A TALE OF THE DEEP

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1695, 24 August 1904, Page 7

A TALE OF THE DEEP

Captain Penly lowered his glass. “She's a derelict.” he said. “Get out a boat, Mr Applegate ” “Ay, ay, sir.” it ■ > A boat was lowered'. The captain took command of her himself and was puiied to the derelict. Meanwhile she had swung round so that as he approached he could see her name. “The Kangaroo!” he exclaimed, opening his eyes very wide. “Give way mien.” In a few minutes the boat was alongside the Kangaroo, a rop.e was caught on the gunwale, and Captain ITuiy climbed aboard, followed by several ol his men. They searched the ship from stem to stern, ‘but found no living tiling. She was loaded with Lumber, , which kept her afloat. Her roremast had fallen and had been cut away. It was piain that she had been deserted in or after a storm. “There’s prize money here, my lads,'’ said the captain, “a snug sum for every one of you.” ■ Leaving a few men, he returned to ins ship, and in due time the ivangaroo was taken in tow, the llsperanoe proceeding on her way to Newport, not a hundred miles distant. The next morning at dawn the captain was called on dock. Land was m sight, and some miles ahead a boatload of men was pulling slowly towards it. As soon as they discovered the Eisperanoe they stopped rowing, and within halt an hour Cap tain Peniy hailed tnem.“Who aire you?” he asked. An oldish man stood up in the stern and replied: “The crew of the Kangaroo. We encountered foul weather the day before yesterday, which increased to a hurricane, leaving our ship in a sinking condition.” While the man was speaking his aye was on the tow. and his words came blow and reluctant. “Good morning, Gap tain Lane,” said Penly. 1 “Who are you, sir?” said the other, gett.ng out a.pair of glasses. “I’m Frank Penly, at your service.” There was a chopfalien look upon Captain Lane that contrasted sharply with the confident air of Penly. Penly was one of the youngest captains in the merchant King but 26 the day he took command of the Eisperance. Ho had lived in bis mother’s cottage on Narr&gamsett bay, near tlie town of Bristol, within a stone’s throw of the home of Captain Lane’s family, and had grown up with Lane’s children. “You are in good luck, oaptain,” continued Penly. “I’ve got your ship in tow.” “So I see,” replied the other; endavouring to look pleased, but it is very hard for a man to look pleased who has deserted a ship and found that ship following him into port. It puts him in an unpleasant poa.t.on. “Well, you’d better pull in, and we'll take you aboard,” said Peniy. As soon as the wrecked mariners were aboard the Eisperance, Captain Penly took Captain Lane to his cabin. When they were last together Lane had ordered the man who had picked up ins ship and himself to leave his house. Now ‘ Lane wajted for the younger man to speak. Penly ‘began in a tone and with an air of one who remembered nothing unpleasant. “Captain, wre must hit upon some plan,” he said, “to enable you to sail your ship into port without the knowledge of your having left her coming :o the owners.” “I don’t see how it can be done,” said the other moodily. __ “It can only be done by satisfying our men as to prize money. Fortunately I have something to my credit in bank.” “I have enough to attend to that.” “I’ll figuro' up what my men would be entitled to.” “But your own share?” “Never mind that.” Within two hours Captain Lane and his crew were aboard the Kangaroo, moving under what sails were left on her into Newport harbour. Every man on her v r as pledged to secrecy and a handsome present promised. Those on the Esperancu had made a like pledge (with compensation) to the young captain, whom they‘‘adored, though they wore to get their prize money. The Esperanoe entered the harbour and reported that she had spoken the Kangaroo within sight of land coming in disabled. The Eisperance went on to Providence. The Kangaroo when she came put-in at Pall River. The night of her arrival Penly went to Bristol to, greet his mother, and Lane -went there to see li is family. In the evening a message came to Penly inviting him to the Lane residence. Captain Lane received him in a room in which .no on© else was present. He gave Ms reasons for abandoning his vessel, which were not bad, but in view of the vessel having been found all right they would not be acceptable. “And now,” continued Lane, “I have only to thank you for your .kindness in helping me out of an unpleasant position and to tender you a cheque for your share of the prize money.” “No prize money will be accepted, oaptain,” replied the young man. “You know, very well what prize I covet.”

Meanwhile Captain Lane had taken out Ills cheque book and drawn a cheque. “Here,” he said, “is a lump sum ol 2000 pounds.” Then, raising his voice, he called,. “Hope.” A girl of 20 came into the room and stood looking at the two men shyly. “Hope,” said her father, “I recall my opposition to Frank Penly, and here is a cheque for your dowry.” The lovers sprang into each other’s arms. *