Isle o' Dreams

kes a Private

he had nothing tangible in the way of suspicion, he disliked the manne

ubt about it. He had allowed the schooner to lag when she could have been driven ahead. Whether this was due to Jarrow's deliberate contrivance, or was

te. And Jarrow might have been wise to avoid a resumption of trouble, for, as Peth had been openly insolent and had carried a

etter if the mate had been brought into place with a sharp and short encounter which would determine just who was master, than to contin

he presence of Locke. But to Trask the obvious delay in coming up to the island was only a small part of his growing fe

hen Trask or Locke or Marjorie came in sight, the men were full of covert

n. It was not so much expressed as shown by repression. There was a soberness of purpose

had become strangely alert, watchful of everybody, and nervous to the point of sudden shivering attacks. Trask ascribed Doc's actions to an unexplained coolness which had sprung up between the steward and Shanghai Tom, although it was quite possible Doc w

r of his room, and rolled into his bunk, purposely accentuating the creaking of the board

e captain, to all appearances, had gone to sleep, but Trask had plans

oner's gear and the patter of the water under her counter, she seemed deathly qu

of its light washing into Trask's room like the lifting of a laz

rlier. But he had not realized that it was to be left burning. He wanted to go out and do a little reconnoitering, but as th

Immediately after the anchor was down Trask observed that the crew had gone below, and, exc

a mouth organ, checked abruptly. The scuttle had been closed, and Trask thought it queer that there should be a desire to shut themselv

had sat around and smoked and chatted quietly. But they appeared ominously furtive. And Trask knew th

calling softly to Doc Bird and asking him to put out the light. But if Doc demurred, or declared that the light could not b

all hands aft be roused. If the light were put out at Trask's request, and later he was found prowling on

iven if he were later found outside for a little fresh air. If any of the crew did resent his presence forward, he would have pr

wn the lamp until the wick snuffed out the flame. With the match still burning in his hand, he went back to hi

is room. It was necessary that he keep low, for he was not sure whether there was one of the crew on watch aft. To any one looking through

are not to mask the forward port-hole of the galley with his back. If Doc Bird had heard him crawling out, he migh

in case he were challenged he could assume a careless manner by preparing to h

r the starboard quarter, a black spot focussed in the all-pervading blackness of the night. Everything seemed to give promise of secrecy for him. The rasp of the boom-jaws, the sw

pper edge of the cabin. His eyes, better adjusted now to the gloom, saw a black shape over the cabin roof. It startled him for a second,

re up and die away. Then he caught the spicy aroma of a native cigarette in the soft air charged with the acrid smell of new hemp, the

evidences of a menace which did not exist. He wondered if this fact might not well account for the formless fears he had felt about Peth and the crew. Like a

iness, and at times danger was but the thrill which went with the game. He knew that if he were the

hooner, with a crew of men who had all the outer aspects of rascals, and a mild

Such adventures as he had had were out of books, and he had taken it for granted that what he read was always improbable and impossible. Such people never believe in danger until they have a revolver thrust into

o take precautions about Jarrow and the crew because he had been reluctant to forego the pleasure of Miss Marjorie's company. Trask had been exiled so

e, he felt that he must do all he possibly could for the protection of his companions. He wished that he had demanded an investigation when he found his pistol missing. He

sk moved away from the edge of the schooner, and drew near the base of the foremast, which offered better concealment. He was now but a few feet f

comet-like streak of light which must be the man's cigarette. The spot of light disappeared for a second an

coughed gently, and then came clumping aft, dropped to the main deck with a sma

hope. The light coming up through the scuttle illuminated the foremast abov

went out. There were sounds of men coming on deck, known to Trask by the rattle of the scu

. Trask could make him out as he passed, and after he had disappeared against the blackness

on deck whispering and moving about with such secrecy with a

side. He encountered a small, hard line, like a lead-line, being paid out from the forecastle and carried

ot so much to avoid a wetting, as to be where he could alarm Jarrow and Locke

would only serve to make him ridiculous if the explanation proved to be the carrying out of some legitimate duty. Being quiet, with the vessel at anchor, was hard

ves he had seen in their leathern pockets. He pulled out a large one, jud

h great care, smiling at the figure he would cut if he were challenged and found with a great knife in his hands sneaking ab

usts. It was not a heavy downpour, but a threat of more

affrail, evidently a man bent over some task. Then it moved away to starboard, slowly,

the cabin, the man who had come aft had gone about his business an

he knife away in the galley without, however, attempting to insert

at first mistook for rain water running from the scuppers. But the deck was scarcely wet and, besides, the sou

fact that the man who had brought the line aft was now well f

ightly luminous, outlining a dark, formless mass close to the side of the schooner. It moved forward slowly, its progress coincident with

uestra anchored, was being stolen! The crew were pulling it forward by the line which the man had taken aft, and this

go ashore in the morning, there could be no other reason for stealing the dinghy than a plan to visit the island under cover of darkness. The plan foresh

they contemplated abandoning the Nuestra, or destroying it and those remaining aboard. He had no doubt the scheme was to learn whether or

prospect of a shining, yellow beach. But what was to Trask far more important, and fraught with danger to Marjorie, Locke, Dinshaw, J

drenched in the first minutes of the downpour, remained where he was, crouching under the bulwark

rd them fumbling in the dinghy. They pushed off gently and rowed away in the direction of the island, amid the muffled click of

ould, be done. Jarrow must be warned. The sky now turned lighter, being relieved of it

ned in to the door of the main cabin, planning to rid himself o

ng against the bulkhead, just abaft of the galley. He saw that the light from outside marked t

at?" came

spering, but more boldly, and with

nswer. "Fo' the lan' sake, what y

followed the bulkhead straight aft, conscious that Bird was in the doorway of the

called, in a low vo

sleeping captain. Then he went inside and felt along Jarrow's bun