An Antarctic Mystery

ook, and eight sailors; in all twelve men, a sufficient number to work the ship. Solidly built, copper-bottomed, very manageable, well suit

slands to another and from continent to continent. His ship's company was but a dozen men, it is true, but she was used for the purposes of trade only; he would have required a more numerous crew, and all the implements, for taking seals and other amphibia. The Halbrane was not defenceless,

my bed by the rough voice of the innkeeper and the tremend

ould I be otherwise, with all t

he offing, to the nor'east

be the

eorling. At any rate it is the first boat

t considerable and considered man in the archipelago-consequently he secured the best listeners. The matter in dispute was whether the schooner in sight

ing that the fast-approaching schooner was either English or American, until she was near enough to hoist her flag and th

ach of th

eyebrows, and his strong white teeth were set like rocks in his powerful jaws; his chin was lengthened by a coarse red beard, and his arms and legs were strong and firm. Such was Captain Len Guy, and he impressed me with the notion that he was rather impassive than hard, a shut-up sort of p

hest was broad enough to hold two pairs of lungs (and he seemed to want a double supply, for he was always puffing, blowing, and talking), he had droll roguish eyes, with a network of wrinkles under them. A noteworthy detail was an ear-ring, one only, which hung from the lobe of his left ear. What a contrast to t

in Len Guy consented to my doing so, and the boatswain presented himself on the following morn

ling, I s

y turn, my friend.

you my s

at acc

intention to embar

are

the faithful companion of Captain Len Guy, who will listen to me wil

talk, if you are not re

ng. Besides, there's very little to be

s hand towa

k very well he

s dry, when it is so easy to sit down in a corner of

n't d

't imagine you are dealing with a sot! No! neve

purchases and sales, we took our places in the eating room of his inn. And first I said to Hurliguerly: "It was on

in has an esteem for him. But he can't do w

in, and is there not a cabin on board the Halbra

ever-between ourselves-it will take somebody sharper than you think, and who isn't good old Atkins, to induce Captain Len Guy to take a passenge

then the man took a short black pipe out of the pocket

liguerly

Jeorl

tain object to tak

take anybody on board his ship.

hat reason,

years between Australia on the east and America on the west; from Hobart Town to the Kerguelens, to Tristan d'Acunha, to the Falklands, only taking time anywhere to sell our cargo, and sometimes dipping down into the Anta

vely leaves the Kerg

tain

ill sail westward fo

oba

or me, and since you offer me your services, g

s good

, and you shall have no

ea, "I have never repented of anything, and I know well that I shall not repent of doing you a service. Now

at a gulp-I thought the glass would have gone down with th

nnkeeper on the port, and

ose without consulting him. He's a queer fellow, Mr. Jeorling, not bad, not stupid, but a great hand at getting hold of

me, you have been talking with Capta

's plenty of time. The Halbra

nderstand that I want to be

n any case. When the fishing season comes, there will be more ships in Christmas Harbour than

them. So, notwithstanding the fine promises of the two, I resolved to address myself per

eferred to avoid me. It was impossible that Captain Len Guy, who knew every dweller in the place, should not

accede to it; or neither Hurliguerly nor Atkins had spoken to him since the previous day. In the latter case, if he held alo

his captain, and the latter availed himself of the opportunity to avoid me. He

fter all it only means delay. To-morrow morning I will go on board the Halbrane. Whether he likes it or whe

ls when ashore. So I waited, and did not go to dinner until late. I was disappointed, however, for neither the captain nor anyone bel

lbrane crew was ashore. The ship's boats were alongside, rocking gently on the rising tide. I remained there until nine, walking up and down the edge in full view of the

t Captain Len Guy does not care

Sunday, and this is S

not spok

, I

visibly e

rson of your acquaintance wished

es

as his

u or I would have w

refu

was: 'My ship is not intended to carry passengers. I