Part 2 (1/2)

NO Shore leave was granted the crew of the Halfmoon while the vessel lay off Honolulu, and deep and os of the men Only First Officer Ward and the secondand holystoning as a vent for their pent eer had abandoned his daylight strolls on deck In fact he never once left his cabin while the Halfmoon lay at anchor until darkness had fallen; then he would co for an hour at a time with eyes fastened steadily upon the brave little yacht frohter and softacross the still water

When Mr Ward and the secondhappened They entered a third-rate hotel near the water front, engaged a room for a week, paid in advance, were in their rooed clothed in civilian raiment

Then they hastened to another hostelry--a first-class one this time, and the second mate walked ahead in frock coat and silk hat while Mr Ward trailed behind in a neat, blue serge sack suit, carrying both bags

At the second hotel the second istered as Henri Theriere, Count de Cadenet, and servant, France His first act thereafter was to hand a note to the clerk asking that it be dispatched i, Esq, On Board Yacht Lotus

Count de Cadenet and his servant repaired immediately to the count's rooms, there to await an answer to the note Henri Theriere, the second officer of the Halfmoon, in frock coat and silk hat looked every inch a nobleentleman What his past had been only he knew, but his polished ation and sea toward the ways of the s with the men beneath him had led Skipper Simms to assume that he had once held a commission in the French Navy, frorace

The er

He had been signed as second officer for this cruise through the intervention of Divine and Clinker He had sailed with Simms before, but the skipper had found him too hard a custo another second when Divine and Clinker discovered him on board the Halfmoon and after ten minutes' conversation with him found that he fitted so perfectly into their sche hihty rated on the sensibilities of the uncouth and boorish first officer The duty which necessitated hi in the capacity of Theriere's servant was about as distasteful to hi could be, and only served to add to his hatred for the inferior, who, in the bottom of his heart, he knew to be in every way, except upon the roster of the Halfmoon, his superior; but money can onders, and Divine's promise that the officers and crew of the Halfmoon would have a coolthem in case of the success of the venture had quite effectually overcome any dislike which Mr Ward had felt for this particular phase of his duty

The two officers sat in silence in their roo an answer to the note they had dispatched to Anthony Harding, Esq

The parts they were to act had been carefully rehearsed on board the Halfhts, and as they had nothing in coether, and as that subject was one not well to discuss more than necessary, there seemed no call for conversation

On board the yacht in the harbor preparations were being made to land a small party that contemplated a side, and a er from the hotel handed a sealed note to one of the sailors

From the deck of the Half inwardly Billy Byrne also saw it, but itupon the deck of the brigantine glaring at the yacht Lotus, hating her and the gay, well-dressedupon her deck They represented to hiusting, loathsome in that other world that was as far separated frorubworm in the manure pile back of Brady's livery stable

He saw the note handed by the sailor to a gray-haired, srooine the white hands and polished nails of hi

The , Esq He read it, and then passed it to a young wo people

”Here, Barbara,” he said, ”is so of more interest to you than to me If you wish I'll call upon hiirl was reading the note

Anthony Harding, Esq

On Board Yacht Lotus,

Honolulu

My dear Mr Harding:

This will introduce a very dear friend of mine, Count de Cadenet, who expects to be in Honolulu about the ti for pleasure, and as he is entirely unacquainted upon the islands any courtesies which you reatly appreciated

Cordially,

L CORTWRITE DIVINE

The girl s the note

”Larry is always picking up titles and hed ”I wonder where he found this one”