The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-07-26
FOULPLAY.
A Novel.
CHAPTER vllI-coNTINUED.

CHAPTER vlll-COSTINUED.
might say two characters; for he is one
nun when he is sober, and another when he
IL the worse for liquor; and that am sorry
to see is very often. Captain IIudson, sober,
IL u rough. bearisl seaman. with quick.
experienced eye, that takes in every rope in
the shop, asle walks up and down his quar-
ter-deck. lie either cva,lcs or bluntly de-
clines conversation, and gives his whole
mind to sailing his ship.
Captain Hudson, drunk. in garrulous
nun, who seems to have driftch bnck into
the past. He comes up to you and talks Of
his own accord, and always about himself
and what he did fifteen or twenty years since.
fIe forgets whatever has occurred half an
hour ngo; and his eye, which was an eagles,
is now moe's. lieno longer sees what his
sailors nre doing allow or a!oft to 10 sure he
no longer cares; his present ship may take
care Of herself while he is talking OF his past
ones But the su,rst indiria of incbricty in
Hudson ure liese two. First, his nose is red
Secondly, he discourses upon sc;,man's
duty To his employers. Ebrius rings the
changes OH his duty to his employers till
drowsiness attacks his hearers Cicero de
otticiis was all very well at IL certain period
Of ones life, but bibulus nauta do otticils is
rather too much.
az. d. Except when his nose is red not %
word about his duty to his employers.
That phrase, like II fine Indy, never ventures
into the morning air. II is purely post
prnndal, and sacred to occasions when lie il
utterly negectns his duty to his employers,
and to everybody else.
"All Ibis ia ridiculous enough but some
what alarming. To think that her precious
life should bc intrusted to tho care and skill
of so unreliable n captain!
Joseph Wylie, the mate, is less eccentric,
but even mere remarkable. He is one oil
those powerfully built fellows whom Nature,
one would think, constructed to gain all their
ends by force and ,lrrctncss. But no such
thing; he goes about ns softly us II eat; is al.
ways popping out of holes and corners: and
! can STE he watches mo, and tries to hear
what | say tn her He is civil to me when
speak to him; yet notice he avoids me quiet
~. Altogether. there is something about
him that puzzles me. Why WIS he so rcluc-
tant to let me on board ns passenger? Why
did lie tell Il downright falschooi' For lie
said there was no room for me-: yet, even now,
there nre two cabins vacant, und he has tax.
en- possession Of them.
1.-The mute of the ship has several barrels
of spirits in his cabin, or rather, cabins. and
it is he who makes the captain drank.
learned this from one Of tlcboys. Thislooks
ugly. ! fear Wylic is IL bad, designing num-
who wishes to ruin the captain, and SO get
his place. But, meantime, the ship might be
endangered by this .lrunknrd's misconduct
] shall watch Wylie closely, and perhaps put
the captain OH his guard against this fuIsc
friend.
Last night, n breeze got M about sunset,
and II. Il. came on deck for llalf an hour
welcomed her ns calmly rs could; hut Felt
nv voice tremblc and my heart tl,rob. She
told me the voyage tired her muth; hut il
was hcilish God forgive me for saying so!) it
seems that she could love him ifshe knew all!
, Know him she shall before she murries him,
For The present, liz still. my heart.
.'Slle soon went below and lett mo tl.snlate
wandered all about the ship, and. at last,
came upon the inseparalb.s, Wtlc!i and
Cooper. They were sqnatte'l Oh the deck,
and Welchs tongue was goin" ns usual. lie
that, in all his ships, he had never known
such II mate as this: why. The captain was
under his thumb. lie then Eavea string oil
captains, each OF whom would have given his
mate n round dozen ut the gnngway. ifhe
had taken 80 much on him us this one does
"Welch admitted that Wylie wits liberal
with that. aud friendly enough with helnen:
but, still he preferred to STE n ship com
manled by the captain and not by e lubber
like Wylie.
81 expressed some surprise Mt this term. and
said lial envied Wylies nerves in n gale ol
wind we encountered early in the voyage.
he has been to sen afore this. and weutherc,l
many gate. But 80 Inns the cook. That
don't make nun II sailor. You usk him
how to send down n to'gallnnt yard or
gnmmon bowsprit, or even mark lead
line. and he'll stare ut ye Old Nick when the
and questioned him ont of the Church Cate.
chsm Ask Sam there, and we don't be-
lirve me. Sam. what do YOU think of this
Wylie for n seaman
Cooper could not afford anything so
precious. i'll his estimate of things, asa word;
but he lifted ~ great brlwuy hand. and gave
II snap with his finger and thumb. that dis
posed OF the mates prctensions to sea ln,lil.
ship more cxprcssively than words could
have done il.
1.-THE breeze has fresllcnel aud the shin
gliles rapidly through the water, bearing
us all lomewarh. Helen llueston has r.
sumel her place. upon the deck; and all
seems bright aguiu. | ask myscltliow We ex.
listed without the sight of her.
This morning the wind SHIFTED to the
southwest; the captain surprised us by TAX
ing in sail. But his sober eye had seen some
thing more than ours: for ut noon it blew u
guile, and by sunset it was deemed prudent
TO hiring the ships head to the wind, and We
are now lying to, The ship lurclles. und the
wind howls through tho bare rigging: bu she
rides buoyantly, and no danger is nrpre.
hendcd
Last night, us lay in my cabin, unnbla
to sleelp, | heard some heavy blows strike
the ships side repeatedly. causing quite a
vibration felt alarmed. and went out to
my hands and knees. such wos tho force OF
the wind. Passing the mates cabin, heard
sounds that made me listen ncutely;
and l then found the blows were
being struck inside the ship. l got to the
captain and told him. %, said lie, ten to
one it's the mate mailing down his chest, or
the like But assured linn the blows struck
the side of the ship, md, ut my earnest re-
quest, he came ont aud listened. He swore
great onth. and said the lubbcr would be
through the ships side. lie then tried the
cabin door, but it was locked.
The sounds ceas.d directly.
Owe called to the mate. but received no
reply Tor long time. At last Wylie came
out oft the gun-room, looking rather pale,
and asked what was the matter.
81 told him he ought to know hest, for the
blows were heard where lie had just come