A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 54: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A QUEER RACE. 51 crying over spilt milk, you know. If we were to cast off the Lady Jane we could not get rid of the rats; and it may be a false alarm, after all. I really don’t see what harm they can do.” But this was all make-believe—whistling to keep his courage up. I:knew that in his heart Peyton thought just as I did, and feared the worst. When I went on deck next morning I missed Biull Bailey, and asked Bucklow what had become of him. “*On the sick-list.” ‘‘ What is the matter?” ‘‘J don’t know; but I believe he is very sick. The captain has seen him; he will tell you.” We had no surgeon on board, and the captain, in addi- tion to his other functions, acted as doctor. WhenI saw him, I asked what was wrong with Bailey—if it was any- thing serious. ‘* Very serious, ’ was the answer. “It surely is not——” ‘‘t am sorry to say it is.” ‘‘ But 1s it not possible you may be mistaken? Are you certain that your diagnosis is correct?” ‘‘ Do 1 know a case of yellow fever when I see it, you mean? Jl ought. When Iwas second officer of the Neva, one of the Royai Mail steamers, you know, we once had seventy deaths from yellow fever within a week of leavy- ing St. Thomas’. Yes, Bailey has got it; and I fear it will go hard with him, poor fellow!” It did go hard with him. Forty-eight hours later the quartermaster’s body was stitched up in hishammock and committed to the deep, and at the captain’s request I read the funeral service over the poor fellow’s watery grave. “The first victim,” I thought. ‘‘ Who will be the next?” CHAPTER IX. YELLOW JACK. LIKE a good many other men, Peyton did not like to own, even to himself, that he had made a mistake; and as [ could well see, he was continually casting about in his mind for reasons that might justify him for taking the Lady Jane in tow, in forgetfulness of the french say- (E(O) nm O) oof)