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-5519-zGOLDE
N DAYS2-e3-V%-
March 4. 1882.
land could read the Braille type, but
now hundreds, in various parts of the
world, are able to read it with ease.
Losr IN THE PACIFIC!
BY EDWARD S. ELLIS.
CHAPTER XXXV.
A srnanorz DELIVERANCE.
A wonderful occurrence took place at
this crisis in the pursuit of the small boat
by the savage islanders.
For a few minutes preceding the ex-
clamation of Mate Storms, all three fan-
cied there was a strange darkness in the
atmosphere-a darkness which was gain-
ing ground to that extent and with that
rapidity that they became satisfied it was
real and no freak of the fancy.
Just after the words of Storms, Inez
called out:
“ Look at the moon I"
Every eye was turned toward the orb
of’ night, and then they saw the expla-
nation of the phenomenon.
was enterin u pon an
eclipse! It was certainly extraordinary
that it not only should have begun at
this critical point in the chase, but that it
should be a total one.
t the moment it attracted the atten-
tlon of the fugitives, it already number-
ed several digits, and the dark shadow
of the earth which impinged upon the
lower corner of the round, full face, was
oree ing rapidl over the entire disc.
en the t ree coin reheiided the
whole thing, they were si ant for a min-
or two, for there was something in
the appearance of the eclipse which ini-
pressed them profoundly.
Such a sight is always impressive, but
it was especially so under the circuin-
Inez Hawthoma believed then, as she
has been tam ted to believe ever since,
that it wasa irect inter sition of Pro-
vidence, and so gratefu was she, that,
sinking upon her knees, she thanked
God over and over again for the miracle
by which He had shrouded tlieireneinies
in such gloom that the fugitives had be-
come invisible to them.
The others expressed their ratitude
audibly, and with an intensity o interest
that can scarcely be imagined, wattilicd
the dark shadow as it rapidly crept over
the broad, yellow disc of the moon.
ey could not but feel in high hope
and spirits, for the transition from despair
was great, and such reaction was natural.
“There‘s one thing wlilch used to PUZ-
zle me when I was a boy,” said Abram
Storiws, “ and for that matter it does
yet-why it is that nearly all the total
eclipses of the sun and moon are marked
in tho almanacs as ‘ invisible in North
America, but visible in Central Afriui
and the South Pacific.’ In fact, it seems
to be an established rule with these
phenomena that they show themselves
11 those portions of theglohe where they
are the least appreciated. I am ready to
declare now that the rule is a good one,
and I shall never find fault with it
in n
Mr. Abram Storms showed a shrewd-
ness at tliisjuncture which produced the
most important results.
Watching the pursuing boat, he wait-
ed until the semiid when it was just
vanishing f'roiii sight in the diirkiicss,
when he made an abrupt turn in the
course of the proa, so as to send it direct-
ly toward the east, almost at right iiiiglcs
to the course thev were pursiiing.
The object of this was apparent to Fred
Sanders the instant it was done.
It was to make the piirsucrs believe
that the fugitives had uiiidc the (lovin-
tion with the pur isle of keeping it up.
so long as the (lar ness continued, and
with the hope of throwing thc savages
oil’ the track altogether.
Storms sought to cause it to appear that
he turned the boat under the be '
lie was invisible to the others, wlicreas
he W:LSjllSt visible and no more.
Captain Fred Saiiilcrs peered through
the loom as liiteiitly as he could, and
was )lll'0ly able to see the result
“They have also turned 1'’ he exolziini-
ed, in an excited undcrtoiie. ‘“l‘he
nianmiivre has suweedcd, and it was A
one. Wait a iiiiiiuto
It was only R minute they needed,
when it became certain that the two
boats were absolutely invisible to each
other.
The great pall which oversprczid the
ocean had encompassed them in its im-
penetrable shadow.
Now it was that Storms made another
sharp turn to the left-this time heading
the boat, as directly ashe knew how, to-
ward “Vauparinur.
The pursiicrs could know nothing of
this excepting through conjecture, and
that was scarcely likely to avail them in
this instance.
The situation now became exciting in
the highest degree, for there was a
bright promise of escape f'or the three,
who, 8 short time before, were in the
very depths ofdespair.
The shadow still steadily crept over
the moon, which was already nearly
eclipsed.
There is always something which is
awe-inspiring in such a scene, and the
strange gloom that gradually overspread
the heaving Pacific seemed to have
something unearthlyin ' .
It is easy to understand why it is that
total eclipses of either the sun or moon
always muse such terror among the ig-
nor-an
But Abe Storms was well aware that
the eclipse would not last long, but that
the shadow would pass off as rapidly as
it came on, and it need scarcely be said
that he lost no time in idleness.
The sail was spread to its full extent,
and they caught the wind more fairly,
so that the proa dew through the water
with prodigious speed.
Watchin r the boat as it skimmed along
in this fashion, it was easy to understand
how it is that this remarkable craft is
known by the name of the “flying
proa.”
Darker and darker grew the sea, aiiil
Storms could scarcely see the prowof
the boat, as she climbed up and descend-
ed the long, steep slope of the tremend-
ous swells of the sea.
“The eclipse is now total," called out
the mate, in ushed voice, and he
spoke the truth.
’l‘lie entire face of the moon was ob-
scured, and it was hard to tell where
the bright orb was in the darkened hoa-
Vens.
There was just the faintest gleam of
tire, in the shape ol'a circle, which point- 3
ed out the spot where the sliiidow of the
earth struck, and ieii, aliiiost iiiiiiii:di-
atcly, as it scoinud, ii tiny crcscciit oi’ yol-
low flame hcgaii showing itself‘ on the
lower rim, steadilyiiicreasingniid criiwl- '
ing arouiid the periphery, which was
soon to be a perfect circle again.
“The eclipse is passing off!" exclaim-
ed Storms, in the same guarded under-
tone.
For there was no telling how far his
voice would reach on such a night,whcro
there was little to obstruct the passage
of sound.
It would have been an equally beauti-
ful and impressive sight, the passing oil’
ofthe eclipse, as the shadow of’ t ie mirth
shot off for its millions of iiiil o it
converged into a point in the illiiiiitzililo
depths ofspacc.
But the fiigitivcs did not look at it at
all.
As the silvery light began ovcrsprc:iil-
ing the sea again, they used their cvc t
. 0
the utmost to search for that which they ‘
tery wi dcrncss.
Not one of the three caught the lirst
limpse ofit; it looked, indeed, as iftlie ‘
ittle manoeuvre in which Mate Storms
indulged had thrown the pursucrs en-
tircly offthc track.
It was hard to repress zi shout of joy,
but the men were obliged to do so, for
such an outcry might defeat their very
purpose, iiiasinucli as H. sound vvas likely
to he carried further over the water than
the eye could penetrate.
(Ioiiiing down to
sittiiig,l"rcd Saiidiirs extended his liaiids,
and the two pressed tliein wii iiily.
“It looks as it‘ the [lord mi our
side," said Captain Frcd, iii an under-
tone.
“The Lord is always on the side of
tlic riglit,”said the mate, ciiriicsllv ill
we have to do is to range (Jlll‘SUlVi,'H‘
there.”
llcsigning tho stccriiig-our to the
youth, Stnriiis wont lorwzird with tho iii-
tcntion of spcakiiiv to Inc’ vr-ii-
gratulating heron their ii itly :- l
zelivorniico from iifrightfiil )el‘ll: lllll. liu
found she lind gathered a blankot about
her form, and was asleep.
“l’ r gir l’’ he iiinriiiiircd, “it is
better that you should alcop while this
chance is yours.”
where Stnrliis was‘
was at s post of’ duty.
fool cxzictly safe," said
Storms, “ for the L‘(‘ll1lSO was of such
brief dnrutioii that we could not have
separated vcry l'iii- fi-oiii the pirates.“
“But we are taking dillbreiit direc-
tions, and we shall continue to get fur-
ther and further apart."
“ nothing is iiiorel
So he cziine bank to where Sanders]
I
po o,
probable than that they will suspect the
trick we have played them, and they
will make a similar cliaiig "
“ Even then they willscarcclysec us." ,
But none understood those savage ]
islanders better than Captain Fred, and
none drciidcd as much as did he capture
at their liaiids. .
The town of “’:iup:iriiiiir, stiindiiig on
n island of the sonic iiaiiic, was pur-
‘ g ‘ ‘lizcd, us the iiiiincrous trading -
cls which stopped there at all sca-
soiis rciidcred it a ncccs iat such ,'
should be the czisc. But there was a
floatiiig p0plll2ltl0lI in that same South ‘
Sca scttlciiiciit which was iiiudc up of as .
dcsperzitc it set ofscouiidrels as sun ever 3
‘l()ll13ll1)Ull.
It was froiii Ll]l’SU that this party had l
been recruited, and there was no crime ‘
in tlic (:tIlUll’liIl' they would not coiniiiit '
the instant the opportunity should come
ti ll
o tliciii.
Frcd Sanders was one, or rather had
been one, of these wretclics, young
though he was, and he know in what
iiiiiiiiicr he would lie lizindled, could
they but lay their liands upon him.
“ Ilcuven save us! tlL(,>re tliry cumc."‘
he suddenly exclaimed, in such start-
ling accents that Storms sprang up and
looked back.
There, sure enough, was the boat, but
a short distance away, coining
‘ through the water straiglit toward them,
like it stcuiiiboiit.
They had siispcctcd the trick of the ‘
mate wlii.-ii the eclipse passed off and
iiotliiiig was to be seen of the flying‘
ion. ;
They had turned in time to catch sight ‘
of them ngaiii, an now they were coin-
iiig down upon them with alariiiiiig
rapidity.
It looked as if there was no hope in-
deed, and Mate Storins was ahoiit to
propose that the guns should be resorted
to, and they should open it l‘lllllllll;.','
fire with a View of crippling t . ."i -
: ages, wlicn he caught the gliniiiicr of ii
number of lights, just uliezid and ii littlc
to the left.
“ Look, Fred!” said he; “ what is the
meaning of tliat‘.”‘
5
if
CHAPTER XXXVI.
“'Alll’AlUlUB..
Captain Fred Sanders looked steiidi
in the direction indicated for sever
seconds, and then uttered an Indian
war-wlioop and tlircw his I ‘ll. so high in
' ' iciirricd it over-
board,ziiid hc ncvci wit again. But
he cared naught for that.
“XVli.'it does it all sigiiify?" asked the
mute, knowing froiii tlic crnzyiictioiis oi’
. the lad that it incoiit the very best thing ‘
, .
5
E
-.
:
:1
:
5
:
ssililc.
“ Tliosc liglits," rcplied Ciiptiiiii Fred, l
cxtcndiiig his arm in the ilircction ‘
iiiiincd, “arc the liglits of Wnupuriniir.
The town is only a mile or so distaiit,
and the hosts ofihirkiicss are d 1-, ed 1" l
Altlioiigli Mute Storms was thrilled at 5
the words, yet he was not quite fullyl
l
l
satisfied that the peril ivas past, for the
‘ pursiicrs were gaining so steadily that it
ookcd as if thcyiiiiglit conic up with
them before the ])lll‘SllL‘Ll could run into
haven.
And in this oiit-of-tlic-way port of the
, world, they would incur little risk in
()VGrlllIllllIl' and capturing the lCiii'o-
l pciiiis in tie liiirlinr itself, so that the
niiin was prepared for n cliiiso to the
; very shipping that lay in tlic b:iv
l
, . - l
Storins so cxpressed liiiiisclf, lint Fred
There are foreign V( Is icr , .iiid
soino of them wouldn't like anytlilng‘
hotter than an excuse for :1 row with
tliesc isliiiulcrs. 'l‘liat‘.-4 the style of civ-
ilizcd iiatioiis,yoii know; lint tlivvcoiilil
1 find out who coinposo tlic crcwof' tlic
‘ big bout-:it least they could lciirn who
tliu lciulcrs were, and if‘ they wore not l
given u 1 doiiiaml, zi iiiaii-olL‘.,m- l
woiild l>0llllllll‘(l the town. And nobody l
knows that licttcr tliiiii Woroo-roo-roo,
the leader of tho gillltz there, who isn't
soiiiixiniistociiptiiro iiszistririiii his neck
into .’I lialtier. llo will take all the risk ‘
lie durc, but he won't go as far as you
I seem to dread."
1 said .
l ‘”l‘lierc‘s whcrc )ll'l'C iiiistukoii.
l
. suiidcd by Storins, who dreaded inten.
These w 6 re cheering words, but
Storms could scarcely credit chain to
their fullest extent.
“And such being the case,” added
Captain Fred, “ I must give them my
parting coiiipliinents,“ and lie rziiscd his
inusliet.
“What's the use of firing ?” asked
Storms. “You niaykill some of tliciii."
“VVh-at do you su so I'm sliootiiig
lbr?" asked the astonished youth.
“ But there's no iiccessity for it.“
“I‘ll shoot, then, on geiicriil princi-
ples,” and lic niiiicd as best he could,
and pulled the ti'iggi>r.
Perhztps it was is well that there was
no answering howl to show tlizit the bul-
let had taken effect. 'l‘lic response caiiie
in the forinof two quick discharges of
guns, which sent their bullets most iiii-
coiiitortahly near both the captaiii and
The latter now cowercd down as close-
lyus they could, so as to shelter their
bodies, while, at the same time, they
kept the craft before the wind, and lie-.id-
oil for the gleziniing lights over the
water.
For several minutes the pursuers
maintained zi. regular fiisilailc, while the
two boats steadily neared the rows of
gleaiiiiiig lights, which as steadily rose
out of the water.
Mr. Storms was beginning to fear that
the very (laiigcr he had rianicd was a
reality, and that they would be chased
cl iii to the wharf, when,to his inex-
]ll't‘ .ihlc (leliglit, he saw the large dou-
ble ciinoc suiidciily slicer otl‘ to the left.
llurrahl She had abandoned the pur-
sui .
Abram Storms, Fred Sanders, Inez
lI- wtliornc were saved! Tlianks be to
‘l on!
3
ziptiiiii Fred wanted to fire a couple
of’ purtiiig shots at the swiftly-vanisliing
boat, but he allowed himself to be dis-
fying the fury ofthe isl2mders,wlio wcic
probably already near the highest point
of‘ exasperation.
The lights troiii the town grew bright-
cr and closer, and it was not long before
the black outlines of rigging against the
clear sky were soon. '
A niiniber of vessels worc lying in
the harbor of Wziiipuriiiur, and there
could he no doubt tlizit the sorely-pr
fugitives would at last find friciidly ones
who would convey tlioni to their native
‘ lziiid, soiiiiiiiy tlioiisaiid miles away.
(fiiptiiiii Fred now took cliiirgc of the
our, and within the next half‘-liour ho
fill] the proa lose beside the wharf‘ and
the three ilisoiiilizirkt-Ll.
Fred led the way to a liouse of enter-
tainiiioiit near the liiirlior, in which lie
loiiiid gooil lodging for his friends.
‘P
E7
3
5
3
7'2
5
Q
E
a
'l()Il‘4
pearls to his room and carefully ‘ red
the door, after which he threw liiinscll
iipon the bed and slept as soundly as an
Inez lI2l.Wl.lI0l‘lle, in tlic solitude of her
apnrtiii:-iit, dcvoiitly thanked her Hea-
venly Fiitlicr for Ills Glu‘(.‘, and tlicn she,
too, slept tlic slccp of exhaustion and
perfect health.
t was near noon on the succccdiii
day when both wise, and found li‘reli
Siiiidcrs awaiting tliciii.
‘ ic young man had not slept at all,
and he was uneasy.
g“ It won't .do to stay here another
night," .‘i2ll(l he, in cxplniiatioii, as soon
as the meal was concluded.
“ am sure we have no wish to do so,"
Telllied Storins. “ But wherein lics the
pai'ticulni' peril ?”
“ That whole crew of the double canoe
are scattered through town, and they
only await the chance to kill us. They
will lllld the cliiincc, too, to-night, if we
rcuiiiin here."
ll - .
mmvlgjt’ what is the prospect of getting
" I was in despair nearly all the fore-
uoon; but 11 little while ago I conic upon
ii schooneyr which sails for San l<'i‘aiicisi-o
at three o clock this zifteriiooii. I don't
know how I came to iiiiss it. I have en-
gaged passage on it for us three, for you
'now I go wit y ”
“ How can we ever repay you for your
l(liiLlness?“ Sillfl lirnz, her lusgmus eyes
speaking eloquently lior gratitude tothe
bravo boy.
“'[‘licre‘s no service on ciirtli that 1
Clltll render you, which will coiiipiire
with what you lizive done for me," was
“W ”‘l’l.‘v’ 01 f‘.'ipt:uii Fred, wliosv mini-
lll‘l' .‘4ll<I‘.l‘('ll lIlN doup cziriiosliicss.
Inez ll:iwllioriic did not iiiidcrstniid
wlizit all this meant, but the sp ..ikcr
vciigured upon no explanation at the