Perrysburg journal., March 13, 1914, Image 2

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Th AfLARRIAGE OF
121 L-
mMu
QS)t&, wa, Tf
tnraoFsis op captain kuttlh.
CHAPTBlt I The British oteamn
trorman Towers, commanded by CtptiUx
Baturaay Famish, nads Itself, htrough
lae freak of a crasy engineer, adrift In
tie nargouBa Son without coal 'walla en
route from Mexico to Liverpool.
CHAPTER II Tko first mato, Qw
Kettle, sotB off In the lifeboat with t
ere-?? of rough-necks In tho hope of
Hading a ship that will part with
taough of Its coal to enable tho dls&blod
vnol to reach Liverpool. Ha meets the
steamer Illieln.
CHAPTER III But tho Rhel refuse
to stop. A woman on board, Mlsa Violet
Chesterman, sees tl.e dirty deed, aad la
nueareo a fireman, MoTodtl, to tHisabl-
the engines.
CHAPTER IV Owen Kottle this
vrertakos tho Rheln, clambers ud It
iildo with his crew forcibly assumed
ehargo or the vokioI, and navigates it
to the point wUeru tho Norman Towers
Is drifting', aiul which hs 10-coalu
CHAPTER V Arrival of the Norma
Bowers at Liverpool. Mate Kottle sur
reptitiously d-ops out of tho ship Into
Ihi river Mersey In order to save his
aptln from a possible scandal becauso
of the Inadequacy of his coal supply
asd toe much liquor supply. Two river
plretffl assault and rob Kottle and leave
aim badly Injured. Is rescued aad
aursed back to health by Miss Dubbs,
barmaid at the Mason's AriuB.
CHAPTER VI Owen Kottle engages
with Sir George Chestermun to ko as
captain of tho Wangaroo and search the
African co.i3t for an abandonod ship
laden with metal or Treat value.
CHAPTER VII In Liverpool Captain
Settle meets McToild, the man who had
disabled tho uiiglnrs of f do Rholn, and
ilgns him as one of the cm-v of the
Wangaroo.
CHAPTER VIII In Lan Palmas har
bor Miss Dubbs appears on board tho
Wangaroo a Bstewardcss, ostensibly at
tho suggestion of Sir George, but really
Because sho wished to bo near Captain
Kettle, with whom she Is In love and to
whom she Is engaged. Miss Violet
Chesterman also becomes a pascsnger.
CHAPTER IX The Wangaroo cruloos
cruises up and down the West African
seaboard, and Captain Kettlu Anally lo
uatcs tho missing treasure ship In an
i.lmost wholly hidden bay. She provei
to be the old Norman Towers.
CHAPTER X Distracted with Jeal
ousy, caused by Miss Chesterman, Mlsd
Dubbs cancels her engagement with
Captain Kettle.
CHAPTER XI Captain Kottle peril
ously navigates the wangaroo Into tho
harbor where lies the Norman Towers,
which Is In possesion c natives, who
Are on the Wangaroo.
CHAPTER XII Chief Bergash ap-
Bears on shore nt tho head of a troop of
erbers and seeks an Interview. Ho Is
Invited nboard tho ship. He proves to
have been educated at an English uni
versity. Captain Kottle heartily dis
likes him. He tells the Englishmen
that they cannot tako tho Normnn Tow
ers away. Miss Dubbs recognizes Bor
gash as ono whom sho had helped In a
bicycle accident during his Bchool days
In England. ,
Chapter XIII Kald BorgasU's stone
eastlo In tho Atlas mountains. Why his
son was sent to England to be edu
cated. CHAPTER XIV Tho Berber aueen.
mother of Chief Bergash, calls In state
on tho ofllcers of the Wangaroo and de
livers presents to them. Tho visitors
are Invited to make themselves at home
oa board ship.
(Now go on with the story.
CHAPTER XVI.
Miss Chesterman's Warning.
C lAPTAIN KETTLE, with the
professional assistance of
--. tho Wangaroo'a cook, who
cbSSe was also butcher, was bar
gaining with some coast Moors over
flvo sheep.
The sheep, with their legs tied,
lay In a boat alongside, Kettle stood
'nt the foot of the accommodation
ladder, and the cook was in the
boat that sawed up and down at
the foot of it.
Tho cook ran an expert hand oyer
the animals' loins. "All very this,
sir, except this old ram, and I
should say he'll be too tough for the
cabin to eat. They've got flat taila.
sir, like beavors, and by the feel ot
them the tails are just bladders of
tallow."
The Moor evidently caught hip
meaning, and nodded vehemently
both to the cook, and upward to
Captain Kettlo. The latter made
vigorous signs of cutting off the
tails and throwing them into the
pea. Tho Moorish farmer was a pic
ture of amazement and expostula
tion. He lifted wide his arms to
the spruce little Captain Kettle, and
poured forth a torrost of coast Ara
bic. "You're wasting all those 'ath
letics," said the mariner. "Coma,
quire, ten shillings for the flock, or
lso row away to tho next market
town, I'm not going to stand bora
at the front door-stop haggling all
day for a Joint or two of fresh
Beat"
The man stopped, and with frnntto
gesture pointed to the flat tails of
tho sheep, explaining how wide, hew
fat, and how truly succulent thoy
wore, and signified that the flvo
were worth flvo gold coins at tfaa
ery lowest fleure.
"Tho tails, if you choose," raid
Captain Kettlo, contemptuously, "you
day cut off and tak'e home wltbTyou
If you like. Wo're not pagans on
this packet to have any hankering
after animated tallow candlos for
our dinner. And tako your ugly
black paws off my trousers, you."
Captain Kcttlo'B neat pipe-clayed
shoe was uplifted, and caught tho
man who was flngoring him accu
rately on the sbou'der, and Bnt him
rolling over into the bottom of the
boat.
It Is curious how some things
strlko tho Moor, in nineteen cases
oul of twopty there would have been
a roar of laughter from the others,
LAAdlVHft
ITU
BM&ina: cmpa
.'
who would have found the koUb
rough Jest whloh exactly Jumped with
their own boorish taste. But bare
was the twentieth case.
With tho quickness of light ono
f the man's fellows drew a curved
daggor from tho brass sheath that
hung by Its red cord from his neck,
and flew llko a wildcat for tho little
sailor's throat. And with nineteen
men out of twonty the suddon blow
would have got home.
Captain Kettle was tho exception.
Hln apprenticeship to the seats had
been thorough, and he was always
noted for his quickness. He caught
tho man's wrist as it descended,
diickod beneath It, and hove down.
The fellow's elbow cracked noisily,
tho knife foil into tho water, and tho
vlotlm shrieked.
"You might want that knife some
day," said Captain Kettle, ami sont
him after It, broken arm and all,
But tho other six Moors in tho
boat, as though it was a signal,
pulled weapons and rushed in for
vengeance, and ono of them beat
down tho cook with Ills dagger hilt
In passing.
Kottle took the attack lightly
enough. Ho ran up the ladder halt
i dozen stops backward, lugged n
revolver from his pocket, and point-1
ud It with steady aim at the first
man's stomach. He rushed and was
dropped, shot neatly through the
Hhoulder. Two more followed, and
were shot down, and the other three
retired hurriedly to their boat and
picked up the oars.
"No, you don't," said Kettle, and
threatened them with his weapon.
"Into the water you get and swim
If you can, or drown If you choose,
or be eaten by sharks If they'll have
you. And if you've killed my cook,
who at least cnu make a curry, I'll
plug tho throe of you."
He forced thorn furiously over the
gunwale of the boat at the niuzzlc
of his smoking revolver, and then
stooped and made swift examination
of his man. '
"Ah, luckily for you, cookie's not
dead, and I think he'll be round
again directly. On deck thore, Mr.
Forster. Send down a couple ot
hands and get these sheep run up
on deck. They are confiscated as
lawful fine and costa for attempted
assault and battery."
Captain Kettle ran nimbly up the
ladder, and In tho gangway came on
his owner wiping perspiration from
a high forehead with a tremulous
handkerchief.
"The treacherous devils," said Sir
George.' "But I nevor saw a neater
fight."
"Thank you, sir," said Captain
Kottle, touching his cap. "But In
view of what'B happened I want to
press upon you my Idea that it
would be as well If we get across
to the old Towers, and took posses
sion of her without further palaver.
I daresay Mr. Bergash may mean
well; as you say so, I won't dispute
it; but If we are In for a fight over
at the other side of the lagoon there,
I'd like to got It over with before
I they have time to get ready any
I more surprise packets for us."
"Ye-es," Sir George agreed. "Just
i let's go into the chart house a min
ute."
When they were there out of ear
shot of tho crew and tho door shut:
"You know," said the older man,
"what wo carry an cargo?"
"I suppose you mean those Win
chester repeaters and cases of am
munition?"
"Yes. Well, I've sold tho lot. The
rifles ran- mo to four-pound ton a
pleco, and I'm getting ten ounces of
gold for every ono, which is some
whero In the neighborhood of thirty
eight pounds per gun. Tho cart
ridges are to be paid for at the
rate of two ounces a hundred, and
they cast mo fifteen shillings."
Captain Kettle took a pad and
inado rapid calculation. "That's a
bit over fifteen thousand pounds. I
give you my best congratulations,
sir. That brings you out with a
big profit on tho venture already.
And now I want, If you please, as
captain, to give you a mouthful of
advice. When wo get that money on
board, I want you to let me steam
back to Grand Canary and bank It.
At tho same time I can leave you
and the lndlos ashoro and come back
hero and finish tho Job."
"You still think you'd be able to
got' the Gorman Towera out even
if tho people ashoro who objected
wore reinforced by two hundred up-to-date
Winchester rifles?"
"Oh I don't deny that it will
make f.ilngs a bit tougher, sir. But
I've said I ran do It, and that seems
to me the end of the matter. At
the same time, I don't mind owning
to you that with tho ladleB off tho
ihlp, and safe elsewhere, I shall
lose my present nervousness."
Sir George chuckled. "You've only
heard half tho deal, and when I tell
you the rest I belle re thnt oven you
Will bo convinced that Bergash In
tends to play fair. It's ho, ot course,
wh Is buying the cargo. Ho is
golu to cay now, as soon as he
en send for the fold whloh ap
parently he keeps In his wine-cellar,
or la it ,buttr-coolerT and bring It
en board here within a couple ot
daysi But by his own suggestion he
doesn't take dollvory of the rifles
aad ammunition till wo'to got the
Norman Towers out of the lagoon,
and are ready to sail with her In
consort ourselves. Now, then, my
good Skipper, play en that"
Captain Kottle thought a while,
and then sighed. "It seems simple.
But, by James, to me it looks too
simple to bo wholosome. Thero's
no donying that tho market price ot
WinohosterB up-country in Morocco
is a lot moro than it Is In London
or Connecticut, but Mr. Borgash is
a man with an English upbringing,
and he knows how to get stuff out
here It he wants It. Paying jeven
to eight times thelr valuo forYan
ko rifles Is out of all reason. Why,
he could got ovon thoso shiftless
Grand Canary Ashing schooners to
run them across horo for half that."
"I didn't haggle," said Sir George
rather stiffly, "nor did Mr. Bergash.
He heard what wo'd got, and he
Just made tho offer In- round figures
ao I've told you. I took It. Per
haps It may throw a light on the
matter if I point out to you that
gold has relatively littlo valuo up
thcro In tho Atlas. They can't eat
It, and they don't wear It, and I
gather that they can get It by wash
lug out the sands In the local bocks
with comparatively little labor. As
regards .1 guarantee of good faith,
I don't i,ee how ho could offer a
more conclusive one than proposing
to leave tho guns in our possession
'111 all chalice of using them against
us would be over."
"Well, Blr, you are owner, and It
Is for mo to carry out my orders.
If It doesn't interfere with arrange
ments, I may tell you that when tho
moon goes down and all 1b nice and
quiet and dark, I mean to tako my
gig and slip acroBS the lagoon to
where the Towers is lying, and find
out for myself how things exactly
are nt the moment. The glass shows
she hasn't an anchor down, and I've
had her against careful shoro bear
ings, and she hasn't budged a foot
since wo came in here with the
Wangaroo. She was ranging about
1 bit when wo. came to reconnolter
In that surf-boat. She's got water
under her now and she's not an
chored The tides, both ebb and
Hood, run round that bight where
she is at a good six knots, r.wl still
sho doesn't move."
"Then sho miitt bo tied up In
some other way. I'm ntrald," con
tinued Sir George Impatiently, "tha'
all thiB tedious technical detail 13 a
bit beyond me. The Norman Towers
Is there, and you say afloat, and
that's all that ren'ly Interests me.
We'll pull her ou when we are
ready. In the meanwhile I can tell
you I am pretty well ctirfied with
ny bargain about the guns, and tho
naln thing I am concerned In now
is to keep Bet gash In a good hu
mor. I'm off below for a cup of
tea. Come as soon as you're reuly."
Sir George got up and loft the
chart house. He was distinctly ruf
fled, and hoped to find a more con
genial atmosphere below, in the
companlonway he met his sister
She was white-faced and trembling,
le took her arm in a large, firm
land and looked at her curiously.
"Is he hurt?" she asked. "Oh,
Teorge, how dreadful! I've only Just
neard."
"Is who hurt?"
"Captain Kettlo."
"He Is not. I thought perhaps you
were inquiring about one of your
lark friends."
"Why? What do you mean?"
"Well, several of them arc hurt, 1
father, pretty bndly. Your little
ouptaln mutt needs pick a quarrel
with some local boatmen as to
whether he should pay ten shillings
or a pound for some sheep, and
then, when they naturally objected,
10 proceeded to shoot down about
.-.Ix of them."
"Presumably ho was risking his
Ife, and I supposo that's what It
amounts to, in your Interests?"
"If you call cheese-paring over
'.en shillings at tho rlMc of upsetting
x deal for fifteen thousand pounds
helping my interests, 1 suppose he
was."
She stood starinr with round eyes
over his shoulder.
"You think on'y of your money.
And you know ', might have been
killed killed! Oh, if he had been!"
Sir George tightened his grip and
uhook his sister's arm gently.
"I say, you know, Violet, you must
pull yourself together. I'm quite
aware , it's only to me, but you're
rather giving the show away."
"And do you think I mind? lie
knows. There's truly no secret
about my caring for him Emily
knows, for that matter."
"Emily? Oh, -you mean the stew
ardess I gather sh? waB engaged
to him ut once."
"I believe sho was. It's broken
off now. I don't know why, and
didn't inquire; I was grateful enough
for the bare fact. I want him niy.
eolf, George, and I moan to have
him."
"But I say, old lady, that'll hunlly
do, you know. Of course, I twigged
you wore putting (n a pretty hard
flirtation with the littlo man, but
then, of course, that's only your way.
You always did flirt with every
thing in trousers K that came Along
over since you were a six-year-old..
Stll1 there nro limits to everything,
an daeh It all, when it comet to
cutting oul your own maid with her
young man, well, I call It bad form,"
"I'll admit what you please, In-
eluding the flirting. It began with
that, I suppose. But lfs got past
that now. I'm hit I've never felt
this way about any aaon before, and
It's the real thing come at last,
Oaorge."
"You moan you're roally in lovo
with the chap?"
"That's tho usual phraso."
"But you can't marry him. He's
an awfully decont littlo fellow In hit.
way, I know, but, dash it all, Vlolot,
do look facts in the face. He isn't
our clip. If you want a husband,
you absolutely must got ono out of
your own class. If you'vo roally
made up your mind to marry, why
don't you whistle up Inglcborough
again? He's a very decont Bort of
chap, and I know he'd have you
like a bird. If you married this
Kottle, you know perfectly well ev
erybody would cut you."
Sho plucked away her arm, and
fooed him doflantly. "And do you
imagine I'd caro? D'you think I'm
not heartily sick ot tho whole crew
of them? Anyway, you of all peo
ple, have a precious small right to
give adVlco on such a subject. You
did yourself what you're advising
mo to do. You married a woman in
your own clnss, and a bonny mess
you made of It. You stuck to ono
another Just six months, if I recol
lect my dates aright "
"A year, you spitfire"
"Call It that if you like, and for
the last three you haven't spent ten
nights under tho sam - roof, and only
those by tho accident ot being asked
to tho samo house party. You mar
ried according to rulo, and I, with
your fine example bofore me, am
going to marry to please myself
That Is, If he'll have me."
"Oh, dash it all, there can be no
question about tho man snapping you
up, If you're fool enough to chuck
yourself away on him."
She laughed rathor bitterly "It
will take something desperato to
wake him up to the fact that ho can
really love me, and I'm getting my
scheme in order."
"What mischief are you up to
now?"
"You'll find out when r"begin to
make uso of you. Oh, you needn't
bcowI at me like a cheap actor.
You are all the brother I've got,
and you've made a mess of It your
self. I am all tho sister you have,
and I've never asked you for any
thing big, and now that I've made
up my mind what's the one thing in
all my lire I want, and shall ever
want. I'm simply going to make you
help get it for me."
"My dear old girl, I'd be very glad
to do anything I could for you m
Vison. But I tell you It's abso
lutely preposterous of you to think
ot marrying my skipper; and, frank
ly, you must look upon mo as the
opposition."
. "All right, George! That's a fair
nnd sportsmanlike warning. Sorry
if I rather slopped over just now.
But if I want you. don't kick if you
find yourself being asked. And don't
abuse me later on If you find I've
run you in for a scheme that's a
bit dangerous, when an easier one
would have done if you'd offered
to help in It decently."
CHAPTER XVII.
A Mystery Is Solved.
T
HE night overhead and
around was covered In
with a black, velvety dark
ness, unflecked by gleam
of moon or glimmer of star; but the
top of every wavelet of the lagoon
was tipped with pale phosphorescent
light, and every oar stroke stirred
up a boil of pallid flame.
Mr. McTodd lighted his pipe and
hospitably offered a cake of black
tobacco and an open clasp knife to
his superior officer. "Cut yourself
a fill," he suggested. "We're illumi
nated like a shop window in Saucle
hall street, and tobacco glow will be
lost in the general magnificence."
"I thank you," said Captain Ket
tlo civilly; "but I've had to drop
my pipe for professional reasons.
But you're quite right about the
light. The lagoon's flaring round us
like a village fair, and 'if unyone's
awake on this side of Africa, and
looking out, we're hero to be seen.
So I'll just follow your example,
and set fire to a cigar."
"I wish I'd a boiler-plate over
coat llko ray ancestor, the Crusader,
used to wear. Tho Moors'll be snip
ing at us presently, when we draw
within range ot their gas-pipes."
"Moors or Berbers. That head
man we've got on board, who Bays
he's been to an English college,
wants me to believe that the ma
jority of the tribes round hero are
Berbers, nnd they're as harmless as
the teachers in a Quaker Sunday
school, Tho only bad men in this
section are the Moors, accordlug to
Bergash."
A bonfire suddenly lighted and
spouted up Into the sky, and waB as
suddenly eclipsed by the blackness
Of tho night.
"A flare," said Kettle, "and as
they haven't mineral oil down here
that I know of, I should say it was
somebody firing two handfuls of
gunpowder. Well, It means that ono
nigger, at any rate, Is awako and
thinking of us, and that's bptter
than being dead and forgotten Eyes
In the boat, men, and attend to
your rowing. Mr. McTodd anl I
are qulto capablo of looking aftor
our own personal conveniences with
out your unskilled assistance. And
by Jnmesl there's an answering flare
away up In on the mountain,"
d'Oosh! It looks as It they're roue,
tag the clans to do no honor, Aweol,
I've no Immediate uso tor your rifles.
Hard work with thoit rattle-traps ot
engines has left my hand no' over
steady. But I've brought along
three-quarter Inch opannur, and If
you'll bring tho liant up to close
duartera, I'll show you how It Is
used by an expert. Hava ye matches?
This talklug's put my plpo out."
The t gig crawled on steadily
through the night, stirring lambent
flames; and twlco moro did flares
of gunpowder among tho foot-hills
nf tho Atlas call notice to tho fact
that Africa was awake. Captain
Kottle Bteoretl by compass nlono,
and (as the current was running
strongly) had to make n caBt baok
boforo he found the Norman Tow
ers; nnd ovon thon, bo black was
the night that tho nolBo of his oars
scraping along her plates was tho
first advertisement he had ot hr
nearness.
"Row steady, men," he ordored,
and coastod down her length, and
then swung tho boat under her coun
ter, and brought up against tho lad
dor which hung down her farthor
side. The heavy teak ladder had
rungs broken, and tho davit to which
It hung was bent outboard.
"You will stay here," ho ordered,
"ready to put off when I come
back;" and with that ho stepped out
on tho grating nnd ran lightly up
the steps, and disappeared into the
black silence of the night.
Presently his volco called down in
a ghostly whisper from the rail
above: "Mr. McTodd, tell tho men
to p.iss the boat slowly round to
tho starboard side. Mind, they're to
work her along Inch by Inch, so a
not to stir the phosphorescence, and
I will drop them a rope's end over
board to ride to, just level .with tho
break of the bridge deck. D'ye hear
mo?"
"Aye, aye."
"And do you come up on top horo
yourself, and bring that spanner
you're so proud of."
Mr. McTodd's gait was ungalnl,
but his oil-soaked slippers made no
sound. Also, being a Bhlpman, h&
knew which way to turn and what
to avoid.
"Weel," he said, when he Joined
his commander, "it's a fine night,
aud I forget when I enjoyed an
evening's prospects mors thoroughly.
But when's the entertainment to
commence?"
"Hold your tongue, Mac, and lis
ten. Listen hard."
Mr. McTodd removed his pipe,
opened his mouth, and cocked an at
tentive ear.
"Well, what do you make out?"
"I hear a small ' slap-dashing of
wavelets upon tho old girl's skin,
and a bit of a sough or the wind,
and you're breathing although I
reckon you're trying to keep It quiet;
and I think thero's a yap of a dog
though tnayho It's a jackal some
where among those mountains In
tho far distance."
"But where are the Moors who
should be waiting around t cor
ner to Jump out and cut our
throats?"
"I can only hear what I tolled
ye."
"I can make out no iinre myself
If there were men here In quantity
we ought to hear them breathing,
or rustling, or coughing. Mac, I
believe they've played n game on us.
We camo here (both of us, I sup
pose) ready for battle, murder, and
Budden death, and it's my idea the
ship's deserted."
"But we'll go-look-see before 1 O.
K. that," said the cautious Scot.
"And we'll go together, and stand
by ready for trouble. But it's my
idea we shall find none."
"Aye," said McTodd. readlnc bin
'thoughts, "it'll look ugly if they've
loit ner. weel, we may as well be
gin whero there'll be tho worst
Bmoll, and that's forrard."
Section by section they search ed
the Norman Towers. They went
through both firemen's and seameu'a
forecastle, and found no living soul.
Hatches were off, and they peered
Into the gloom of holds, and into
tho gassy corners of bunkers. They
clattered down the rusted engine
room ladder, and hunted through
shaft tunnel, pump alley, boiler
room more bunkers".
McTodd climbed aloft and Investi
gated dusty corners behind the don
key boiler. They went through mess
room, galley, pantries, state-rooms;
they hunted through moro holds.
They searched the chart house, nnd
(as a last afterthought) the paint
store. And nowhere did they And a
alnglo Moor or Berber ulive or
dead.
"This Is a buggar." ,ild Mr. Mc
Todd. "Ono can understond that thy
would go over every bit of her oven
moro carefully than we have done,
and loot her right and left. But the
astonishing thing to mo b: first,
the amount of dirt thoy have
brought on board; and, second, why
they should have left It practically
all In ono track. The decks below
were comparatively, clean, and they
don't seem to have been paddling
about particularly In tho cabins,
for Instance, or tho engino-room
But from tho port gangway over
yonder theye are two lines of mud
and stono splinters going forward
and aft, and then going thwartshlpt
as soon as thero's a chance, and
then promenading alt tho length o
the port aide.'-
McTodd scraped a match, stoopei
down, and otlrred the deposit witl,
nls finger. 'There's too much here
for them to have brought aboard
stuck between their tqes or smeared
on their sandals. Thore't enough
depth of mud on these decks, Skip
per, to grow oalB and It looks good,
dark, chocolate-colored, fertile soil,,
too, If ono raked out some of the
splinters ot stono."
"That rock thoy wero qunrrylns
from, and which' wo can't seo In this
dnrkncBS, Ib chocolate-colorod, too.
Can you seo tho loom of tho shore
line, Mao? How far do you inako
it away from tho ship's side?"
"I should say a kherb's length."
"That'n exactly my idoa. Tho shore
horo Is atoo-to, nnd sho lies In doop
wntor closo to It."
"Sho's ns Btlll aB if she was
docked."
"Sho Is In a dock, I do beliovo.
I've an idea they've lifted that stone,
lump by lump, upon tholr shoulders,
carried it down tho beach, towed in
a big khorb to act as floating gang
way, carried it along that nnd up
tho side and that'B how that big
tea kladder got .brokon, by n rock
falling on It. Thon they've shoul
dered It over tho decks here, drop
ping bits by the way; and then
they've pitched It over tho port side
Into thu lagoon. There wero hun
dreds ot them, and there woro thou
sands upon thousands of tons of
the stone. They wero quarrying It
during all the dayt, nnd under cover
of tho night they wero tipping It
over the Tower's port rail, and
building up a dock wall of rubblo
from tho lagoon floor to pen her In.
Uy James, Mad, '. waB boasting to
Kir George not mnny hours back
that 1 would pull the old boat out
of hero in spito of all the Berbers
In Africa, and I've never yet broken
my word. Man and boy, I've done
a good many things to bo ashamed
of, but telling lies is not ono of
them, and it looks as lf hero I've
made a commencement."
"Man, I'm vera afraid you're right.
What's that you're doing?"
"Stripping, I'm going overboard to
mako sure."
"Hold on," said tho Scot. "I'm
the better diver of the two, nnd
we've proved it already, and thoso
ducks nshoro are still signaling to
one another with gunpowder flares
In the local Morse code. If there's
trouble, the hands In tho boat will
take advice better from you than
me."
Owen Kettle, master of the steam
ship Wangaroo, was the last man
on earth to take what practically
amounted to an order from ono ot
his own underlings, nnd I merelv
record this ono instance in which
he let Mr. McTodd have his own
way to show how badly ho was hit
by the dismaying discovery he had
Just made.
He had boasted yes, It amounted
to that, bragged (as he told himself
bitterly (that he could do a certain
thing; and behold it had become
Impossible. He had been confident
In the skill and strength of his own
right nrm, In the breadth of his
resourcefulness, in the force of his
own brazen courage, and behold a
set of cunning savages had made
tho feat he hail promised to perforin
1 physical Impossibility.
Savages? Yes, but from the very
start he had always held to a sus
picion that there was a white man
t tho back of this active hive, di
recting them. White man? Why
not that dog of an infidel, Sidl Mo
hammed Bergash?
Captain Kettle had come to be
lieve In his own instincts, and open
ly and frankly he had mistrusted
this Moor or Berber, or whatever
ho was, with tho English education,
ever slnco ho had seen him for the
Brst time rldo up along the beach,
nnd Bit on a horso that straddled
out Its legs as though It were stand
ing to bo photographed In a show
ring.
He slid down a rope Into tho boat
ind waited for Mr. McTodd. That
xpert reappeared on tho surface
from time to time, took in air sup
plies, kicked up his heels, and dls
uppeared to mako further explora
tions. Finally he swam with a vigorous
ilde-stroke back to the boat, jerked
himself up to her stern, aud stepped
Inboard.
"You may go back home, Captain,"
paid he, reaching for his clothes,
"as fast as ye like. The survey ot
the sea floor's clearly mapped In
my head. And I may say tho con
lours are well, are as ye surmised
or worse. Gosh, and thoy say In
the school-books that I was brought
up on in Balllndrochater that It's to
nts we're to look up as tho most
Industrious animals on the face of
the globe. Well, after tonight's ex
perience, I shall Just have to write
1 postscript. It's prodigious the
work these pagans must have put
In. How's the tide?" ,
"An hour past flood."
"Weel, thore'B n bank of stono
rubbie down there wldo enough to
5arr a railroad. It's a matter of
twelvo feot below tho water sur
face now, and I should say It just
alcely covered at the bottom of tho
ebb. But It runs up to tho rock
ihAad, and to tho shoal water
istfii-n, and I guess friend Borgash
ind his clansmen havo got the Nor
man Towers fixed hero as firmly as
is they'd got hor bolted down Into
the bed-plato of Africa and fock
itottrd through to China below"
(To be ContUutU)
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