Part 8 (1/2)

CHAPTER IX

THE ENGINEER

The engineer of the _Sea Eagle_ has not received much attention, either in this book or in the one just preceding, but this is not because he, John Berwick, was not worthy of consideration, but because he was apparently a very quiet enerally confined to ht, as it were

But word had come via Juarez, who of all the creas the only one whoree, that John Berwick had really a reater extent than the boys knew A sailor like old Pete or a mariner like Captain Kerns would see the shores ofof the real people, or the nature of the countries

But with the engineer it had been an entirely different proposition

He caood family and had received an excellent education, but from his youth he had been wild and adventurous, and was always traveling, by different ways and in varying occupations, going into the interiors of little-known countries and beco acquainted with the nature and character of their inhabitants

As he is a , I will describe his appearance for the benefit of the reader As to age, John Berwick ht, five feet nine, with rather square shoulders, and neither light nor heavy in build, but with a frareat powers of endurance

He was evidently one of those men who have a certain care to their physical condition, without overdoing it andphysical prowess a hobby He had found out the value of health, and condition In his travels in reotten sick, there would be no one to bother with him, and he would be left to die, so he reasoned that it was better to be a live

”I used to smoke like a chimney, Ezac,” he once said to Juarez He never called the latter by his full na to his o I didn't make any resolution about it either and would smoke now if I wished to”

”I suppose you felt miserable for a while after you quit?” said Juarez

”No, strange to say, I didn't In fact, I began to feel fine and fit in a week or two and I found that I could meet any crisis that came up on the level, and did not have to make an effort of the will to step up to it and brace

Smoke if you want to, Ezac”

”I don't want to,” replied Juarez, ”and what's the use of taking up with soe”

Berwick s his fine white teeth

”Well, now, 'War,' that's unusual sense for a kid, Ifor a boy of your years is no argu else that will make 'em devilish sick, but a kid will do it just for a show and to make an impression on his friends what a terrible character he is”

”None of us are like that,” said Juarez ”Perhaps it is because we have seen plenty of real life on the frontier and have had plenty of excite to foolishness”

”So in that, Ezac,” nodded Berwick

This will serve as an introduction to this interesting man, before we listen, with the Frontier Boys, to the story that he has to tell Iin front and brushed straight with the forehead, dark hazel eyes, generally pleasant in expression, but capable of becoht dark moustache above a mouth thin-lipped and wide The chin was square, and the whole coathered before in the engine-rooure loo was complete It was because the boys had never iracious, on this occasion Then, too, there was soine-rooood comradeshi+p and anecdote

”I suppose that you boys have never traveled a great deal, except in the West, have you?” questioned John Berwick

”That's right, Mr Berwick,” said Jih, before long, if we find this 'Lost Mine'

we are looking for You know you can't travel without money”

”Not in your own yacht,” replied Berwick

”I generally walked, or,” seeing a gleae”

”We will stick to our yacht,” re that we have it on our hands”