Page:Anderson--Isle of seven moons.djvu/158

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THE ISLE OF SEVEN MOONS

Master Phil seeing him, savagely "threw her into high," turned the corner at a perilous angle, skidded, and bowled over the intrepid reporter. Anyway, he died through devotion to his duty, and, having no kith or kin, was buried with appropriate honours among the gravestones where Carlotta had but lately perched.

But Sally reached her home safely. However, it wasn't long after Captain Harve's protecting presence had been withdrawn that she heard the cane ascending the stairs step by step, then her father's voice booming through the locked door,—

"Listen to me—I'm cap'n of this ship, and I say you've got to marry him—next week. That'll give her time to blow over. If you won't, I'll throw you overboard, disown you, d'y' hear?"

Very probably he didn't mean it, at least literally, for he regretted his words very bitterly next morning, when it was too late.

For just as the grandfather's clock struck ten in the hall below, a half-hour after receiving this ultimatum, Sally Fell threw a few things into her bag, and once more climbed over that trellis, and so hastened over the lawn, through the sibyllic gate, down the hill to the wharf where Captain Harve's ship, the North Star, lay moored, due to sail in the morning, when the tide was right.

Most of the crew were celebrating on shore. She could hear the snatches of song from Tom Grogan's now, across Water Street and up the dark alley. The moon had thoughtfully hidden her face. Except for a green light or two, it