Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-07
A QUEER RACE.
BY WILLIAM WESTALL,
CHATTER I.-FouL PLAY.

room 10 write my private letters and think
over few matters which required more
consideration than | had yet been able TO
give them. My nerves were beginning to
recover from the shock they had sustained
by the loss of the .'Niobe," and the cyclone
at Colon; nevertheless, the outlook was
still dark, the claims arising out of these
two disasters being exceedingly heavy, and
to meet them would tax our resources to
the utmost. Another big loss and we
should be lin Queer Street" The COM
peny would have to suspend payment and
90 into liquidation.
The worst of it was that, as touching the
"Niobe," | had rendered myself-in q
moral sense-almost personally responsi-
bic. A brand-neW ship, Al at Lloyd's,
owned by a firm Of repute, commanded by
a captain Of character, and bound only TO
HAVANA mere summer trip-the risk
seemed as light as well could be. | felt
myself quite justified in granting a voyage
policy of ten thousand pounds on the body
of the ship, and covering her cargo for the
same amount without particular average.
In fact, / thought that | had done an ex-
cellent stroke of business, and when one
of the directors, an over-cauHous old cur
mudgeon, with whom I had never been
able 70 get on, suggested the eXpediency of
reinsuring to the extent of q third or a
half, / was very much amused, and did not
hesitate to tell him so.
Now the laugh was on the other side
the scOlding, rather, for at the last Board
meeting had got an awful wigging. All
the directors-wondrously wise after the
event, as directors. are won't to be-could
see how imprudently had acted, and the
very men who had chaffed old Slocum for
his timidity were now the loudest in blam,
Ing my rashness.
Even if the company weathered the
storm, it was about even betting that !
should lose my berth.
As for the Colon affair, was in no way
blameworthy. Nobody can foresee a cy-
clone, and both actually and relatively we
had been less severely hit than any of our
competitors-quite hard enough, however,
for our limited capital.
But the 'Niober' So far as could learn
she had not encountered so much as gale
of wind all the way out; yet sprung leak,
and went down in calm sea off the coast
of Cuba; all hands saved, all the cargo lost
except the masters chronometer and sex
tamil
"Queer-very qneer If the owners had
been less honorable and the captain less
respectable, should almost have suspect
ed foul play. Yet even honorable people
do strange things; while as for the cap
tain, did not some great authority say that
every man has his pricei / had reason to
believe, too, that both ship and cargo were
heavily oyerinsured, and it was being
whispered on Change that Barnes 6
Brandyman would make q deuced good
thing by the loss of the ''Niobe." But
what could | do? The ''Niobe" was not
the first ship which had foundered in fail
weather; and to dispute the claim or
grounds that might expose me to an action
for SANDER, and lay the company under
suspicion of seeking a pretext to eyade
payment, would be both foolish and fatal
Everything seemed to be in order; Barnes
g. Brandyman were an honorable firm
and that day week we must either "pay OF
burstn
Twenty thousand poundsi
A pleasant lookout and a nice 'ow there
would he when | asked the Board to pass
the checki As likely as not old Siocum
would insist on suspending payment al
once: for we had contingent liabilities in
the shape Of Enclosed risks which might
exceed the whole of our uncalled capital.
had arrived at this point of my mus
ings, when there came knock at the door
followed by Slocum, junior; cheeky
young rascal who, on the strength of being
volunteer and the son of a director, took
liberties and gave himself airs.
..WeI?" said, tartly; for he had bounced
In without waiting for an invitation.
There's a man in the office wants to see
You, and he refuses either to give his name
or state his business; only he says it is very
pressing and particular-the business,
mean, not the name'
''What sort of man is her"
''Seafaring; an Ancient Mariner sort OF
chap"
"A skipper"
'Looks like an A. B., boatswain, cox
swain, or cook, or something of that sort
"Oh, / cannot be bothered with able
bodied seamen at this time of day. 1t is
nearly five o'clock, and have all my let
tiers to write. He must state his business
or stay, he can see me tomorrow morn
ing at ten O'clock"
"Au right, I'll tell him. But he's 1
stupid-looking old beggar; don't think h'
will 60 away"
In two minutes Slocum, junior, was bacl
again; came in this time without even s.
much as knocking.
1.-THE Ancient Mariner resolutely ant
not very respectfully refuses either to STATE
his business or call tomorrow" said the
young fellow jauntily. ''Does not care 81
id much whether you see him or not
but it viii be to your own loss if you don't.
/ felt very much disposed to send the An
cient Mariner to the deuce, but curiosit,
tha II told
to show him in.
4 thought that would fetch himp' NUT
tered the young jackanapes, as he wen
out to execute my commission, which h
did by going to the door and shouting
"Come inp'
The Ancient Mariner sort of chap
came in accordingly. Though evidently Q
the seafaring profession, there was yer,
little of the conventional sailor about him
He had neither hair on his face nor quiC
In his cheek; neither shivered his timber:
nor hitched up his trousers. His manne
was quiet and self possessed, and his voic,
low Che had certainly not used the coarse
expression attributed to him by Slocum)
and albeit slightly grizzled, he did not loo
much above forty. The man had, more
over, genial, good-humored countenance
the high color of which showed that h
had lately yoyaged in low ATTITUDES, ant
his clear, wide-open blue eyes bespoke bot
honesty and courage.
Slocum, junior, fingered about the doc
as If he wanted to take part in the CONVEX
satfon.
"You may go, Mr.. Slocum," l said, Sc
verely; and muttering something which
did not catch, he went.
sThat is right" said the Ancient Mar
nar. tiny business is very private andn-