The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-11-25

and 1 hope he has taught the cook his.
| SteWard!'
'.Yes, sirP" responded the steward,
coming out of the pantry.
''See that a piece of the pork you
are serving out to the men is put upon
my table to-day"
"Yes, SIR
The captain fell into another fit OF
silence, during which 1 ate nv break
fast as quick as could, in order to re-
lIeve Duckling.
"Mr. Royle." said he, presently,
''when we ran that smack down this
morning, what were you for doing?"
Il should have hove the ship to-"
replied, meeting his eyes.
Would you have hove sher to had
you been alone on deck, sir?"
Yes. and depended on your human
ity to excuse me-"
"What do you mean by my human
typ he cried. assembling his temper
badly. What kind of cant is this you
have brought on board my ship? HUI
manity!" he exclaimed, his ungovern-
able temper blazing out, had you
hove my ship to on your own hook, I'd
have bad you in irons for the rest of
the voyager'
q don't see the use OF that threat,
SIR" said /, quietly. You have to
judge me by what 1 did do, not by
what l might or would do"
"Oh, confound your distinctionsm
he went on, pushing his hair over his
ears. You told me that you would
have hove the ship to, had you been
alone, and that means you would have
whipped the masts out of her. Do
you mean to tell me that you knew
what sail we were carrying, to talk
like this?''
Perfectly we'll"
My compOsure irritated him more
than my words, and l don't know
what savage answer he was about to
return; but his attention was on a
sudden arrested and diverted from me-
l turned my eyes in the direction in
which he was staring. and beheld the
whole ships company advancing
along the main deck, led by the big
seaman, whose name was johnson,
and by the tortoise-backed, small
faced man, who was called Fish-Eben-
eZer Fish.
The moment the captain observed
them, he rose precipitately and ran up
the companion-ladder; and, as / had
finished breakfast, followed him.
By the time l had reached the break
of the poop the hands were all
gathered around the main-mast. A
few of them held tin dishes in their
hands, in which were Jumps of meat
swimming in black vinegar. One car
ried some dozen biscuits, supported
against his breast. Another held tin
pannikin filled with treacle, and
another grasped salt-jar, or some
such utensil, containing tea.
Twas almost as soon on deck as Cox
on, and therefore heard the opening
address of johnson, who, folding his
arms upon his breast, and "giving"
on either leg, so as to maintain Lis
equilibrium while the deck sloped to
and fro under him, said, in a low, dis
tlnct voice:
''The ships company thinks it a doo-
ty as they owe themselves to come aft
altogether to let you know that the
provisions sarved out to 'em amt eat
able"
"Out, all hands, with what you've
got to say" replied Coxon, leaning
against the rail; land when you've done
I'll talk to you"
Now, then, mates, you hear what
the skipper says" exclaimed johnson,
turning to the others.
just then l noticed the copper face
of the cook, who was skulking behind
the men, with his eyes fixed. flashing
like madman's, upon Duckling.
The fellow with the biscuits came
forward, but heavy lurch at that mo-
ment made him stumble, and the bis
cults rolled out of his arms. They were
collected officiously by the others, and
placed again in his hands, all sop
ping wet; but he said, in a collected
voice:
"These here are the starboard watch's
bread. Meier a man has tasted of them.
We've brought 'em for YOU to see, as
so be it may happen that you aren't
familiar with the muck the steward
sarves out"
Hand up a dry one." said the skip
per.
A man ran forward, and returned
with biscuit, which the captain took,
broke, smelled and tasted. He handed
it to Duckling, who also smellcd and
tasted. He, (the captain) said: Fire
awayr
The fellow with the biscuits with
drew. and one of the men, bearing the
pork swimming in vinegar, advanced.
He was a Dutchman, and was heard
and understood with difficulty.
my mates they shay tat tiss pork is
nashty, and it ishn't pork ash fanshy;
an l shwear it gifts me ia shtomach-
ache-it does. sir, ass l am a man."
This speech was received with great
gravity by the men as well as Coxon,
who answered: Hand il up"
The mess was showed through the
rail and poked at by the skipper with
q penknife; he even jabbed piece of
it out and put it into his mouth.
watched for a grimace, but he made
none. He handed the tin dish, as he
had the biscuit, toDuckling, who looked
at it closely and put it on the deck.
The next" said the captain.
The Dutchman hustled back among
the others, and the man with the treacle
came out.
This, sir, is what the stewards
givin' US for molasses, said he, look
ing into the pannikin.
The captain made no answer.
"And though his senses are agin
him, he goes on a calm of it moIas-
seS."
Another pause.
But to my way of thinkin' it amt
no more molasSes than it's oysters. It's
billed black beetles, that's what / call
it, and you want tooth-piek as thick !
as q Tnarlin-snikn to oct the shnllS n1t |