The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 227: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF “Had we better wake the others? ” asked Foster. “Some of us are awake now,” spoke up the professor, coming from the cabin. At the sight of him the two kaybees, who seemed to know that he was their master, set up a terrific screaming. “ Well, we need do nothing to attract the attention of any one on that ship,” - said Ross. “If those two can’t manage it I don’t see what we can do.” “ What is it?” asked Mr. Donaldson, now appearing. “There’s a ship in sight. We ean’t make out just yet which way she 1s go- ing, but probably with us.” “Hardly,” said Ross. “ They haven’t the speed. You mean in the same direc- tion.”, : “God send they see us,” said Mr. Donaldson, much agitated. “I must . rouse -Marv.” The professor stood quietly with folded arms, watching the sails as they gradually grew larger. It certainly was a ship, but her course was such that unless we made better speed, we could not hope to get very near. Mary was soon on deck. She did not remember the ship that was wrecked and wuich doomed her to fourteen years on an island, and had never seen one since. She stood by my side and gazed with something like awe at the white sails as the sun made them glisten. “ Will they see us?” she asked in a whisper, as if subdued by the presence of the vessel. “That is difficult to answer, Miss Donaldson. We will try, just as soon as we can see the ship herself, to attract her attention.” “How far away do you make her to be, Bayne?” asked Foster. “Four miles, at least.” “Then there is little hope that they will see us. I can realize now that we cannot get any nearer to her. She is already past us, and going very fast.” “We could try the guns.” “Yes, but a modern rifle doesn’t make noise enough to attract them. Try it, anyhow.” I brought out two rifles, and Foster THE HANDICAP. 223 and I each fired one. There was no change in the ship’s course, and we could now see the hull. We were actually getting nearer the ship, but at the same time our chances of being seen by her were growing less. ‘The distance between her course and ours was lessening, but she was going ahead at such a rate that we should soon be left far behind. Mary Donaldson seemed to be less agitated than her father. Unused to the dangers of a ship, yet remembering that one had sent her to an island exile. she seemed not to be anxious for any further experiments. “Tam surprised at you, Miss Donald- son,” I said. “I expected you would grow excited and cry, and—well, take on, as the women say.” “What for?” she asked in surprise. “That goes faster, but this is a good boat.” “Spoken like a heroine of the sea,” said Ross. “Tl back the Handicap against a ship in a blow.” “T am not sure but you are right,” said the professor. “This raft, or rather the security of this raft, depends altogether on the ropes. There is no sinking to it. It can’t turn over. If it holds together it will carry us around the world.” “Tt is a low, rakish craft, like a pirate in a novel,” said Ross. “Ever see a real pirate?” asked Foster. .“ Been traveling with two the past year.” Mr. Donaldson and Mary laughed. “You can never get the best of Ross,” said Donaldson. “He is ready for you. But I fear we shall not meet that ship, pirate or no pirate.” “If we are going to attract their at- — tention it is time to do it; they are get- ting away,” said Foster. We fired again, and the professor and Ross waved their coats. But the ship sailed serenely on. It might have been that the lookout ~ did see us and thought our raft was one of the many odd shaped vessels used by the islanders. At any rate, the ship passed out of sight and we settled down to our ordinary dav’s routine. Mary prepared breakfast, and after ECOMRiNIEloOO@ SS) Colin