Part 10 (1/2)

Davies had only seen the Doll for the time Their villa at Norderney, and their hoh he had landed once at the harbour hiuely of a step They were to have joined her on their arrival at that city, which, be it noted, stands a long way up the Elbe, forty miles and more above Cuxhaven, the town at the ee was that the two yachts should ether Then, in the ordinary course, Davies would have parted company at Brunsbuttel (fifteen miles up), which is the western terminus of the shi+p canal to the Baltic Such at least had been his original intention; but, putting two and two together, I gathered that latterly, and perhaps unconfessed to himself, his resolve had weakened, and that he would have followed the 'Medusa' to Ha, or indeed the end of the world, impelled by the same motive that, contrary to all his tastes and principles, had induced hie at all But on that point he was ime cross-current connected with Dolliven hieet or ignore it, and steer a settled course

The facts I elicited raised several important questions Was it not known by this time that he and his yacht had survived? Davies was convinced that it was not 'He may have waited at Cuxhaven, or inquired at the lock at Brunsbuttel,' he said 'But there was no need, for I tell you the thing was a certainty If I had struck and _stuck_ on that outer bank, as it was a hundred to one I should do, the yacht would have broken up in three ot towhatever has happened since to show that they know I'ested 'Who are ”they”? Who are our adversaries?' If Dollent of the German Ad Englishman should be connived at in overnent, the whole theory fell to the ground

'I believe,' said Davies, 'that Dollmann did it off his own bat, and beyond that I can't see And I don't know that itwrong, and have nothing to be ashaood deal,' I objected 'Who will be interested in our resurrection, and how are we to go to work, openly or secretly? I suppose we shall keep out of the way asout of the way,' said Davies, jerkily, as he peered to ard under the foresail, 'we _hhere anyone can see you After that there won't be ave a low, contented laugh, which would have frozen my marrow yesterday

'By the way, that reminds me,' he added; 'we must stop at Kiel for the inside of a day and lay in a lot of stores We want to be independent of the shore' I said nothing Independence of the shore in a seven-tonner in October! What an end to aim at!

About nine o'clock eathered the point, entered Kiel Fiord, and began a dead beat to ard of seven miles to the head of it where Kiel lies Hitherto, save for the latent qual happened to Davies, interest and exciteht theed o below and coil myself up on the lee sofa withand rattling on deck, and I began to slide on to the floor 'What's happened?' I cried, in a panic, for there was Davies stooping in at the cabin door

'Nothing,' he said, chafing his hands for warlasses, will you? There's a steaht make some soup Just let's look at the chart' He studied it withdeliberation, while I wondered how near the stea meanwhile

'I suppose it's not really necessary for anyone to be at the helht for aup

'Two--one and a half--one--lights in line sou'-west by west--got a ain

'You don't want me, do you?' I shouted after him

'No, but come up when you've put the kettle on It's a pretty beat up the fiord Lovely breeze'

His legs disappeared A sort of buoyant fatalism possessed me as I finished my notes and pored over the stove It upheld me, too, when I went on deck and watched the 'pretty beat', whose prettiness was --stea-vessels--now once more on the move in the confined fairway of the fiord, their baleful eyes of red, green, or yellow, opening and shutting, brightening and fading; while shore-lights and anchor-lights added toof screws filled the air like the distant roar of London streets In fact, every time we spun round for our dart across the fiord I felt like a rusticher skirts for the transit of the Strand on a busy night Davies, however, was the street arab who zigzags under the horses' feet unscathed; and all the tiht-sailing if only you are careful, obeying rules, and burnt good lights As ere nearing the hot glow in the sky that denoted Kiel we passed a huge scintillating bulk moored in mid-stream 'Warshi+ps,' he murmured, ecstatically

At one o'clock we anchored off the town

X His Chance

'I SAY, Davies,' I said, 'how long do you think this trip will last?

I've only got adesks in the Kiel post-office, Davies scratching diligently at his letter-card, and I staring feebly at mine

'By Jove!' said Davies, with a start of disht of that You couldn't et an extension, could you?'

'I can write to the chief,' I admitted; 'but where's the answer to come to? We're better without an address, I suppose'

'There's Cuxhaven,' reflected Davies; 'but that's too near, and there's--but we don't want to be tied down to landing anywhere I tell you what: say ”Post Office, Norderney”, just your naet there and be able to call for letters' The casual character of our adventure never struck ?' I asked

'Oh, I shan't be having i?'