Part 16 (1/2)

”Huh D'ye think so? I know the beggar who knifed me I 'll take it out of him when I see him”

”You are better off than he, Boyle Unless he is here with you, I guess he is rolling on the floor of the Pacific by this time”

Boyle tried to turn and survey his fellow-sufferers; there was the fire of battle in his eye Courtenay restrained hi,” he cried, ”per you excited I believe you would punch the scoundrel now if he were in the next berth You must lie quiet, old man; doctor's orders; he says you 're on the royal road if you keep on the easy list for a day or so”'

Boyle so, and then I knew that all ell You 're the luckiest skipper afloat Huh, the bloomin' _Kansas_ was lost not once but twenty ti a gentle hand on his friend's forehead

”Not much More stiff than sore It was a knock-out blow of its kind

I can just recall you hauling e, and--”

”It will be your turn to do as o to sleep; we'll have you on deck tomorrow”

Courtenay noticed that there were only four other sufferers in the saloon: Three were firemen injured by the explosion He had a pleasant word for each of them The fourth was a sailor, either asleep or unconscious, and Courtenay thought he recognized a severe bruise on the man's left temple where the butt of his revolver had struck hard

When he returned on deck he learned that two other members of the crew, in addition to the cook, were able to work Walker had set one to clear up the stokehold; his companion, a fireman, had relieved Mr

Tolleone to his cabin, and was the last to arrive at the feast, finally putting in an appearance in a new suit and spotless linen

Christobal protested loudly

”I thought this was to be a workers' meal,” he said ”Tollemache has stolen a er in appearance”

”Dirty job, stoking,” said Tollemache

”I seeht,”

cried Elsie

”Do you knohat time it is?” asked Courtenay

”No; about ten o'clock, I fancy”

”It is not yet half-past four”

The blue eyes opened wide ”Are you in earnest?” she demanded

He showed her his watch Then she perceived that the sun had not yet risen high enough to illumine the wooded crest of the opposite cliff

The snow-clad hills, the blue glaciers, the wonderful clearness of atmosphere, led her to believe that the day was e crystal light None could tell whence it came It seemed to her, in that solemn hour, to be the reflection of heaven itself By quick transition, her thoughts flew back to the previous night Scarce four hours had elapsed since she had waited in the captain's cabin, a wind, while he took Isobel, and Mrs So maid to the boat The corners of her ht furtively for a handkerchief Knowing exactly what troubled her, Courtenay turned to Christobal

”This island ought to be inhabited,” he said ”Can you tell me what sort of Indians one finds in this locality?”

Christobal frowned perplexedly During es to Europe he had invariably traveled on the mail steamers of smaller draft which use the sheltered sea canal formed by the Smyth, Sar for hundreds of miles to the north froo, and, in so sailors of the Clyde and the Caledonian Canal

”I fear I do not know much about them,” he said ”Behind those hills there one sees a few Canoe Indians; I have heard that they are soines of Australia”

”Are they?” said Courtenay He looked Christobal straight in the eyes, and the doctor returned his gaze as steadily