River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-02-06

you unawares. II | had been robher l
would have had you foul"
"And precious little you would have got
for you. palms." replied |, feeling treasured by
the gentlemAnly appearance OF my interlocu-
tor and by his mode of address.
You belong to the Eudymion" queried
he.
THAT you may be sure Of. My shabby APP
Dearance--n
"TesuGes that YOU are near the end OF a
long voyage. v hat usage do you have on
board that Ship
Il will only say" answered |, "that we are
are all short-handed, the best part of the crew
having deserted We shipped a few beach
corners at oahu, but they left long ago"
"All that implies that your men are dissatis-
fed With their treatment"
Il cannot deny the business Of your infer
ence."
The young gentleman became thoughtful.
wondered at the interest which he took in
the subject If our discourse. As we wake d
along toward the lights in the shops of VAL
paraiso, lie became lost in his reflections. At
last he seemed to remember that be was not
alone, and turning briskly towail me, he
said:
"Itake some interest in that ship of yours
When do you sail"
| confessed my ignorance, but told the
youag man that it was not probable we would
STAY long, as port expenses were heavy,
and The owners of whaleships were stingy
fellows
He turned again toward me, surveyed me
closely, and l thought there was queer
smile on his visage.
''You think so, do your he said at last.
81 have always heard So"
"Well, I've not time to Investigate the mat
ter as l turn off here, by the calaboose.
Good night
A lew days after this event the captain of
our ship brought on board couple of men
whom he had shipped for the remainder OF
the voyage. One of them wore neat blue
Jacket and pants; the other looked as II he
had slept with his clothes on among the shay
ings and sawdust OF a carpenters shop, or he
might have been hidden in all oven like
Catherine Alexowna bt fore she became en-
press of Russia
AS the plight of the latter was what might
reasonably have been expected, took no
further notice of him than TO perceive that he
had a very large and crooked nose; but the
spruce appearance of the former led to the
suspicion that he was some officer OF a mer-
chairman who had quarreled with his cap
tain and deserted. Our mates seemed to be
of that opinion, for tAey eyed him closely,
and COR several days treated him with more
respect than is generally shown to common
sailor.
But after we had put to sea an event occur
red which shook their faith in his respecta-
biity In the morning watch, just after day
Ii ght, a raft was discovered TO leewdrd with
some live object upon it. The captain was
called, and, he gave orders to port the helm
"Thorc is man there-from some wreck,
likely enough" he said.
Accordingly we squared the yards and ran
down to the raft. it proved to be nothing
but 4 ragged pair of canvass trousers and
that passed for a shirt-that is,
fragments of green baize futtering in the
wind He wore no hat but his thickly mat
hair a .
ceut that he could not have lifted his head in
respectful salute to mermaid il she had
CHANGED to- cross his prov. a few Mother
Carey's chickens followed in his wake, and
two huge albatrosses wheeled above his head
as If half inclined to pOunce upon him.
We had on board a sail maker named Bald
win who had belonged to the navy, and as
soon as his eyes fell upon the stranger be
pronounced the name of "Mauleym
The lone wager was taken on board, and
said that he had been east awayin brig.
Baldwin smiled, and afierward told our
second mate that this man Mauley was
noted beach-combcr OF Callao,w no captain
would ship, and who having visited the frig
ate TO which Baldwin belonged, had been ig-
ANONYMOUSLY driven ashore, and forbidden
ever again TO set foot on board that vessel.
He has a very bad name added the sail
maker, "aud he is suspected of having
murde ed the carpenter OF our frigate at Val
psraiso.'
In fact the personal appearance OF Mauley
was very much against him, and no one be-
lieVed that he had been wrecked. 1t was
thought that in putting to sea on this light
raft he I'D taken that desperate method 10
get on bOurd some vessel.
keep an eye on him, said our captain to
his first mate.
Tie mate did keep All eye on the desolate
wretch, and soon detected him in close and
confidential cow srsatiOn with Johnson, the
rufr NO haH
before leaving port. 1t WAS the mates watch,
while johnson belonged to the watch of the
second mate vet Johnson had come on deck
for the special purpose of speaking to Mau.
ley
under the shadows Of the foremost, apart
from the rest OF the watch, and eonyerSed to-
gether in a low tone The mate got as near
to them as he could without being observed,
but he caught only tie words
Remember, this must be dead secret be-
tween you and me"
II was but wear before that the terrible
mutiny on board the ship Globe had taken
place, aud when the mate heard the words
which have quoted, he passed softly down
into the cabin, and finding the captain awake
told him what he had overheard.
THAT gnan Johnson! Are you not mis-
: aken?" demanded the captain. "Why John
on seems quite gentleman. Must have
been somebody else
eyes, sir" replied the mate; But what Sc
eret should any body have with that Mauley,
which all the crew kept clear of in broad day
light? Whispering with him in the dark
that's the pint, sir. Baldwin sweaTs tha' The
feller's a murderer, sir
'Pn have no plotting and whispering in the
dark on board my ship" cried the captain,
suddenly and unaccOuntably breaking forth
into a tower Of passion.
"Now reeoilect that this Johuson has
4. ,R,.tIs -. .a..
when Mr.. Pease has ordered him to serape
topmsst or slush them down, or tar rigging;
but thought it was only because he'd never
been used To such dirty work"
III We don't look out he'll be engaged in
dirtier work than slushiug topmasts or tar
ring down riggin'," said the mate
Cutting our throats, eh?"
"Irs unaccountable, sir, this plotting and
having secrets with that Mauley; lis so
much like the way that Smith says the mutt
nv begun aboard the Glole.
That's true, answered the captain; I've
a great mind to put them both In irons"
'.Mebby we'd better wait little and Sec"
returned the mate; "and I'll keep sharp
lookout on both on EN-"
The captain was silent, but he shook his
head threateniugly, and the mate went on
deck 20 stand out the remainder Of his
watch
Before morning there was a "gale OF wind"
reefcd main-top and storm staysail. But, in
spite cf wind or weather, the first mate was
observed all day running bullets in the cooks
caboose. greatly to the surprise OF the crew,
some of whom asked:
Have there been any pirates heard OF on
this coast -
In the meantime there was something
about this johnson, especially his voice,
which reminded me of somebody had seen
before. noticed that the captain looked
sharply 81 him, and observed all his move
ments attentively, as IL he also, had some
recoItt ctlon of him ] knew nothing OF his
conv ersation with Mauley, aud the mates
surmises All those matters were related 10
me aiterWard. in a house where a tin pot
stands t1r an hOur-glass and rum runs for
sand"
ID TO this time JohnsOn's Ignorance OF sea
manship had been regarded with much len
ieucy. and the mates had taken some pains
I to instruct him; but after his consultation
with Maaley, under cover Of the darkness. a
suspicion was harbOred by the captain and
mates that his awKwaFdness In handling a
rnarline.spike and rolling a topgallentsa all
was assumed, and that he pretended to be a
( green hand only 10 divert attention from his
schemes
1 Accordingly, when johnson made a mis-
take. or buugied in the performance of any
+ duty. the officers or the captain reprimanded
him sharply He showed surprise at this
F change 10 their department toward him aud
at length he manifested feelings OF resent
ment.
Il DO The best can, and am only woTkin 2
Iav passage home" said he 'Iexpegt no pay
I $40 YOU answer back, you raSeSlr' cried the
Z peutsfn who had overheard the words Ot