The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 239: what you’re looking at

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

THE CRUISE OF THE HANDICAP. 230 naked eyes, to see the shimmer of a white dress as a woman walked to the water’s edge and stepped into the boat. Immediately if shot away from the shore, a dozen paddles gleaming in the starlight. It came directly for us. “The Handicap is about to receive a visit,” said Ross. Eagerly, and vet not without some anxiety, we watched the approaching boat. It was a long, low canoe for twelve rowers, and was made of thie trunk of a tree dug out. We could see the white form of the woman as she stood in the stern, appar- ently directing the movements of the rowers. Mary Donaldson had shown the greatest fortitude im all our difficulties, but she was now the most excited. She was to see a woman, and this was some- thing entirely new to her since her mother’s death. The canoe came on, and. we could hear the monotonous chant of the rowers. “ Better get the guns and make a dis- play of force,” suggested I*oster. ‘‘ We don’t know what they are.” “With a white woman? ” “She may not prove to be so white as all that. Better do it.” So we got out the guns and waited. As the boat drew ncarer we could see that the rowers were black, and clad only with nether. garments. The wom- an, however, gleamed in the light of the stars as though she was bedecked with jewels. “Hello! Who are you?” shouted Ross, when the boat was within the reach of his voice. “Who are you, seems to be the ques- tion,’ came back the woman’s voice in Enghissu. “ What strange vessel is that? ” “This is the Handicap, from No- where bound for New York.” “Tam coming aboard.” “Come on, we'll show you a kaybee.” “A what?” “A kaybee. Ever see a kaybee? What country is that?” ~ “That is Maltoona.” “Oh! That’s what I meant when I said New York. This is the Handicap bound for Maltoona.” rere gle The prow of the boat shot alongside the raft, and the black rowers held it fast. The woman stepped on board, and 1 went to assist her. She was young, scarcely twenty, and tall and handsome. She wore a white gown that was far superior to that worn by Mary, and upon her head rested a diademn of jewels of great value. <A string of diamonds and pearls hung around her nec k, and in her hand she carried a small ebony staff mounted with precious stones. “Who are you?” she asked. She bore herself with a queenly dig- nity that amazed us all. “We are people who are trying to reach land,” I explained. “We built this raft and left an island to tray el to some point where we could get a ship to go home in.” “What have you got your guns for? Were v ou coing to shoot me?” “No,” said Ross, by that tine waking up. “ We were shooting stars.” “What are your nanes?” she asked imiperiously. ° “This,” I said, “is Miss Mary Don- aldson, and ° veen i introduced all. She looked at Mary a moment, and then, stepping to her, Kissed her. “T-like you,” she sald, “Are you a queen? Iam a queen.” “No,” answered Mary. “I am not a queen. I am only a poor girl who has never seen a woman that I remember, except my mother, and she is dead.” “ My father is dead,” said the white queen. “ That is why Iam queen. You don’t look very well. Have vou been sick ? “She has been hungry,” I replied. “Think of a woman who 0eS without food to let men have a little more. “That is wrong,” said the queen. “T don’t do that. Aly men work for me.” “Oh, you must not think they knew it,” said. Mary. “It was—it was all J could do.” “Well, vou will not be hungry now. There’s plenty to eat in my country.” “Tam amazed that you are so fluent in English,’ said the professor. “ Where did you learn it ? ” “Where did I learn English? In Eng- land, of course. Isn’t that where every- body learns English? ” ECOMRiNIEloOO@ SS Colin