, 1889-05-11
ON THE BLUE PETER.

Wv bSSh 4
The good ship Blue Peter lay at her
offing at the wharf in Detroit. Davy
Jones, the mate, sat on his locker and
vas evidently in very bad humor. Ever
and mon he rose and paced the deck i'm
patiently. The ship was ready to sail,
but one OF the crew who had been hired
for the long voyage to Chicago had not
yet presented himself. The tide was
ready for business and the mate was anx-
ious TO get of so Us to catch tho trade
winds that blew across Lake st. Clair.
Mr.. Davy Jones used language with ref
ercncc TO this delay that would not look
well in print, and anyhow 1t has nothing
to do with the plot Of this Clark RUSSELL
ian story.
just as tine patience and the vocabulary
OF Mr.. Jones were both exhausted n dap
per stranger came Town First street and
approached the Blu Peter. Behind him
came a colorcd lad, who carried n very
handsome valise. The stranger was tall
and extremely well dressed. He wore
gloves, and his cuffs and collar were spot
lessly white. a pair of gold trimmed eye
glasses were astrido his nose, and con-
nccted with them was n thin gold chain
that was fastened to his vest. As he saw
the Tuning mate he said:
"Ahl how do dor
Look here" cried the mate, as the
dnpper young man stepped aboard. this
is not n passenger vessel"
lit is the Blue Peter, is it not?" an
swercd the young man, as he tossed the
boy a quarter. "You are the mate, l
presumed"
well, what of ity' answered that Off
cial. What if l am the mater
81 merely wanted to know, you know.
/ have shipped on this boat AS an able
seaman, and ! would be much obliged TO
you if you would ring for the bell boy TO
show me to my room"
THE deuce you havel" cried the mate,
who had nearly tainted with astonish-
ment You have kept us waiting,
then. and wo will very likely miss tho
tide"
81 am sorry for that" said the sailor.
but you see | had TO have n shave and
80 was kept waiting for my turn. /
couldn't begin n voyage to Chicago with
out n shave, you know"
The mate in n surly manner had to
-AAhiiL %AAaAA eA'Ai a IlbNtfAAlib N'Ai'l 'lhNt
been quito unprecedented, and at this
tho cabin boy approached and
took the sailors v~alisc, intimating that
his room WA all ready for him.
The mate muttered to himself rs he
saw the sailor disappear. 1t was evident
that he did not like the cut of his jIb, as
landsmcn say.
"Ill take the starch out of that fellow
before we get TO Chicago; sec If l don't"
said Mr.. Jones, addressing his locker.
Thus you will notice that trouble looms
right up at the end of tho very first
chapter, but you may bet largely that the
dapper young mar Is going to come out
all right. They always do.
The good ship Blue Peter stood out for
Lake st. Clair. She passed the island in
safety, caught the lido all right and be-
layed herself straight into the lake.
Capt. Golfer came out of the cabin and
cast his weather eye around tho horizon.
'Mr. Jones" he said, there is u squall
coming. How is the barometer
Down" answered the mate"
How lowg'
About ten miles. We left it down in
Detroit"
An ominous black cloud was slowly
rising in the west. The ship lay In a
dead calm IL was blowing through the
troubled waters with tho speed Of a race
horse. The mate hoarsely piped all
hands forred. The last sailor now APP
peared in 4 nice suit of boating ~flannels
and came forward adjusting his eye
glass.
Now, sir" cried the mate, what
might your name be?'
~. Marston Ingram" was the reply.
well, then, Mr.. Ingram, get aloft
there; lay out on the main brace, stand
by the peak halliards and sec to the
chewing away of the spliced pinnacle on
theforred yardarms. Jump lively now"
AYE, aye, sirp' said Ingram, nothing
daunted by the terrible order, which
made the checks of the hardy sailors
blanch as they heard it given. They
knew that the mate was down on the
new man.
Ingram ran swiftly up the rope ladders
known on shipboard as the companion
ways and walked out on the yard arms.
He speedily clewed away the pinnacle In
a manner that showed that he was an
expert seaman. This ought to have salts
fed the most fendish mate ahoat, but II
did not satisfy the mate OF the Blue
Peter.
Come down" he yelled through his
speaking trumpet. 'Climb up the aft
mast and clew the binnacle there"
There were ominous murmurs among
the crew at this brutal command, for in
all their experience they had never
known the same man to be asked TO clew
more than one pinnacle at a time. Tho
mate paid no attention to the growl.
BucKien'sA rnIca saIve.