Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17

There was a clerk of oxford wrote
something of the matter" the stran-
ger assented. THAT was after my
journey to Cathay. / brought home
q great ape and certain precious
stones. The ape upset a lanthorn
and we took fire. Most serious, though
we poured half the sea in the ship,
but happily there came a Tangier
and we carried him with much slaugh-
ter, being desperate. My company
was all for taking to our small gal
leys, but I broke them with an ak,
and there was only the Tangier ship
left. / counsel such a means, il q
foreign craft should come along"
II have no men, though" the cap.
tain reminded him. And you can't
do that anyway. these times"
81 had forgotten. Well. I recall
a mariner in my day named Taplow-
or it may be Tarpo-who, when afire,
took his ship inshore and STAYED her
planks. She sank, but took no harm.
Swimmers afterward plugged the holes
and Tarpo-or it may be Taplow-
emptied her. Twas a long job, as I
remember, but sound. His decks
stood half a fathom above water,
while his keel rested on white sand"
I'm a long way from sand" re-
minded the captain. "Still, one never
knows. / may be able to make land
carrying ought to keep her afloat,
however much water she takes. It'il
be big job. though, singIe-handed"
"The more honor" the stranger de-
clared. and you're a Craddock.
Still. if should counsel a raft, well
provisioned-'
The captain shook his head.
II don't know just what I can do
alone, but it'll be my best. She's my
first ship, and can't let her go with
out me. I know what my father
would have done, and I can't let the
family down."
II did but jest. So you will stay
with her. sink or hoat?"
''Of course"
The stranger rose and nodded.
THE sea does not change as much
as thought, and the Craddocks not
at ALL"
The captain moved uncomfortably.
Il suppose YOU think I'm a pretty
poor specimen to get in a mess like
this? And I'm none too sure of get.
ting out of it."
''You have read and heard what
the Craddocks have done, and what
Is written and said is only what the
world knows. But I could tell you
things. Men are not born to COM
mand well and to keep covenants. not
even the Craddocks, no more than
men are born swordsmen. One must
learn, with much sweat and heart
ache. / have seen your grandfather
like to die for terror when the guns
talked at Trafalgar and his captain
was slain and left him to command
alone. But / stood by his side until
it was over, and he was never both
cred again.
But neithe. he nor any other
Craddock, nor any man made his
name save through heartache and
fears that he conquered. However.
remember what Tarpo did-or it may
be Taplow. The name has escaped
me-"
Yes. I'll try and beach her"
started the captain. and looked up
and down the empty main cabin to
see where the stranger had gone.
Through the skylight the sun
streamed warmly, and he rose to his
feet and stretched, rather surprised
Now, had he been dreaming?
LIE went up on deck, his head a
- little foggy, but feeling very re-
freshed. The sea was crisp and blue,
the wind gentle. the sun we'll over
the horizon. The Prince Shan had
not sunk any lower. but smoke was
still oozing from the main hatch. He
went below to prepare breakfast.
Then 1t occurred to him that the
cabin door, which had been slam.
ming the previous evening, was now
silent. He inspected it and found it
hooked back. Then. very thought
fully. he went about shaving and
bathing and changing.
He was standing up after break
fast, lighting a cigar, when there
came a scraping feeling underfoot.
slight shock, and the Prince Shan
Jared little and heeled, resum;ng
fore-and-aft keel. The sails made
a great noise. Capt. Craddock went
upon the poop and there stopped.
He saw patches of white. perhaps
two miles or so to starboard. Be.
tween the patches and the schooner
rose a little low islet, a rocky. weed
covered patch scarcely above the
level of the water. AS the swell sub.
sided he caught glimpse Of white
sand. with few dark patches of rock.
small sort Of submerged cove on the
leeward side of an islet that was GER
tainly not on the charts.
Capt. Craddock stood for a long
time. gazing at the smooth sea that
heaved gently about him. He may
have had doubts, but he had fought
them down. He may not have held
to an immense faith in himself. in
the sea and in his ship. But at
least he had returned to her, had
come back to face. with her. what
ever might come. and the sea had
rendered him aid IN his stress. The
covenant was fulfilled. He would
never doubt or falter again. The cap
tain remembered Tarpo-or it may
have been Taplow--and what he had
done to his ship. and he laughed.
TT was nearly two months later
= when the Cormorant. government
survey ship, ran into an area of sea
literally dotted with lumber.
"A wreck" said the survey ship
captain. THE City OF Hongkong's
report was correct. but some other
poor fellow didn't see the breakers in
time"
Half day of steaming through the
wreckage-strewn sea, and the Cormo-
rant lifted low. dark patch of rock.
hardly to be distinguished as an islet.
Here she went slow ahead The man
in the crows nest called out. after a
while. and the captain lifted his
glasses and stared away to starboard.
where presently into the focus there
came the tops of four slender fnaSts.
It was two hours or more before