The Mineral argus., 1885-05-28

into his pockets, sang out to his first
mate
Mr.. Slope, send hand mp to the
fore-top and report if the 'Cockney' s in
sight"
''Ay, ay, sir" replied Mr.. Slope. The
man assembled to the fore-top, scanned
the ocean for some moments, and bel
lowed out:
"'Cockney' astern, sir: hull down
''Brandys q derned fool" muttered
Captain Bartlett, and rolled himself off
the bridge to breakfast.
During the second dog watch in the
evening. Captain Bartlett, reclining in
his cane chair on the bridge, observed
connection forward. The first mate and
half a dozen of the crew were assembled
around some object. and ut intervals
cast side glances at tie skipper. Bart
lett had the eye of Hawk.
"Mr. Slope, what's going on forr'ard?
he sang out.
Mr.. Slopv came slowly aft with the
cir of criminal.
please, sir, it's q stowaway."
The effect Of this announcement up
on his superior officer was terrible and
imn ediate; he jumped up from his
chair as If agitated by an electric
shock; his eyes glared like couple Of
torches: his brow contracted into all
sorts of frowns and burrows; he foamed
and spluttered, and at length rosred
out:
"Chuck him overboard!"
please, sir, it's she. said the chief
mate.
"Chuck her-no! Great sakes!
Bring her aft !" roared the Captain.
So the mate returned to the group
forr'ard. and presently returned, lead
ing by the hand fair haired, blue-eyed
child of about eleven.
WELL" said Bartlett, after he had
slowly surveyed her from head to foot
and from foot back again to head, and
noted that she was appar emily OF very
superior order of stowaway, her clothes
being good, and her physical appear
ance that of child wei. looked after,
"who are you?"
MARY Jane Johrsworth," was the
ready reply.
''Mary Jane Johnsworth,' repeated
the skipper; ''wall, and what the tar
nal does Mary Jane Johnsworth want
hidin' of herself aboard craft % don't
belong to her?"
II don't know, was the answer.
"You don't know. Got father and
mother ?" asked Bartlett.
"Yes sir, answered the child.
''Then what are yer a-slopin' from
home fur?"
I'm not. TIM going home"
''Then you're Brtisher, reckon"
"Mary Jane is my name; England IL my
Birksnhead il my dwelling place. and
said the child.
Captain Bartlett filed mp the rhyme
with something which was not SALIVA
tion," then took turn or two along the
bridge, keeping his eye or the child all
the time, as If she was some rare zoolog-
ical specimen.
"Wall. he said, stopping suddenly,
"if you wur man, or hoy, do You
know what should do with your"
ASK me ii I could eat anything?"
was the reply"
Captain Bartlett took his cigar from
his mouth, and looked ct her with in
creased anazement.
"Great Scott" he calculated, you've
got saAs anyway. Mr.. Slope, take her
ferr'ard and see that she has something
to eat, and-Mr Slope. send hand
aloft, and report the hearings Of the
"Cockney."
The report presently came that the
"Cockney" was out Of sight.
"Brandy's Q derned fool" chuckled
the skipper.
In half an hour Mr.. Slope reappeared
on the bridge.
"Shes queer 'un, that Their kid,
SIR" he said; II left her with couple
O. pounds O. beef, and loaf O. bread,
an potaters, an fixins', and I'm blessed
if she hadn't slowed it away in quar-
ter of IN hour. She's aproper stow
away, she is SIR"
"Poor little cuss" said Bartlett; II
reckon l should like to have o ten
minutes talk with her skunk of
father, or whoever her friend is.
Thar's one thing, Brandy's hundred
poundll pay for her passage, an that's
a fact"
Three days passed, three DAYS of
glorious weather and calm sea, and the
"Picayune" made her twelve knots
regularly every hour. Mary Jane
JOhnsworth in this time established
herself as general favorite with officers
and crew. and particularly with the
skipper. She could sing any amount
of old sea songs, could initiate to the
life the noise made by the men ~ they
ran round the capstan to the shanty of
johnny Franswaw" or the "Shanan-
dore." She could dance, and with all
she had such pretty, piquant ways,
that there was not Q man on board who
would not have done anything to please