The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 202: what you’re looking at

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

198 We settled our account at the hotel, and slept that night on the yacht. We measured a space to set the cage on deck, and slumbered with fond dreams of birds as big as elephants carrying us across the sea. In the morning we burried to find the professor, and under his direction ordered a quantity of potatoes, carrots, corn, and meat for his pet. We then employed a contractor to cart the cage to the yacht, which had to be warped to the wharf for its ship- ment. On the way through the streets we were followed by crowds of wonder- ing people. ‘Never saw so much interest im a flying machine before,” said Ross. The cage, with the great bird inside, was soon in its place, and the crew. agape with astonishment, swaried round it to look. ‘* Ask the coal heavers if they want this fellow’s bill for shovels,” said one. The cook, getting some wind of the affair in the galley, soon appeared with his shiny black face wreathed in smiles. When he saw what had been brought aboard, his countenance changed in- stantly and his eyes stuck out of his head like corks. “Fo’ de Lod’s sake!” he yelled. “Am I gotter cook dat ting fo’ din- ner?” We assured him that this would not be one of his duties, unless starvation - assailed us, and even then we ques- tioned if we would not better begin on shoe leather before we tackled the bird. At last we got under way, and only we three and the professor were left around the cage. “T should assert, without fear of con- tradiction,’ said the professor, as the bird walked around inside, ‘“ judging from his manner of strutting, that he did have one of the auk family as an ancestor.” “He certainly had an ancestor who could fly,” said Foster. ‘And from his feet, swim,” I added. At that moment the kavbee let out its discordant note. ‘“* And sing sweetly,” put in Ross, We paid little attention to the course. The professor gave the captain the copy of the ship’s log showing about where THE ARGOSY. the bird dropped on deck, and we cared little whether we were going east, west, north, or south. We were out for the biggest lark of our lives—not to make another pun on the poor kaybee—and that was enough for three healthy young fellows with nothing else to do. We passed around south of Australia, and entered the Indian Ocean. After that 1 heard the captain say our course was about northwest, and we settled down to a long sail. We passed few islands, and those we did see, the professor and captain avreed, were too well known to be the home of any such bird as the kaybee. CHAPTER ITI. THE FACE IN THE BUSH. THE first two days after rounding the southwestern poimt of Australia, we sighted several ships; but this soon came to an end, and we seemed to have the entire ocean to ourselves. “We are now in the region of the terrible monsoon,” said the captain. “At this season of the year the cur- rents set toward the west. I hope we won't meet with a monsoon. I doubt the ability of the yacht to cope with it.” “Oh, I don’t know,” said Ross. “A vacht that can stand a kaybee ought to be on friendly terms with a monsoon. ] am learning more about science every day. We’ve learned what a kaybec eats. I wonder what a monsoon eats.” “Ships,” said the captain with a grin. Had it not been for the ever ready nonsense of Koss, the long days without a sight of anything would have become monotonous. But they passed very pleasantly, and the professor proved to be a valuable member of our company. He was ever ready to talk on interesting subjects, and, being a man of much study and travel, he had no difficulty in getting an audience. Suddenly one noon the captain sur- prised us. ‘We are now at the spot men- tioned,” he said. “I don’t suppose you care what longitude or latitude, but it was here that the kavbee fell on the GOHMGOOo SS (GO) awa