The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-05-11

0lm AND MIKE 9allOE or lob
lQlly boy of hiuaius as-you p11aee. -
~ xhA onzlal1ghed .stC along
me boy" he said, s'and III show you
your messmates and rough lot you'll
find them. Can you foight p
II think / can" Harry said modest
ly, ''bnt l never tried"
''Ha! ha!' laughed the doctor livery
good indeed. Capital!"
Il long, low dark room on one side of
the steerage, lighted only by two small
ports-thls was the gun.room. A ta-
BILE occupied nearly it's entire space.
leaving merley room, and no more, for
the cushioned lockers which served
for seats. The surgeon knocked and
entered, dipping his head as he did so,
to allow a purser's shoe to whistle
harmlessly. over it.. -.
"Oh! come away, doctor,'' said a
voice; II thought it was that beggarly
steward; he has allowed johnson to
drink all my rum again to day..
"Well. "said the doctor you drink his
Tomorrow
''Never get chance, sir, or would
every day. Has that young griffin
IVAAO W JO1A
The speaker was q tall raw-boned
youth, who sat in corner with both
legs OH the table, a position he was
justified by the rules Of the mess in
assuming because he had been around
both capes.
"Oh! dear, dear, good, old doctor -
cried a young fair-haired MILDLY, jump.
ing up and throwing his arms caress-
insly around the surgeons neck. I'm
so glad you've come.''
"What's in the wind now, young
cub :" asked the doctor.
.Oh, logarithms, daddy, logarithms
and zebra; you'll do an equation for
me won't your
"Not this watch my boy" said the
surgeon; task your new mess-mate
here.''
''Can You do logs and 'geb!'' This
appealingly to Harry.
''I'll try" said Harry; and down sat
the two together; away went the sur.
geon, and in less than five minutes the
youngsters were as thick rs thieves.
Harry promised to do all his mess
mates sums for him. ''For you
know" that youth explained, "I'm
an awfully lazy beggar; Lawson's my
name-lazy Lawson the instructor
calls me; and can't he hit hard with
the ruler! my word -
Dawson also gave. him a history of
all his messmates, from the sub.lieu.
tenant who was quiet and allowed
Hicks, the lanky youth and tyrant OF
the mess, to do as he liked-down to
the young and innoffensive purser's 8
clerk.
Thus far, reader, you may have
thought my little hero green. He
wasn't however, He was one Of your
quiet, considering English boys who al.
ways think before they speak, who take
things in at one glance, and who, nc
matter how soft they look, are not to
be imposed upon.
The ward-r0Om officers soon found
out Harry's good qualities, and grew
very fond of him. especially the sur.
geon, who invited Harry to make use
of his cabin every day to read or study
in. Like most of his class, the doctor
was a good sailor he could, to speak,
box the compass, splice a rope, steer
the ship, or navigate her ; and he
often gave Harry what he termed a
s'hitch" out of q difficulty.
Harry's life in the gun-room was
rather a rough one, but he soon set
tied down to it; not that he followed
in the footward Of the oldsters, mind
you. He treated the steward politely
but he didn't pet him one moment and
shy a boot at his head the next, Meth.
er did he bully his own servant-and
honest Dan Williams would have done
anything for him. But Harry had tc
submit to be bullied good deal him
self. Hicks took his rum regularly
Harry didn't mind, Hicks ''borrowed'
hisspens, ink, and paper Harry had
plenty. The mildest name that eve,
Hicks called him was ''muff;;" but
even that didn't hurt Harry.
Harry didn't search his bible tc
find that proverbial five.pound note
but he searched it foond something fa1
bet ter, muff AZ he was and night and
morning he knelt by the side of hi.
sea.chest, and ne never felt. the worse
for it.
Harry had been ut sea for thre,
years, and every day of those three
years Hicks had had his rum but on,
day Williams was 50 i'll that he coul(
hardly stand erect, and Harry did no
hesitate te give him the rum tha
day. ,.>
Crash! That was a blow, and Hick
was the giver, and poor Harry Ia,
stunned and bleeding ON the deck.
But that same evening on the orlop
deck, Harry took of his jacket, which
Lazy Lawson held; and told Hicks t,
stand up like man.. +;
1won't describe the fight. Suffice i
to say that next day. Hicks had to e
on the sick list, aud he couldn't ar
pear ON duty for a whole week. Blu
nobody pitied Hicks. ~: 49,:
And Harry's life in the. gun.rooon
was more pleasant after that.
CHATTER THE sEcoxD-Xr LAST.
y When three years had passed away
-andt oh, how quickly years do fly il
the navy Harry felt lie liked the sci
vice. When Ave years had come an
gone he positively loved it, an
wouldn't have changed places with:
lord on shore. All this time Harr
: had never once been home, for whe
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