The Captain of the Kansas

on her roll; Dr. Christobal's presence was due to Mr. Baring's solicitude in his daughter's behalf. It chanced that the courtly and gray-haired Spanish physician had relinquishe

he reported now that the chief officer's injury was trifling, but the C

wledge of the situation of the lung; they also know the easiest way to reach it with a sharp instrument. Captai

use of the affai

en; that he came off to the ship at a late hour, and that some one flung him headlong into a hold which, luckily for him, was nearly full of cotton bales. He was stunned by the fall, and were it not for Captain Cou

atic English. He spoke the language w

said the little French Comte, who had been waiting

Frenchman an encouraging glance. Incidentally, she smiled at Elsie. "Why puzzle one

for the benefit of sailor-men. I believe he can swear in every known lingo. His accomplishment in that direction no doubt annoyed Frascuelo, who became frantic when he heard that the ship would n

consideration might ha

si

argument when a Chil

wel

his story

a plausible yarn. Nevertheless, I believe, and Mr

e, and the rays of the setting sun lit up the

Then we pick our way through the Straits discovered by that daring Portuguese, Fernando de Magallanes, to whose memory I always drink heartily once we are clear of the Cape of the Eleven Thousand Virgins. I

ed wine with a quasi-masonic ritual

y ahead of your to

s ahead of his times

eisurely habit," put i

orld manners full

the worthy Portuguese navigato

tened any unhappy promontory by such

were he in a very bad temper, might exclaim, 'Mille diables!' Why should not our excellent Fernando rail

vagueness as to the topography of South America. Dr. Christobal knew this weakness of hers; he also remembered her beautiful half-caste mother, from whom Isobel inhe

jacent point 'Cape Dungeness,' have shortened Magellan's mouthful into 'Cape Virgins.'-Yet, Ursula wa

conteur,

," came a voice from th

s Ursula fled from Britain to Rome

el, and Elsie alone underst

and Virgins.' Some later critic pointed out that a missing comma after Undecimilla, the name of a handmaid, made all the difference, assuming that two young ladies were a more reasonable and probable number than eleven thousand. But what legend ever cared for a comma, or reached

urer on things in general and interesting

istobal

e Virgins, but they, not to mention the other young gentlemen in the passenger list, would

but there was no Miss Baring to

p, I take it?" said

after a stare of surprise, he joined in

," he protested, "and that is strange, don't you think, se

id, Columbus himself, always paid tribute to Neptune. And, if I am not mistaken," he added, glancing

nt coast-line the inner giants of the Andes threw heavenward their rugged outlines, with many a peak

a chorus of doubts. "But it carries its deceptive smiles too far. The very beauty of the C

captain," poute

at both ladies were in the forbidden terri

good sailor?" said

what was called a Number Eight gale, whatever that may

ng ago, seeing that you

then," said Elsie, her eyes wandering to th

mured Monsieur de Poincilit, confidentially. She did not endeavor to inte

ge," she replied, and she turned to Dr. Christobal,

nformation on Chile, and I want to extract some of the ore while the l

Valparaiso, I hope?" said her elderly

I shall not return, unless, if a doubtful fortune permits, I

the doctor was far too sympathetic to end

god, and an unstable deity at that. He was swindled outrageously by men who stand high in the community to-day. But you, Miss Maxwell, with yo

t his advocacy of the rights of the Indians brought him into disfavor. Of all his possessions the only remnant left to me is a barren mo

d did he come to

e company has since asked me to sell the property, and offered me a fair price, too, as the cultivable lan

and not his head dictated the reply. "May I ask you

cy as Spanish correspondent. That will fill in two days a week. The rest I can devote to art. I paint a little, and

were thinking of to allow a girl like you to slip

elief that a wife's wedding-dress

construct wedded happiness. And as to my young fri

Paris. I should like to live in Paris myself. Dear old smoke-laden London doe

ng in the world," cried the doctor

oin in their conversation, and display a spasmodic interest in the topics they discussed. There were only six other passengers, a Baptist missionary and his wife, three mining engineers, and a

t some of his stored impressions: "The man reminds me of one of those dummy books you see occasionally, bound

od," and Elsie once inadverte

e weather, Mr. Wood?" sh

tice that she wa

n," he

oice of an adjective that morning. Dr. Christobal's dismal foreboding had been justified on the second day out. Leaden clouds, a

ptain Courtenay wishful to navigate the most dangerous part of the narrows by daylight. His intent, therefore, was to pick up the E

and even the eight thousand tons of the Kansas felt the impact of the giant rollers on her starboard bow. Dinner, therefore, promised to be a meal of much discomfort, cheered only by

ristobal strove to enliven the others with t

eaking over the bows and fore hatch, while the defeated monster washed the tightly screwed ports with a venomous swish. "They cannot harm us n

ineers, a young American. "I happen to be a tee-totaler, but I don't mind opening a bottle of the best for th

l raised

are fortunate. Should it happen to veer round to the eastward, and you see the rocks of Tierra del Fuego lashed by the choppy sea that can ru

mule-track over the Sierras is a heap bett

creaked as though she were in pain; she staggered an instant, and then swung irresistibly

ure five hours of this

r even Mr. Boyle, put in an appearance? I have hard

in the ship. The steady onward thrust of the engines-the unwavering path across the raging vortex of tumbling gray waters-the orderly way in which the members of the crew follow their duties-these are quietly persistent factors in the gradu

commented Christobal. "I plead guilty to a weakness in that direct

be on the bridge a

f he is faithful to his trust. And I fancy

and then became strangely still. The least experienced traveler on board knew that the engines had stopped. They felt a long lurch to port when the next sea climbed over

d which sent his subordinates' attention, if not their thoughts, back to their work. In the strained hush, the running along the deck of men in heavy sea-boots was painfully audible. Water could be heard pourin

e wrong," said Els

tobal nodded

uch things will happen at times.

chief steward heard his explanation and looke

l lose an hour or

ll right by the time yo

e American engineer was the first to rise, but the chief

quit yet. The companion-hatch is

demanded Isobel, shrilly, and her face lo

, Miss Baring. Anyway,

being told what

in a mine, if an accident happens, the man in charge cannot desert his post

ll tell us all about

ri

rap," said Count Edouard, suppressed exci

w, no one smiled. They knew too well what he meant to pay heed to the mere form of his words. No