The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1889-01-15

started down the river on her trip, and
it was only then that | got my eyes
opened. There was such hubbub
aboard that | had not paid any par
ticular attention to officers or men.
but all of sudden | discovered that
the captain and mate were the very
two men / had seen and overheard in
the oyster booth Then | asked the
name OF the ship and learned that il
was the Albatrn-s was :-r.aaLiy
troubled, or wouid usye been if left to
myself We were hardly In tow OF the
tug before the first mate. whose name
was Mccoy, came upon me- with o
ropes end and a terrible curse. and OK.
claimed:
"Now, then. stir your stumps or I'll
break every bone IN your body. Did
you come aboard to play young gentle
man, curse you?"
That was the beginning, | had been
shipped not as a cabin boy, for there
was no place for one, but as ships
dog, a boy who must come and
go at everybody's call, and
who could be kicked and cuffed
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 in my behalf, but nothing
of the kind happened. Most of the
crew were Dagoes, and no one showed
me the slightest pity. When we had
been out four days began to feel very
anxious about the safety of the ship.
The plan was, as ! overheard it, to
take to the boats, and Il suddenly oc-
cured to me that they would refuse to
take me with them. / suppose / got
this idea from the men telling me that
/ was no good. and that | ought TO be
thrown overheard. and other eX-
pressiOns intended 70 upset me. 1Ou
can guess how green ] was by what
followed was IN Mccoy watch,
and on the night "a the fourth Gay. as
ne seemed to soften - a bit when
giving me an order. i made bold to
say:
Mr.. Mccoy, when you get ready to
have the ship go down, you won't
leave me to drown, will you?"
"W-whatr' he gasped as he
staggered back like one shot.
In ten minutes he had it all out of
me, and he stood before me pale-faced
and trembling. When he had made
sure that | had not said any thing to
any of the crew. he took me aft and
locked me up in staterOOm designed
for the supGrcargo. Next morning |
was taken 30 the cabin and questioned
by the captain and mate and returned
to my prison. They were not harsh
with me, but. on the contrary, prom
ised that | should go in the captains
own boat. and that [ need not work
any more was made cabin boy, and
was warned that if L dropped one sim
gle word TO any person | should be
flung to the sharks at once. They
could trust ne. Simple Simon that |
was, cared only TO save myself when
the hour came. / cOald not realize
that the scuttling % a ship was any
thing more than sharp trick. For
all / knew it WAS pr~cticed every day
in the year.
One day when We had been out
about TWO weeks. s. near Is | can re-
member, | was sent ID Eelp the second
mate lock for something wanted from
son, and he was the only one aboard
who had friendly look. He had
spoken 10 me kindly two or three
times. and | felt that he was a friend.
We were scarcely alone when he took
from his pocket a box OF sulphur
matches, fishline and several hooks,
and a large pocket knife. lie handed
them TO me and said:
away in your pocket, and on your life
say nothing to any one. BE sure to
keep them about you.
He turned from me as if ne did not
anu W DS HuCoIAoAlCAs oll1
the articles without a word. was in
a state of wonder. however, and moth
ing was made plain until the next day.
At ten O'clock in the forenoon the ship
was hove TO about a mile from a small
island, a boat ordered lowered. and
then all hands were called aft. When
they had assembled the captain said:
MEN. | discovered two days ago
that this boy Was leper. He has got
it bad, and is TO be pitied. My duty in
this case is plain. He must be ma
rOoned."
AYE, aye, sir!' ohorused the crew.
81 shall ct him out and set him
ashore here" he continued, land you
are my witnesses that it IS a step nee
essary for the safety Of all"
Thnrn Xvos a .ppg1v assent aDd no