The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-06-28

the sun had just peeped above the
misty wall of green and gold into which
the bluffs had been transformed, and
tinted the few sails to the westward,
making them like flecks of gold leaf in
the soft, violet haze.
Good mornin'."
Rick jumped as if struck by ropes
end. Sitting on the rail was a very
Hercules in repose. Tall, well-built,
with light hair and complexion, tawny
beard and great, serious, blue eyes in
which brooding trouble lurked. His
clothes had been torn by briars and were
full of burrs and ''stick-tights. He
had been drawing diagrams in the films
of dew that lay on deck, in an absent
minded manner with tanned and
sinewy hand, on which veins stood
out like strands of rope yarn.
"How the" began Rick, but his
voice was smothered in a roar from the
skipper, who had at that moment stuck
his head up the companion way.
clay aft, and pipe all hands on deck!
Why didn't you call me sooner?
Here's a four-knot breeze a-blowin'
luh We w SO1 Oul lIlNAh-liOOhS liz
Come, now, stir yourself!'
Then he espied Davy, who had arisen
and was approaching.
"Holy sailor. where in the dickens
did you drop FROM"
81 COON fra the bluffs, sir"
The Captain looked forward over the
rail. The sight of a skiff, clumsily
made fast to the bobstav, checked the
question arising to his lips as to the
manner of his coming.
"Well, what do you want? What did
you come aboard for?'
81 want -" began Davy.
"Get up the anchor, Mr.. Tatman,
and crack on all the canvas she's got.
Course S. w. by va little W."
81 wud wish -" began Davy again.
"Now, gou-what did you board us
for" again broke in the Captain, APP
parently for nothing else but the salts
faction of interrupting him.
ado you want to hire han ?" said
he, desperately, with a shade of annoy
ance on his countenance.
"No | dOn't-what can you do? Can
you cook. You're no seaman-you're
q boy. You can't cook. Your Stun
mick's in your shirt sleeves already.
What's the matter? Ager? Broke
Don't want any walkin' funeral with
me! | want q cook. Don't want anv
longshOre lubber. Come, pull ashore in
that coffin of yours. Don't you see
we're maxim sail. Over the rail with
you" The Captain ierked this forth
without a break, deity inserting an
oath here and there at the hint of a
pause, thus keeping up an even flow of
verbiage.
Disregarding the buster Davy came
to the point with: 'Yes'r, l can cook.
| was cook in q lumber camp. Will
you try me-"
"Get aft and pipe to mess in thirty
minutes, you Oakum-headed son of a
molling-rubber! Lively now."
Taking that as an engagement he
dove down the companion way. In a
few moments smoke began to pour out
of a stub of a stovepipe chimney on the
deck of the galley which adjoined the
cabin. Then perspiring head APP
peared.
Eli Captain! Whereabouts do We
keep the dishes?''
The answer can only be fifty repre-
sented in polite circles by string of
blanks. The question had aroused I'M
pleasant thoughts.
How he struggled in the hot little
den to give satisfaction; how he
sweated and worked, burning his hands
and scalding his awkward arms; how
he gave us food, burnt and raw in turn,
which was only shade better than no
food at all; how in heavy weather he
was obliged to cook with his stomach
in state of dire mutiny, the smell of
bilge water and cookery commingled
making him deathly seasick and per-
fectly CHASTITY to look upon; how with
all his nausea he was compelled to sit
over the rank smelling and blistering
stove, holding the pots and kettles to
keep them on an even keel as each sea
struck the scow; how his attempts to
wait on the table too frequently re-
suited in soup baths and ignominy; how
he stood up under the Captains ''disci-
pline" and our jeers, all forms simple
record of heroism beside which deeds
of valor on the battlefield would sink
into insigniiicance.
We noticed one popularity; in port
he stayed below, out of sight, and was
manifestly uneasy when strangers came
aboard. Outside it was not so, and it
seemed that he always breathed easier
when as outward bound we cast off the
the towline.
THAT cuss has did something. He's
Skulking," said Rick, one day.
But the season was fast wearing
away and nothing of startling nature
had TRANSFERRED. Davy, though he was
yet called stewart finally acquired
his sea legs and his color became better.
but his spirits did not improve. He
chummed with no one. A man must
be unsocial, indeed, who under such
circumstances does not bear his share
of the burden of working off the tedium
of calm or help while away the long
hours of a watch with softly told yarn.
But his gloom and dependency became
settled; neither the mems jokes nor the
Captains delicate attentions seemed to
arouse him.
Say, stewart, who are you hiding
FROM" asked Rick, one day, in ban
tering tone.
Davy looked at him. No word was
spoken. The threat, however, of q
desperate man brought to bay was in
Nl,.,N l.. IL