Kit Musgrave's Luck

roke the sea. The captain had moored his barquillo to a reef and stood in a pool, with the warm, green water washing about his knees. His legs and arms were bare, as were Kit's, but they wor

and was rather wet. Stepping out

reep down the mountain wall, and in the distance Galdar hill rose against the sunset. Farther off, across a belt of shining sea, Teneriffe's snowy peak glimmered up

ich while one looks about, and the salt fish I

d sent a large box and asked if

hildren are always hungry and meat costs much. When one is a

rminio was seldom angry long, and Kit admitted he was a sportsman. They were looking for the big, yellow-striped eel, which

e called in a thin

nio jumped into a chasm where the surge swung to and fro, and presently stopped in front of a dark cave. Long weed tossed about with the wash, and the light that touched the rock was broken by puzzling reflections, in which the ca

r might account for this, and Don Erminio began to pull about the weed. When Kit looked down again, the object was curved and thicker than he had thought. It obviously moved and its outer

thick, and Kit saw indistinctly three or four waving arms. It looked as if the thing was coming out, and he struck in savage panic at the spot he thought it occupied. Then Don Erminio leaped on to a dry le

shoulder. "One has enough; the big pulpo is

looked as if he signalled and Kit saw the ketch he had noted was nearer land, but thought her too far off for the

said to Kit. "She is to go on to Africa, but the fellow says his boat is damaged and he cannot carry the message. Me

of the rocks the combers were white and big, but Don Erminio could handle a sm

r, and say two sailors

ndward gunwale and the captain took the helm. The barquillo was small and did not carry much ballast, and the reefed sail pressed her, but in order to reach the ketch

liquely across the rollers the spray blew in clouds from her weather bow, and now and then their tops broke on board. Kit durst not get down to throw out the water; his weight was needed for a counterbalanc

jib and mizzen set, she swung her forefoot out of the foam and sank until her rail was hidden.

ing. Now they must

thrown across, the ketch hoisted her mainsail, and Kit slacked the latine sheet. Going back, the wind was fair and they sped, with bows out of the water, across t

e said. "If you go by the triana and do not stop near the lights, nobody

town and after a time stopped at a house in a quiet street. Somebody opened an iron gate in a narrow arch and Kit crossed the patio. He saw the stars shine over the court and shadowy bougainvilleas trail from the balconies. A fount

n awkward delay," he said when he had r

you; she's at Palma, and there's something about which I ought to p

Miss Brown?" Kit replied an

you; I didn't mean to let you go of

tural terrace on the hill behind the town. A veranda ran along the front, and Kit saw a group of people in basket chairs. When Jef

At one end of the veranda a lamp stood on a bronze pillar, and bright beams shone out from the rooms behind, but Kit's corner was in the gloom and he was satisfied, since he rather doubted the fit of Jefferson's clothes. I

ce was rather thoughtful than commanding. Austin loafed in his easy-chair. He was handsome, but looked languid-his hands were white and finely-shaped

he Abraham Lincoln type. The others, however, were not really important when Olivia was about. She wore black and amber; a Spanish dress of diaphanous material and lace. Her oli

for another r

ve been at sea and one rid

re shaken by your fa

ls shook me worse. I think you know it was my first adve

ed with a twinkle. "Shortly before you arrived I was at a s

magined Olivia knew his shoes pinched and the clothes he wore were not his. Her

at not long since," he said. "Howeve

n remarked. "He went off to meet Cayman in a

to be satisfied

dn't expect Mr. Jefferso

t to persuade me you

ou're not ridiculous. When I met you at the maize field I was ridiculous, because it

t it I agreed. You imagined the channel wasn't safe and saw I was obstinate. In cons

uting?" Mrs.

Musgrave he was rather noble. Not long since he rode

erve is pretty good!

Olivia shabby. Anyhow, he had had enough. If he stopped, he might look like a fool again, and he declared he must wri

said in rather a loud voice. "

Austin said: "I don

nking I ought to understand." She smiled and resumed: "Well, one gets rather tired of the banana m

n, who looked at Mrs. Austin. "You

Mr. Musgrave has engaged to return your clothes. If you had trusted anybody else on board