The Mountains

had kept a private and personal lookout all day for some explanation of the previous night's phenomenon. A

hat strange glow. Midnight found the la

ain," said Ives. "

asked the

stly stationary, and we h

nett, who was navigating officer as wel

an, sir?" asked

n varying. The stars were hidden. There is no t

ifty miles from the

some extent by the direction of wind and waves. If it wa

c eruptions," said Trendon. "Makes

queried

eruption. Needle chased

lcanoes hereabouts

re are or not. There weren't at last accounts, but that's no evidence that

y Edwards. "Full of E. D.'s and P. D.'s all

D.'s?" queried

s gets a speck in his eye, he reports an island. If he really does bump into a rock he cuts in an arithmetic book for his latit

tle travelled that no one happens to be around to see an island born. I don't suppose th

island groups sets his heart on a particular loaf of bread up his bread-fruit tree, he doesn't bo

id Dr. Trendon, appro

bottles. Thought he was going to make his pile because there'd been a colic epidemic in the islands the season before. Bottles were label

a glow as that we sighted last nigh

on. "Don't prove it

inner in San Francisco th

on," sai

n," sugge

e one of it,"

heerily. "I'll live high on the coll

settle it, anyhow," said

all hurrying to their clothes. Ordinarily officers of the U.S. Navy do not scuttle on deck like a crowd of curious schoolgirls, but all hands had been keyed to a high pitch over the elusive

watch on deck it was, r

didn't show no light, sir. I'd 'a' si

id Carter grimly.

nne

our place. Go a

and surly, went below, Bar

an were right. Certainly there's something queer

uncommon on the Pacific, or any other ocean. Even as Barnett spoke, she heeled well over, and came rushing up into the wind, where she stood with

uttered Edwards. "I think

was an expert on sailing rigs. "Most of that type do. Other

k and turned his glasses for a fu

the crow's-nest. "Do yo

" came th

f quartermaster report on

s,

to her?" asked McGuire, tur

punched in our pretty paint, with h

orders, and there ensued a one-sided conve

ship i

ans

ruiser, and waited. The schooner

w Uncle Sam wa

ther paid

crash of a gun and a shot went across the bows of the sailing vessel. Hastened by a flaw of wind that

an the comment along the

ment, all flapping, answered another flaw

arkinson. "She seems to be in

the others could hear his deep, abrupt utterance

likely smallpox if anything of that k

dwards. "Just my luck to be ordered

had a record for daring which made

pox marks," said the ensign, with a smile on his homely, winning face

is a wrong one," said Ives. "How lo

of the schooner. Edwards s

to ninet

-masted schooner, isn't she?"

ertain

ip is a lucky find for any ship,

the ensign excitedly.

d toward her stern to read the name as she veered into the wind again. About she came. A sha

wards. "But I'll bet

will take the second cutter, board that

s,

ide until she is in the wind. Leav

s,

in all the ins and outs of sea ways. They saw him board, neatly running the small boat under the schooner's counter; they saw the foresheet eased off and the ship run up into the wind; then the foresail dropped and the

between the eyes two deep wrinkles of puzzlement quivered. Such a face the mathematician

hint of effort at restrai

sir. Everything ship-sha

in. And they went, leaving behind them a