41 Lure O Gold 1904

"
"
"
"
The Bulkhead Door
like this. It s dead easy. Only you
musn t be in too
big a hurry, and if we have to go into quarantine,
why -
Quarantine ?
"Well,
you never can tell."
But I m afraid you ll
began Somers, and the
rest I did not hear, for a terrible grinding noise came
from the after part of the steamer, mingled with a rip
ping whir.
This ceased suddenly.
"Lord, how her screw is racin I" said the third
officer. "It s a nasty night. There s a high sea runnin
an I guess Cap
louty old porpoise is pilin
n will want me on deck. The
on the watches pretty thick."
I heard the feet on the ladder rounds again, and
dodged back through the bulkhead door.
tering teeth I ran along the wing, through
With chat
the forward
doorway and out through the steerage upon deck. I
had to battle with a stiff wind, which nearly knocked
me off
my feet,
and I thanked my stars that my ankle
was strong enough to walk upon, though
it
was still
lame and a bit uncertain.
When I reached the Doctor s stateroom, my friend
was not in. I looked about for him and found him
with the Captain, on the forward deck by the quarter-
[117]