The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 189: what you’re looking at

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

SAILING WITH MORGAN. Alston?” I said. “ And have the men get the anchor. We will get some can- vas on her and run back a few miles on our course, so that we will not get into any row with their patrol-boats.”” I stood for a moment in the com- panionway, listening to the patter of the men’s feet as they tramped round the capstan and the clank, clank, of the pawls; then her head paid off be- fore the breeze and presently [ heard the cluck and gurgle of the water past the after run as she began to speak as we headed out into the lake, and [ went slowly below to console Dolores. She was standing in the cabin, and when I entered her two cold little hands grasped mine and I drew them determinedly about my neck. She de- murred a little, but let them stay where I put them. “Oh, what shall I do, Esteban?” she asked. “ What shall I do?” And -she began to sob. “* Where is Sefior Cabrera? Was he killed? ”’ “T fear he was,” [ answered grave- ly. “I fear he was killed where he stood, there on the beach. Oh, how I longed for a dark street up which you and he could have fled for safety! You must see, sweetheart, that what I have done was the only thing that was possible. The patrol had seen you, and had you fallen into their hands you could not have explained your presence—” - “How can I explain my presence here?” she asked. “You must stay here in the cabin, and when daylight comes we, will see what can be done. ‘There is one thing certain, and that is that you cannot go ashore. There is another thing! I have not yet told you that [ am on a desperate venture and that this ship is a fire-ship.”’ “A fire-ship ?”’ “Yes. And we are destined to be the first in action this day, and we fight with halters about our necks, for we cannot expect quarter if we should be taken prisoners. They would hang us as high as Haman.” 4 fi 891 “But what is a fire-ship? ” I told her and felt her tremble. “And when you have—have done— what you can — how then shall you ~~ escape?” “We must trust to luck partly for that,” I replied. “In the mean time I will get you a man’s clothing from one of the effigies on deck. If we have to take to the boat, or, rather, when we have to take to the boat, you will be seriously hampered by your skirts. I will leave you now and get the clothes, and then I will stay on deck. Do you lie down and, if you can, sleep!” I knew, of course, that she could not sleep. I was all atremble with excite- ment, for now that we were safe aboard ship I could see the awful chances that had been against us dur- ing the night. [ picked up the first effigy that I saw and, stripping it, I carried the clothes to Dolores and returned to the deck, where I sat upon the deck-house chat- ting to Alston till dawn began to break behind us and the fog began to lift from the water. The sun came up presently in a blaze of glory, and’ we set to at our break- fasts. I carried some food and water down to Dolores, and after talking to her for a few moments I was about to return to the deck, when a shout rang out like a trumpet. “Sail ho!” it said. And again: “ Sail ho!” I sprang for the companion-ladder and, gaining the deck, I ran hurriedly forward into the very eyes of the ship. The men were grouped about the capstan, and it did not need their point- ing to show me what the lookout had sighted, for far away down to the southward the level rays of the sun flecked lightly on the canvas of the sails of the ships of our squadron that the man had seen through a rift in the fog wreath as it rolled away along the surface of the bay. “One, two, three, four, five—yes, and there is the sixth. The whole fleet “ Sail: ho!” GOmiGoooks (C@)