The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 231: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF know how to guide a vessel at night. Let us study the heavens and see if we cannot keep a reasonably straight course.” : “ Pick out a star,” said the professor, “and follow that. I will show you.” “ We can go toward it very fast when it is shining on the other side of the world,” said Ross. “Oh, now, Mr. Ross,” interposed Mary. “ You are becoming what papa would call—how do you say it ?—pessi- mistic.”’ “ Permit me to say, Miss Donaldson,” said Ross, “ that you are widely mis- taken. Pessimism on the Handicap, with you for company, would be impos- sible. I was merely musing aloud.” “Don’t muse aloud,” said Foster. “You are liable to be thrown over- board.” Our spiritse returned, and the rait behaved admirably. It was early morn- ing when we started, and long before night the island had sunk below the horizon. The first evening of the second at- tempt was spent much the same as the first night of the first trip. We gath- ered on deck, and as the breeze was light, we had simply to attend to the steering. While Ross held the tiller, we told stories, sang a few songs of college memories, and tried to get Mary to sing. But she was too shy. Donaldson was no musician himself, and had never made any attempt to cultivate Mary’s voice. : . “Some day perhaps I will try,” she said, “ when I hear real good music.” “Take the tiller, Bayne,” said Ross. “1m going to jump overboard. That’s the worst I have ever had fired at me.” “Oh, I did not mean that,” cried Mary. ‘“ But I mean what papa has told me of—great concerts where there is music on pianos and other instruments. I can’t remember all he mentioned. Is one not a violin?” “ Several are,” said Ross. “I had one on the Siren. Wish I had it here.” “I’m glad you haven't,” I told him. “You Jonahed the Siren. Let this raft alone.” « “What! This raft could stand any- - thing if it can stand two kaybees.” About midnight Mary retired, and THE HANDICAP. 221 Mr. Donaldson and the professor soon followed. Ross and loster were to have the first half of the time from midnight till morning on deck. I was to be called at three o’clock. I threw myself down on a rudely constructed bunk we had in the cabin and soon feel asleep. It was not quite three o'clock when I was roused by Foster. “Say, Bayne,’ he whispered, “ get up. Don’t disturb the others. There is a ship here we don’t understand.” I leaped from the bunk and went with him to the deck. There, not farther away than a quarter of a mile, lay a ship. The night had changed, and it was growing dark. But the big black hull loomed up and seemed perfectly mo- tionless. ‘“* Ross and I have been studying her,”’ said Foster. ‘‘ You see there are no lights, no sails, and yet she is evidently a sailing vessel. Can it be possible she is abandoned? ” “ There scems to be nothing the mat- ter with her,’ I answered. “ She sits far enough out of water.” “I don’t like her,” said Ross. “ But if you say so I’ll steer that way.” “Which way?” asked the voice of the professor as he came from the cabin. “I was slecping lightly and I heard you wake Mr. Bavne. What is the trouble? ” “There is no trouble, professor,” I replied. “ But there is a ship off there we can’t understand. She has no sails set nor lights displayed. We _ were thinking of going up to her.” The professor looked long at the dark hull before he answered. Then he seemed to be studying the speed of the rait. “IT am not sure,” he said slowly, “that I would meddle with it. A ship does not stand idle in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with no lights displayed, unless there 1s something wrong with it. Of course it may be all right, but then we are in no immediate trouble, and it is best to be safe.” What do you think she is? ” I asked. We were grouped together in the dark, at the rail, and the old man was gravely looking at the ship. ECOMRiNIEloOO@ SS) Colin