Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-09-15

on the starboard beam, and were run
ming smoothly at a good speed. Cato
was sitting upon the coaming of the
main hatch, and Ben. Bosworth was
approaching him very like a dog some
times approaches smaller animal
which he never before saw. The other
men had been notified to look out for
fun and they we're on the watch.
"Say, blacky, can We stand on yer
head ?" demanded Ben, stopping and
looking down upon the reclining
Ethiop.
CLOVIS dat ?" returned Cato, inno-
Gently.
'Can ye stand on yer head ?"
'Dono. Nebber tried"
"Well-get up and try"
"A-yaw-yah. Go way. 'Tain't no
use. I couldn't do it,
sect up, and I'll help ye."
"Go way"
"Git up, say"
sFWha' for? ?"
"Tll stand We on yer head"
"Now you jest look heah, Ben; you
s'pose you fool wild dis chile, Ell?
Case eff you do, | s'pects you'll git
hurt, an den you'll git mad. How's
dat ?'
"Whon get hurt?" cried Ben,
swelling.
"I specs you"
"How?"
"Foolin' wild me-"
"Now come right up here, Lamp
black, and I'll show ye how the circus
chaps stand on their heads" And
Ben. laid his hands on the darkey's
shoulders.
Cato arose as those hands touched
him. His brown eyes sparkled and a
broad grin was upon his ebon face.
Without speaking he placed one of
his huge black paws upon the collar
of Ben IS jacket, and with the other he
seized him by the seat of his strong
canvas trowsers. One full, deep
drawn breath, and then the great
cords started out like hawsers upon
the Ethiop's neck and arms. With a
swift movement he lifted Ben. from
the deck-lifted him clean above his
woody head. In this position he
glanced around and espied the long
boat half full of rain water.
"Hi-pah-pah Mas'r Ben, cool 'um
OFF,
Thus speaking, he dumped the
dumbfounded giant over the gunwale
of the boat splash into the dirty
water, and then he laughed loud and
long.
Very shortly the crew gathered
about the boat, myself and officers
among them. Presently we heard a
putting and spluttering and blowing,
like hippopotamus just come to
land. and shortly afterwards Ben.'s
dripping head appeared above the
rail. he saw us standing there, and
read the meaning of our looks. I
never before saw such utter humila-
tion-sulch woe-such conscious deg
radation-as was manifest upon his
grimed and streaming face.
81 didn't hurt ye, did I, Benz" asked
Cato, gravely.
We could hold in no longer. Poor
Ben.'s look of bewildered amazement
upon his black conqueror upset the
cup, and we laughed aloud. The
vanquished man crawled out over the
lee rail OF the boat and went below,
where he put on dry clothes. Half an
hour afterward he returned to the
deck, and having hung his wet gar
ments on the mainstay to dry he
turned to where Cato stood. He sur
veyed the negro from head to foot,
and then, with both hands, felt the
arms that had lifted him so easily.
He ran his palms over their cable
like massiveness, and then, with a
dubious shake of the head, reluctantly
said:
'"Tain't no use. / give in. You're
too much of a niger for mel"
And that was the last of Ben. Bos-
worth's mischief on board the Vixen.
Having found, and been forced to &C.
knowledge his physical superior, he
settled down into quiet and orderly
seaman. had wondered if he would
seek any sort of revenge upon Cato,
but he proved too true man for that.
He knew that he had invited the con-
test, and as soon as the first smart of
pam was gone the two became fast
friends.
"HoT SOUP and bread for O. penny,"