The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-10
THE CAPTAINS PLOT.
A STORY OF THE SEA.

STORY OF THE SEA.
Goods ways are full of mystery"
and no one realizes the truth of the quota
tion more than the men who so down to
SCH in ships. My fifteenth birthday
fu.rd me an orphan and a waif in the
stru, IS of New Orleans. had runaway
fro:a farmer in Illinois 20 whom |
was .,,und, and by hook and crook had
reac;:e.. the great town on the Father OF
Waters. had been living precarious
life 10: y month when the proprietor of
an oys;c; house gave mt u job. 1t was
part OF .:.y work to open the oysters con-
sumei the place, aud this portion was
done !. little room just m rear OF some
privaa : stalls or compartments. The
stalls fronted the public room, of course,
and were intended for parties who de-
sired privacy while eating stow or
drinking a glass of wine. could hear
all that was said in two of them, as the
partitions were only cloth; but I had
been in the place two weeks before any
thing of interest was dropped from
either Cnc evening while I was at
work two men entered one of the stalls,
devoured stew, and drank some grog,
and, after lighting cigars, entered upon
conversation which at once attracted my
attention.
swell, have you got it all fxed'"
asked one.
Everything ship. shape and under
STOOD" replied tie other.
'She is insured2"
SWAY up"
"And no suspicious3"
"Not one."
awe take machinery to Rio Janeiro3"
ayes. That and other stuff"
''And bring back sugar and coffee"
ayes, if we return"
''What do we get!"
s'Three Thousand apiece"
"Well, don't like it, but Pm in with
you. She's to 90 down of the Guinea
coast, eh:"
"les, down that way"
"Spri ing leak and founder, and all
hands take to the boats, Isupposea"
That's the plan"
"Well, here's success to it. The AL
batross is a good old craft, and Ihate to
see her 60, but one must look out for
himself.
Aye! mate, that's Gospel truth.
That's what you and me are going to do
now. It'll come from the rich insurance
companies, and no one will be the
poorer"
"And we can trust Williams to hand
over our dizzy"
"Ile's square. He's got to be square"
Twas green country boy, but I
caught on to their talk They were sail
ors, and they we're planning the loss of a
ship to get the insurance. | rose up and
found hole in the cloth through which
Icould get Il look ut them. They talked
bit more aud then went out, and within
twelve hours one of the mysteries oc-
Cured. A boy who had formerly worked
for the restaurant, and who had fallen
sick, recovered su iicicn:lv to displace
me, and was cast adriit again with
only four bits in my purse. The next
day put one. us eutel ed a tavern on the
levee in hopes to find something to do,
the prop:ieto: gave me Col dial welcome,
with u dinner, and at last got around to
say:
"Now, my boy, feel like father to
you. do indeed. You have had
hard tin e, and you have been full O.
pluck. I'm interested in seeing you do
we'll, and have got nice place for you.
My brother, who is the best man in the
world. is sea captain, and he wants
good boy to sail with him."
"But I was never on ship" I pro-
tested.
"Cf course not, but that makes no
difference. You will have nice little
room to yourself, live like prince, and
as for work, all you will have to do will
be to hand the Captain his spyglass
when ship ONES in sight"
had no desire to go to sea. Indeed,
l had a dread OF it; but in half an hour
he had won me over, and that afternoon
Twas sent off to the ship in company
with several sailors. In two hours after
coming aboard she started down the
river on her trip, and 1T was only then
that got my eyes opened. There was
such a hubbub aboard that had not
paid particular attention to officers or
men, but all of a sudden I discovered
that the captain and mate were the very
two men | had seen and overheard in
the oyster booth. Then I asked the
name of he ship. and learned that it was
the Aib9tross. was greatly troubled,
81 Won d have been if left to myself.
We were hardly in tow of the tug before
the frs. mat, whose name was Hcto:.
came upon me with ropes end and a
terrible curse, and exclaimed:
'.Now, then, stir your stumps or I'll
break every bone in your body. Did
you come aboard to play young gentle
man."
That was the beginning. l had been
shipped, not as cabin boy, for there
was no place for one, but as ships
dog, a boy who must come and 60 at every,
body's call, and who could be kicked
and cuEed by everybody. According
to the novelist, should have found a
stanch friend in the fo'castle, Jack
Bolt or Ben Brace, who would take me
under his wing and offer. to fight the
whole ship iu my behalf, but nothing Of
the kind happened. Most OF the crew