Young Lord Stranleigh

m. It is very easy to buy a ship in Southampton if you happen to have the money about you. An excellent express on the South Western line whisked him up to London again, and he spen

bably feasible, but although all the legality would be on his lordship's side; although his opponents were engaged in a gigantic scheme of barefaced robbery, nevertheless, Mackeller had knocked about at the ends of the earth too much to be ignorant of the fact that in certain quarters of the globe lawfulness of action was but a minor point in the game. Indeed, the law-abiding citizen was at a distinct disadvantage unless he held superior force at his command to compel rather than to persuade. There is little use in arguing with a man who holds a loaded revolver, so on one point Lord Stranleigh failed to convince his subordinate. Mackeller thought it fol

's neck, convinced the engineer that the dark man was well aware of the criminal nature of his proceeding, and undoubtedly, when once the force was landed, he would be very much on the alert, expecting that as soon as the flight of the steamer became known, instant arrangements would be made for pursuit. He would doubtless send out scouts, and endeavor roughly to understand the lay of the land on which he found himself. It was morally certain, thought Mackeller, that one or other of those scouts would ultimately come upon the yacht, no

as to operate the old copper mine. Then he took train for Plymouth, and was rowed out in the evening to the white yacht at anchor in the harbor, resting beautiful as a swan on the placid waters. Mackeller was astonished to find her so great a boat. She was almost as large as the Rajah, but of much more dainty shape, her fine lines giving promise of

another. He had been reading the latest evening paper brought aboard, an

r, Mackeller?" he as

ight. I imagine, you gave your disconcer

reasonably bu

that electrical button? I

a cabin boy immediatel

me a word with him." Captain Wilkie proved to be a grizzled old sea-dog

ng ready,

ing read

; up ancho

forward and mou

e chair, drop also that appellation 'my lord.' If you want to be extra respectful at an

anleigh was asleep or not throughout the recital, he could not be sure. At any rate he did not

the choice of a spot in the Bay of Biscay or the Atlantic Ocean whe

amining my dunnage, s

sing you were acting for me, he telegraphed asking which of two rifles named should be sent. Learning that twelve had been ordered, I thought of telegra

I did, if you're going to dro

the bigger plump w

eed them, we won't use them. If we do need them, t

er along than that. I hope you understand, Mackeller, I am on a mission of peace, and if, for any reaso

a score of men aboard here, and the repe

n may prove friends in need. I see the boy hovering about in the offing, and I am sure he wishes to conduct you to your cabin. By the time you've washed the railway dust from your sylphlike form, the dinner gong will be filling the air with a we

mining engineer. I haven't even a starched shirt with me, let al

life, such as rifles and ammunition, and quite

with the men," sai

ly with his eye, in case it should be necessary for him to use that force which I deplore, so I told Ponderby to make a guess at what would fit you, and to go to the extent of th

expect me to look p

made by the premier naval tailor of London, so we must play up to him, my boy, and do the best we can. Then there will be our chief engineer, also in uniform, and the wireless telegraphy operator, who

d entered the long broad saloon which extended from side to side of the ship. Lord Stranleigh occupied the head of the table, and he introduced Mackeller to Dr. Holden, and to Mr. Spencer, electrician and telegrapher. Ne

at here, Stranleigh

y in the ointment. I call her The Woman in White, after the title of Wi

of it. I don'

g of you, Mackeller, to begin reading the story in your own apartment, and if, getting interested in it, you wish to continue in the saloon, or on deck, I hope you will take the saloon or deck copy, so that the color of the binding will not clash with your s

that would be appalli

tastes. You may come to know, some day, when you are starving in a wilder

" replied Pe

is the fact that your passengers persist in taking

lled to compromise, a thing I always dislike doing. My captain's name is Wilkie, and my chief engineer's name is Collins, and thus I divide the burden of congruity upon the shoulders of

tor, "and call it 'The Grievous Worries of a Millionaire.'

ou progress with the work I may be able to supply

ngly grounded on common sense, and there were many elements in the situation that gave him just cause for anxiety. When it came down to finalities, he possessed a strong belief in the efficiency of force. So far as hi

ning engineering, and the mechanism of air-tight and water-tight compartments did not form part of his curriculum. He knew that on the open sea The Woman in White could not be overtaken by any craft afloat except one or other of the most recent torpedo-boat destroyers, which were not likely to be encountered along the west coast of Africa, but he knew the locality to which The Woman in White was bound, and he pictured her from twelve to twenty-four miles away from the coast, where, if discovered, she would need to make her way down a narrow river, flanked on each side, after sh

ly suspected that the Rajah was well provided not only with cannon and ammunition, but also with floating mines to seal up the river, rendering exit impossible. Into this fatal impasse Lord Stranleigh, with a levity that saddened Mackeller, was running his unprotected cruiser, armed only with luxury. Officers and crew would be of little use in a f

e Mackeller's attempts with a joke, refusing to discuss anything seriously. By the time they had arrived at that portion of the waters where they should have passed the Rajah, according to Mackeller's calculation, they were sailing through an empty sea. Day after day Mackeller, from the f

adoption of that plan he must now urge upon his chief, so seeing that Stranleigh, for once, was alone, he strode aft to the spot where the head of the expedition lolled in a reclining cane chair, with his slippered feet extended on the adjustable rest. Like the woman for whom his ship was named, he was clad entirely i

," he cried, "ha

whom,

Rajah, o

know I was lo

hese few days past, so I took the li

e quite

y, although you'll also be extremely disliked by everybody else. Still, I never aimed at populari

nd to be alway

ess, it is so easy to be right that I sometimes wonder you don't

of business, and no one ever hinted be

in somber silence, when sometimes a question might throw a good deal of light on your problem. Take my own actions, for instance. Do you suppose I wish the whereabouts of

ourse

uth African liners, or overtaken any of th

e I don'

rrily in that direction till daylight did appear, and then resumed our progress south. We passed outside of the islands, and out of the track of any steamer that might report us. Now turn your brain power upon

don't t

your scanning of the ocean. I had no desire to see the Rajah, but in any case I did not wish the Rajah to see me. We will steam as we are going until we are directly opposite your gold mine; then round at right angles and straight eastward is our course. You should do as I do, Mac

I hav

re left alone on a wreck. Of course I admit that W. W. Jacobs is excellent, and that he puts forth most admirable text-books on navigation, but he is only good below-bridge, as you might put it; for rivers and other inland waters, and perhaps a bit of the coast. When you take to

for me to say, sir, that I beli

ler, we'll study its construction, and find a way out. There seems to me little practical use in studying an imaginary trap which may not be there when we arrive. That leads to disappointment. Let us first get into the trap if we can; then if there's no way out, we will console ourselves by the knowledge that there are pl

s lips, and turned on h

ay. Try Jacobs if you like, but I bank on Russell," and

ad, neither did he take to the reading of freshwater or salt-water authors. He devoted what t

of dark hills against a less dark sky could be distinguished, and that was all. Mackeller paced the deck until daylight, when the steamer got under weigh again, and cautiously approached the shore. One of the ship's boats was swung into the water, and under Mackeller's guidance sounded with a lead the depths of the channel, the yacht crawling

onsidering the size of the target and th

r bells

ruise up and down

, s

yet Maekeller thinks we'

Mackeller had supposed. About a mile above the mines the land began to rise, and both banks were clothed with splendid forests. Arriving at the head of the delta they found that the river itself proceeded due north, while a branch similar to that which passed the gold fie

ranleigh. "We will return to it, but first I wish t

ast it turned west the steamer could reach the ocean without any possibility of being seen from the

would have saved yourself some worry if you ha

f they discover this channel, they

Peter. Now we will return, and seek our secluded glen, mooring against the eastern bank, so that

rk virtuously accomplished, with the prospective dinner well earned, although his exertio

small tent. At the top the foresters cleared away intervening underbrush so that a view might be had of the distant gold fields. The telescope stand wa

can see their inmost

e top, one laden with wireless telegraphy apparatus, whi

save us a telephone w

e laden with

le spring about halfway up in the forest, and that will supply you with drink nearer than the river, and I counsel you it is better for you than champagne, although I have sent up a ease of that. And now, to show you how economical I am, and thus make an appeal to your Scottish heart, I am going to send my woodmen into the forest alongside, and while here we will burn nothing but hard wood, and save coal.

tiful, and many wondro

e better, we would be all right. I must send a letter to the Times about the negligence of our Government, and score the postmaster-general, as all right-minded correspon

of the Paramakaboo River, and at once the information was telegraphed to Stranleigh, who did not receive the message, as he was out shooting

ce to swing ashore the cargo from the hold. He momentarily expected the arrival of his chief, but the dinner hour came, bringing no visitor to the hilltop. Mackel

our message?" de

u say? That's very interesting. You'll be glad to know, Ma

lied Mackeller dryly. "I thought, if you got my mess

lent man on the spot I never interfere with him. I should be quite sup

en they landed from the Rajah. Enough, I estimate

ope they won't

ected already, and they began bla

losing any t

ghts on the two masts, apparently to cover the field of opera

the top of your hill, I'd take up an armchair merely for the pleasure of sitting and watching them. Ah

outlook. We haven't broken into the boxes of provisions yet. I m

njoy a good rest in your comfortable

g back," s

rgy of those johnnies on the gold rock. Now do be persuaded, for my sake, to consume a good dinner when it is all ready for you. Place the san

r shook

day over Africa on your behalf, and then have my bag ignored when I return. One concession I will make: don't trouble to-night about your evening clothes. Be not abashed by the splendo

ply. At the head of the table that evening, Lord Stra

lessing. Roosevelt reminds me something of Mackeller here, except that he is more genial, and possesses a greater sense of humor. Mackeller, actuated by the promptings of duty, and assisted by porridge-fed muscle, is actually going to climb t

ee was served and the card table set out, he rowed himself across the river, tied up his boat securely, and ascend

instead to the telescope, through which he saw enough of industry going on to satisfy the most indolent. He turned the telescope this way and that, and at last fixed it at a point covering the river lower do

ter. Watchman, wh

th at the blasting of the ore,

again. If they load the Rajah as quickly as they have unloaded

hought you didn't quite appreciate how spe

ey are doing now seems to point to a le

doing now?" dem

eam, and are engaged upon the second series a quarter of a mile, as I estimate the distance, nearer the ocean. They have two ordinary ship's boats at