You hear. Lord George" size ~
claimed. He wants To keep all tn
mystery to himself"
Lord George nodded comfortably
He jolly well better had keep il t.
himself" he declared. "Mr. Archmai
, would court-martial him II he didn't
What!'
Bess drew long breath. Clearly
, she decided, Lord George was not es
pecially interested in the instructions
"Well. call It mean" she said. BE
ware, captain, or when you come t,
open your instructions you'l find Nv,
got ahead of you and read them first
Not you, miss-unless you wheedl,
the combination of my safe out of me.
laughed the captain, as he vanished
into the chart house.
Bess said nothing more. She ha'
warned the captain in way. withon
betraying the fact that she had re
ceived the note, which she more thai
ever believed was II hoax. A littl,
later, when Captain Bunker announce,
that he would open the envelope
five O'Clock that afternoon she ipr.,
~ ed that hnoa'ndy could possibly nian,,;'
to steal the Instructions out of
locked safe in less than four hours
and that, therefore. she would sa.
nothing.
The tasks of the day had been fin
ished and. the weather being good
there was !.ttle for the crew-excep