Tho story opcnn with the Introduction
of John Stephens,, adventurer, a Massa
chusetts man marooned by authoritlra nt
Valparaiso, Chile. Unlng Interested In
mining operations! In Jlollvlu, he who de
nounced tiy Chllo as nn Insurrectionist
and as a consequence was hiding. At hln
hotel his attention was attracted by nn
'Englishman nnd a young woman.
Btephcna rescued the young woman from
n drunken ofllcer. Ilo was thanked by
her. Admiral of the Peruvian navy con
fronted Stephens, told him that war had
hoon declined between Cpllo and Peru
and offered him the olflce of captain. Ho'
desiredthat that night tho Esmoraldn, n
Chlloan vessel, should bo captured,
fltephons accepted tho commission.
Stephens met a motley crow, to which, ho
was assigned. Ho gavo them llnal In
structions. They boarded tho vessel. They
iiuccesnfully captured tho vessel supposed
to bo tho Esmeralda, through strategy.
Cnpt. Stophcns gavo directions for tho do-
fiarture of tho crnft, Hq entered thu cab
n and discovered tho English woman
and her nmhl. Stephens quickly learne-d
tho wrong vessel had been captured.
It was Iord Darlington's private yacht,
the lord'H wife nnd maid being aboard.
He explained tho situation to her lady
ship. CHAPTER IX.
In Which I Learn Our Port.
I sank down into tho depths of an
upholstered divan without, rested my
head within my hands, and endeavored
earnestly to collect thought and nerve
' for tho coming struggle. Tho terrlblo
neBs of our situation only hecamo
more apparent as I considered It in
tho light of tho discoveries already
made, and In my understanding of tho
naturo of tlioso with whom I was now
associated. Nolthcr Tultlo nor Do
Nova had over mistaken tho Soa
Queen far tho warship Esmeralda. It
was Impossible to concolvo that theso
two trained seamen could havo mudo
such nn error, or that the men under
them could havo boon so uttorly do
colvod. Tuttlo's boat came up directly
boneath ho bows, with tho riding
lamps burning brightly and revealing
tho name; overy man aboard must
havo Feon it plainly. Yet what ob
ject could havo led to bo deaperato an
act of piracy? What part was I des
tined to play In tho final working out
of their lawless Bchemo?
Tho longer I Btudled over tho prob
lem tho moro thoroughly did I become
mystified und confused. What could
theso men over hope to accomplish In
this lawless fashion? Thoy must bo
fools or madmen. This was not tho
ago of piracy; overy league ot sea was
patrolled; every port protected by
telegraphic communication.
Difficult as my own situation un
doubtedly was, apparently holpless
among this crew of sen devils, with
out a man on board in whom I could
put trust, it was rendered a thousand
times harder by tho presence of thoso
two womon. In what way could I pro
tcct and sorvo them? I wondered If
nil tho crow forward were In the plot,
or wore tho lenders nlono Involved?
Could I count on finding a singlo lion
est sailor In all that riffraff who would
Bland by mo In rovolt? Thoro were
others on board tho threo seamen
nnd tho engineer of tho yacht's crow,
tho Chilean ofllccr captured on shore
but they wero prisoners, far moro
holpless oven than myself. The longer
I thought tho darker grow tho pros
pect, tho closer tho cords of Fato
pressed about mo. Thoro wns noth
lng to do except to fnco tho conBplrn
tors boldly, and thus ascertain tho
wholo truth. I glanced upward at tho
telltale compas3 overhead tho ves
boI'b course had already been altered;
wo wero now headed westward, direct
ly out into tho broad Pnclllc.
I met Tuttlo at tho end of tho
brldgo, clinging to tho handrail, his
oilskins flapping in tho head wind. Ilo
novor glanced toward mo, tho cool.
studied insolcnco of tho follow causing
me to feol moro deoply than ovor be
fore hla consciousness of power.
"Tho yacht Is sovoral points off her
course, Mr. Tuttle," I said, sharply,
dotormlncd to tost htm. "May I ask
if tho chango was mndo by your
order?"
Ho swept one long arm toward tho
north, and, following tho direction of
his flngor, I dimly perceived a spiral
of black Bmoko barely vlsiblo above
tho horizon.
"I thought wo had bottor sheer off,
ns there waB no guessing who that
fellow yonder might provo to bo."
I remained silent, watching the dis
tant smudge, and occasionally glan
cing asldo into his imperturbablo faco.
Ho yawned sleepily.
"I rather guess one of us had bettor
turn in, Mr. Stophens," he suggested
finally, "for wo'll havo to arrango
about our watches aft."
"Presently, Mr. Tuttlo; wo hnvon't
breakfasted yet. Mcanwhllo I should
prefer to understand matters a little
moro clearly. I'vo Just been through
tho cabins. Nono of tho yacht's olll
cors aro on board."
I could sco bis thin Hps drawn
back in a sinister grin, which re
vealed his yollow teeth.
"Tho Lord hclpoth thoso who help
themselves,'' ho returned, piously, up
rolling his eyos. "Tho race 13 not al
ways, to tho swift, nor tho battlo to
tho strong."
"Tho Hell
"I also discovered," I wenton, an
gered by bucIi abominable cant, "that
this vessel wo havo captured Is not
tho Chilean Esmeralda at all, but tho
yacht Sea Queen, owned by Lord Dar
lington, and flying tho English flag."
"Tho hell you say."
"Moreover, I havo not tho slightest
doubt that you know It from tho first.
Now I demand somo explanation, Mr.
Tuttlo. What docs this mean?"
Ho stood leaning back against tho
rail facing mo, tho disagreeable grin
gono from his lips, his hulf-closed
oyes glinting uneasily.
"Woll, what of it?"
"Only that we have committed nn
act of piracy. Evory naval vessel of
tho civilized world will bo used to hunt
us down. Wo shall not bo safe on any
sea, nor ablo to land In any port of
the globe. Jf wo resist wo shall bo
blown out of the water; If captured,
our crime moans death. You havo de
liberately decoyed mo Into .this affair
for somo secret purpose of your own;
you havo Involved mo In your crime,
und now I Insist upon some knowledge
of your plan, nnd nn explanation re
garding my future authority on board."
"Oh, you nro tho captain," sneorlng
ly. "What more can you want?"
"Then, if I nm, wo will head direct
ly back to Valparaiso."
"Oh, I rather guess not;" und Tut
llo's eyes bocamo Instantly hard and
ugly. "NovortholeBB you'ro captain all
right, Just so long as you keep tho
noso of tho old girl pointed tho way
wo want hor to go,"
"That is it, Is it?"
"Yes, that's oxnetly the ticket."
I turned partially asldo, glancing to
ward tho wheohnan. Tho follow was
loaning forward ovor tho spokes, ovl
dently deoply Interested in our contro
vorsy and ondoavorlng to henr all wo
had to say. Tuttlo followed tho direc
tion of my oyes, but with upparont In
difference "Oh, thoy all understand about it,"
ho romarkod, carolossly. "And now I
gucsB mnybo It's about tlmo wo gnvo
you tho mnln points to chow on. If you'll
stop down Into tho charthouse, Mr.
SlophonB, I'll fotch eoino things 1
want lo show you, an' bo along myself
In a Jiffy. Then I'll spin a yarn that'll
causo you to como with us wlllln'
enough, or olso you'ro a dam' fool."
There was nothing oIbo to do, and I
followed him down tho brldgo stops
to tho main dock. Tho charthouso
had its singlo door opening aft, and
.was a small, plainly built structuro
painted a dingy gray, with two narrow
windows on either sldo, nnd Just
enough spaco within to contain n
deal table, locker, and three rudo
benches. I sat down upon ono of
theso, filled nnd lighted my plpo nnd
waited In sllonco, gazing Idly at tho
chart pinned flat on tho tablo, It was
a map of thoso waters lying off tho
Chilean coast, and a vessel's courso
had been pricked upon It from Juan
I'ornandoz to Valparaiso. This did
not particularly Interest me, and my
thought drifted naturally to tho wom
an Impatiently awaiting my roturn In
tho cabin. What a distressing situa
tion for ono of Lady Darlington's birth
and refinement! And yet with what
You Say."
dignity of manner had sho mot tho
unexpected! It was plain to bo soon
that hers was a hoart of courage, not
oaBlly broken under adversity.
And how could 1 hopo to servo hor?
What would this crow of hell-hounds,
thoso mcrcllesB soa-wolvcs, permit mo
to do? Trans-ship them upon somo
passing vessel? Put into somo iso
lated Island port? This was scarcely
likely, for either act would involve
tho dnnger of nn oxposuro thoy would
bo little Inclined to ns3umo. I com
prohonded already that It would bo
according to their decision, and not
iulno. I had been plainly informed
how HttJo my control extended over
their desires. And whither wero wo
bound? Into what strango seas? Into
what species of wild ndvonturo? Tho
utter Impossibility of keeping thoso
two concoalcd bulow for any length of
tlmo was clearly ovldont. Ship Ufa was
far too restricted. Both Tuttlo and
Do Novn would naturally expect to
lodgo aft, and It wns a prlvllego thoy
could not easily be denied. Yet what
would thoy say, how would thoy act,
when thoy finally dlscovorcd theso two
unwilling passcngors aboard? Whnt
was my duty In all tho circumstances?
It was all a deep, unsolvablo mystery.
yet out of Its mist constantly floated
tho appealing faco of that woman
nwaltlng mo below. I could not desert
her. I could not constdor anything
oxcopt how I might best sorvo her In
terests, best protect hor from tho con
tamination of this hell afloat.
Threo shadows suddenly darkened
tho doorwny, and Tuttlo, accompanied
by Do Nova and tho big seaman named
11111 Anderson, ontorcd. Tho Bocond
officer nodded to mo In genial fash-
Jon, his whlto teeth gleaming, but
Anderson slouched surlily past and
dropped heavily on a bonch, his coarso
bulldog foatures dovold of all expres
sion, his square Jaws munching tho
tobacco In hln cheek. I took notlco of
his oyes, staring straight out of tho
window opposite, dull, dog-like, deeply
sunken under thntchod brows, his skin
like brown leather drawn tight, hlB
short red neck, nnd gnarled hands. Al
together ho appeared a ropulslvo
brute, no moro easily subdued than a
Jungle tiger. Tuttlo Bldlcd along to
tho opposlto sldo of tho tablo, upon
which ho placed a tightly rollod, yol-lowlsh-backcd
paper, ovldontly a navi
gating chart. As I watched him curl
ouEly, ho suddenly prossed tho point
of his thumb down upon tho pnpor.
"There's our first port, Mr. Steph
ens," ho announced dogmatically.
"There, whero you soo that red cross."
I bent over, startlod out of nil as
sumed lndlfferonco as I studied tho
position indicated.
"Longitude 110 30' west, and lati
tude CG9 17' Bouth!" I exclaimed,
scarcoly crediting olthor ears or eyos.
"Why, good God, man, that is almost
upon tho antarctic circlo!"
Ho nodded, running his long fingers
through his thin hair.
"Right you aro, sir. I guess there
won't bo no warships a-trailln' aftor us
down la them latitudes; not at this
Ecason of tho year."
"But thoio's uotblng thorol" I con-
tinned, staring Incredulously at tho
map. "Nothing but fog and floating
ice. Thero Is no land marked within
COO miles."
"Jimt tho snmo thcro'a land thoro,"
ho retorted, positively, his thin lips
pressed togother. "I'vo scon It; two
islands, an' that's whero tho Sea
Queen pokes her noso."
1 could merely sit back, staring at
tho fellow, who remained loaning both
hands on tho tablo, his glinting eyes
on my fnco.
"It's n rum yarn, Mr. Stophons, I'll
admit," ho said, slowly, his nnBal tone
much in evidence, "but it's all truo,
sir, so help me, Coil! Her6o tho
straight of It, an you listen quiet till
I get done. Then 111 answer your
questions ns long as' you've got any to
ask."
CHAPTER X.
In Which I Hear the Talc of the First
Officer.
Tuttlo required n whllo gqttlng
started, pulling nsldo his dangling
coat-tails to sit down facing me, and
then twiddling his long fingers with
his gazo bent on tho deck. I tako it
that hlB Intellectual operations wore
nnturnlly slow, although ho was swift
enough In all mattors appertaining to
scnmnnshln. Anvhow. he nt thorn for
so long, his wholo nppcaranco so sleek
nnd oily, that I lost all patlenco, shuf
fling my feet on tho dock. Tho nolso
scrveu to nrouBO him.
"It commoncod somcthln' Hko over
two years ago sir," ho began, mouth
inK each word with caro. "a lltllo
earlier in tho season than this Is now.
I was mastor of tho whalln bark
Uotsy, 8allln' from Provlnco town,
an' wo wero homeward bound after
about 18 months' crulsln' in tho South
Pacific, cnrryln' a fair cargo of oil nn
whnlo trimmings. Wo woro roundln'
tho Horn, bolng about 70 degrees west
ana 5b degroos south when tho real
trouble becan. I know that wna rnth.
or a low latitude but wo hml honn
buckln ngnlnst head winds an' a high
sea for moron a week, an' besides
woro short-handod. five of tho crow
hnvln skipped out nt Somors Island,
wnoro wo put In aftor fresh water,
Anywny, it was about thero that n
storm hit us from out thn nnr'nnct I
guess it must hnvo been ono ond of a
hurricane I novor bco nothln' florcor,
ovon In thoso sens. Thoro was nothln
to do but turn tall an' scud, tho ropes
and canvas being bo stiff with lco
Well, wo battened down, an' took
chances, but for n whllo I thought
overy wavo was goln' to do for tho ol
hooker an' send us all to Davy Jones'
I couldn't seo flvo foot from tho rail
an' I had to koon dlKcln' lco out o
my oyes to seo at all. Tho wind hnd
tho feel, of a solid wall, sir."
Tuttlo was leanlnK forward now. hln
olbows on tho tablo. Ills lean, solemn
countenanco hnd lost its llHtlnnnnnns
nnd I also noticed tho oagor Interest
imprinted on tho racos of his two com
ratios.
"Wo was Jest roundln tho point,"
ho went on ns soon as ho took a long
breath, "tho Betsy kcolln,' over bo's
nor deck was half awash, an' with no
moro than maybo 100 yards o' clear
water to tho good. Back o' an ugly
lookln' headland tho const soomod to
fall away autlden Into a sort o' cove,
which was piled high with great lco
hummocks, behind which tho lco wall
roso up sheer almost to tho top o tho
rocks. Thero was a sorter sholf along
tho edgo of It, an' a-sottln' up thero In
full vlow was the damndest lookln1
vessol ovor I saw in CO years 'o' sea'
farln'. So help mo Cod, sir, I saw
It with my own oyes, as plain us I'm
lookln' at you! It wns h'lsted up all
o' 20 feet abovo tho lower Ico-flold, an1
sort o careoned over whero It wns
frozo fast so as to show tho decks
amidships clonr to tho lnnor rail, You
romomber thorn shlpa what Columbus
sailed In? Well, this hooker wns that
kind, only a blnmo' sight blggor. I
guessed her ut 850 or 900 ton, but sho
had tho samo sort o' build a big high
stern, with au nfter-cabln clear ncrost
It, tho waist sunk down In a curve an
tho fo'cnstlo raised up like a houso,
with blunt bows, an' a monBtcr bow
sprit forkln' strulght up Into tho air,
Tho wholo outfit wnB so cased with
lco an' glittered so In tho sun that it
Bcomod llko a part o' tho lco cliff,
J which had took that queer shapo from
lliawin' un' freozln'. Dammo If
didn't think It was somothln' llko that
for n minute a blame' freak o' naturo
but when I grabbed tho glasses, an'
got a good look through them, It was a
ship all right, tho kind you road
about in tho hooks what navlgatod
thoso waters a hundred or moro yoars
ugo. I was BtJII a-starln nt It with all
my oyes whon wo raised tho stern
which stood h'lsted up a bit higher
than tho bow, an' whero tho steady
daBh of tho waves didn't break rJcan
ovor It, an' tho Bun fell Just right so
I read tho hooker's name. By God, I
did, sir! It was thoro plain as day
Uonna Isabel, Cadiz,"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Secretary Dickinson
IIT ASHINGTON. Do the onerous du
V" ties of tho Job of secretary ot war
put cobwebs on tho brain of Jacob
M. Dickinson ot Tcnnossco nnd Chi
cago? Thoy do not, chorus nil the
members of tho Tonneasco society ot
Now York, who snt in front of tholr
crumpled napkins nt tho ond of tho
annual dlnnor of their organization at
tho Waldorf recently nnd llstcnod to
somo now ones that woro uncorked
to pop nnd slzzlo by tho gonial Ton
ncsBCcan nnd Chlcngoan who holds
down tho portfolio of war In tho Tnft
cabinet.
"When I heard that this was a rep-
rcscntntntlvo body of Tonnossecans,"
said the secretary after ho had arisen
from his placo nt tho speakers' table
nnd cnBt his eyes around on tho fem
inine products ot that heralded stnto
whero tho blucgroea grows in fiction
and song, "whon I heard this I could
not believe It."
Here thoro was slight gnep of an
ticipation aud doubt from tho fair
ones.
"BocauBO," tho secretary hurried to
add, with n touch ot gallantry, "I Bald
to mysolf, 'It any Btato turns out nil
this galaxy of fair women thero can't
bo enough left within its borders to
ronko it a real state' "
That set Jacob M. Dickinson solid
with about onc-hnlf tho 300 Tonnes-
seenna gathered about tho tables, and
ho proceeded in n mollow vein of rem
iniscence
"You know a fellow from Tonnossoo
camo to Now York a fow yenrs ago
and boforc ho camo ho told tho poo-
pie down homo that he Intended to
show thoso Now Yorkers they didn't
know It nil. Ho reckoned thero woro
Government Declares War on Sparrows
THE English spnrrow Is tho plrato ot
tho air, Just aB tho rat Is tho froo-
hooter of tho earth, and ought to bo
exterminated. So rules tho depart
ment of agriculture in a bullotln Just
published, which also tolls how to got
rid of tho pest.
This declaration of war by tho gov
ernment Is in striking contrast to ro-
,Hof movemonts started In certain cit
ies recently to save theso birds front
starvation because of tho Bovcro win
tor. This spnrrow studiously, says tho
department bullotln, hunts and eats
insects that aro bonoflclnl to plant life,
whllo It pnsBes over moro or less those
that aro harmful. Tho only good thing
It doos is to cat tho seod of weeds and
provont their spread. ABldo from that
thero Is nothlnE to bo said In Us favor.
Moro than that, It Is murderous. It
Orders a Lunch at
AWASHINQTONIAN decided ho
would cut it out. Ilo went to u
doctor and' told him nil about It. Tho
doctor looked him over.
"Oom hooni," tho doctor said a cou
plo ot times. Then ho asked: "Oot
any rolntlvos In town?"
"Nope All llvo up north."
"Do you wrlto to them?"
"Nope. Never wrlto lettors." 4
"How'c your nppetlto? Ent much?"
"Nope Haven't any nppotlte"
"Well," said tho doctor, "you do
threo things. Stop dissipating. Eat
regularly. Get Into touch with your
rolntlvos. That's all tho mental and
physical reclpos you need."
Charley Mann Discovers a Taxpayer
A NEWSPAPER man, recently como
to Washington and now to tho sen
ato prcBB gallery, hustles Into tho out
er room.
"What what?" a3ked Charley Mann,
superintendent of tho gallory.
"Oh, I'm on tho Blank News," said
tho correspondent.
Mann looked him over vory care
fully. Ho'll know him next tlmo, Just
as ho knows all tho correspondents.
Mann Is always on tho Job. Ho takes
proat caro of all tolograms from tho
home offices that como for any mom
Is a Merry Wag
a fow tricks to bo learned from a real
llvo ono from Tennessee A friend
mot him aftor ho'd boon hero threo
months nnd asked him how its waa go
ing.. 1
"'Well,, said this follow who'd had
ambitions, 'I'vo about made up my
mind that It they'll lot mo havo mlno
they can keep tholr'n.' "
"You nil hnvo heard tho story about
tho follow who'd boon bitten by a rat
tlosnnkc," said Mr. Dickinson, In n
gentlo query, "No? Woll, tho fellow;
got bitten by tho rattlesnnko nnd ho
was In n despcrato condition. A friend
of his grabbed n quart flask and start
ed tor tho placo whoro ho know ho
could , got tho only recognized antidote
for a rattlosnako bite
"Tho man thoro started to fill up tho
flask, but it was ono of thoso eastern
commercial flnBks that didn't hold a
quart whon It ought to have You
know tho kind, gontlomon. Tho man
who wnB filling tho flnsk hnd about
n threo finger dose left ovor and thu
kind friend who was waiting to tako
tho flask to tho stricken man saw
thoro wns this much loft ovor.
'"Whnt shall I do with this left
over?' asked tho man who waB filling
the flnsk.
'"Well, como to think of It, that
pesky snnko took an awful loap nt me
said tho follow who was waiting for
tho flask, 'and ho pretty near got mo,
too.'
"And, speaking of flasks, thoro was
tho follow who went to tho legislature
down in Nashville once, and ho Btood
up nnd started to mako n Bpeoch.
Maybo ho'd bcon trontlng his bald
spot with that stuff that comes in
flaBks; anywny, ono of tho opposition
party and thero isn't much ot nn op
position party In Tonnesseo lcglshv
turo at any time got up and hollered,
You'ro drunkl'
" 'I may bo drunk,' the mombor said.
It I am, that's a temporary condition,
But you'ro n damn fool, and that's
n permanent condition.' "
hunts tho nesting places nnd destroys
eggs and young bluo birds, house
wrons, treo BwnllpWB nnd barn swal
lows. Tho robin, tho catbird and the
mocking bird it attacks nnd drives out
of pnrka nnd shndo trees. It has no
song, but drlvos out tho sang birds
nnd brings only nolso In return.
Aftor having loarncd all this about
tho sparrow, after an cxtonslvo In
vestigation, tho dopartmont of agricul
ture shows n way to dostroy tho
bird. First, whenever sparrows roost
around your houso, dostroy their nostB.
If they roost nt nlgljt on your caves
trough, drlvo thorn nway with a long
pole By destroying ncstB wherever
thoy aro seen tho lucronso can bo pre
vontcd.
Tho Bparrowa likes to nest In cavl'
ties and can bo trapped through this
preference It will roost In boxes
that may bo put up to mako Its cap
turo easy. It may bo lured to sproad
grain and shot nnd killed In other
wnyp, or may bo poisoned.
Wheat soaked In strychnin Is Bald
to bo preferable This method had
boon adopted In California,, whoro It
was necessary to protect ripening
fruit.
the Stamp Window
Tho man gavo tho doctor two dollars
and went away.
That night ho tolled painfully up
tho otono steps ot tho post office He
had resolved, though ho had dU
oboyed Injunction No. 1 that day, ho
would at least keep two nnd threo.
Ho presently found himself In front
of n Bqunro, opon window. Behind
tho window stood n mnn sovoral,
mayhap.
"Well?" tho man asked.
Tho would-ho purchaser braced
hlmsolf with hands. Ho wanted to
remcmbor JtiBt what two and threo
were nnd which was which.
"Well?" tho mail asked, his tono a
llttlo sharper.
Tho situation waB becoming some
what embarrassing. Why couldn't ho
romomber? What what his mind
groped back through his visit to the
doctor.. Quit cat wrlto homo. H1b
faco brightened. Ho beamed upon the
ran bacu of tho window.
"Ah, yos',' ho murmured. "Sot" boll'
eggs, tons' nn' coffee,"
bor ot tho "gang," and ho carefully
notes all telophono calls. So all you
havo to do, in tho rush and hustle, Is
to keep in touch with Mann, and the
mnnnglng editor will novor have causo
to complain ot dolay.
A atrnngor enmo bustling Into
Mann's room ono day.
"What what?" said Mann.
"Oh, 1 guess I can stay here," said
tho stranger. "I'm a taxpayor, I want
to seo what my representative la do
ing." Mnnn at first was for having him put
out. Thne ho changed hla mind.
"You any you'ro a taxpayor?" ho
asked.
"Yes, I'm a taxpayor."
"Well, you como with me," said
Mann. "You're a dodo bird or al
most. Your kind is protty nearly extinct"
