St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-05

ways getting into mischief, and the
"midshipman" dodge appealed to them
with rare fascination. Captains and
owners pocketed the premium with
complacent satisfaction. If the boy
dled-well, his place was easily filled.
Ii he deserted in India or Australia
why. that was his own lookout 1t was
inevitable that whether a vacancy in
the "midshipman's" berth occurred
either by death or by desertiOn it was
dear gain to the captains and owners.
Thus the boys were treated like dogs.
Forced to do the mental work of the ship
and fed OH food that a self-respecting
pig would not eat, their existence was
'wretched in the extreme.
Captains have not much amusement
On long voyage. Many of them used
to vary its mOnOtOny by seeing how
many refinements of torture. mental and
physical. they could invent. The boys
were generally the victims.
l am writing of twenty-five years ago.
Of course in these piping times of civil
lzation. development and general godli-
ness all British captains are gentlemen
and their midshipmen are treated like
young princes. But in those days it
was, different, as know to my sorrow
when Hertslet turned out at seven
bells that forenoon TO get his dinner
preparatory to going on deck with the
watch at eight bells he looked
around for Tommy, whose duty as
Junior 1t was to fetch the rations from
the galley. He could not find him.
coates told him the story, and Richard
son cOrroborated it. The three young
fellows held Il sort of Indignation meet
ing. and resolved to do something to al
leviate the misery of the boy. They be-
lieyed in their divine right as seniors
TO haze and punish him. but they nat
urally resented the tyranny of the skip
per. 1t was decided that Hertslet, who
would have the middle watch that night,
should break into the laZarette and adj
minister such comfort as was possible to
the poor lad. 1t was a risky proceed
ing, but Hertslet was equal 70 any dey-
iltry
Accordingly, soon after the wheel and
the lookout had been relieved, HertSlet
set about his task. He provided HIM
self with a gmlet and Il pannikin. Co
ing into the bOatswain's berth he took IL
dark lantern that hung on a hook over
his bunk. Then he crawled aft into tho
cabin. which was entered by two doors
on the main deck, watching his Oppor-
tunlty and taking advantage of the time
pacing the poop, turned to walk aft.
Hertslet pulled back the door of the
stewards berth and distracted the
bunch OF keys from his trousers pocket.
Then, on his hands and knees, he crept
aft in the dlmly lighted cabin to the
hatchway of the laZarette. After a good
deal of trouble lie found the key and
opened the lock. The captain slept in
his staterOom only a few feet away, SO
Hertslet had to be extremely careful.
AT last he got the hatch open and de-
scended the ladder. Tommy was lying
asleep on boat sail. His hands were
in irons. The first thing Hertslet did
was to bore with his gimlet two holes
i'll sherry cask slowed among the
cabin stores, fill his pannikin with it
and stop the holes up again with cou
pie of spileS. The young fellow was an
old campaigner and carried the tools of
his trade in his pocket. Then he awak-
ened Tommy and gave him a drink. The
boy had been dreaming of his mother.
Are you hungry? whispered Herts-
let.
VERY; but can't eat those maggoty
biscuits"
Hertslet crawled round and foraged
among the stores. He found a caSk
filled with soups and meats in cans, and
opening one of chicken with his jack
knife gave poor Tommy the first good
meal he HAD enjoyed since leaving Lon
don.
Are you going to whitewash the pig
pen in the morning." asked HertSlet.
Il am not" was the answer, ''nO mat
ter what may happen"
"Well. Tommy. should advise you
to; we have all been ground through
the shippers mill. and it's no use kick
ing against the pricks."
And. turning on his dark lantern.
Hertslet babe Tom keep uD his spirits.
and with the promise that he would try
and pay him another visit soon craWIed
carefully up the ladder into the saloon.
Unfortunately for him, the captain
happened to hear the noise of the kew
clicking in the lock and jumped out of
his bunk. Hertslet heard the shippers
football and fled out of the saloon, es-
Gaping so swiftly that the captain could
not identify him.
But there lay the bunch of KEYS on
the deck bends, the lazarette hatch
bearing unmistakable evidence against
somebody. The captain picked them
up and turned in again. determining to
hold thorough investigation in the
morning.
hO Noo dlOllS d2dlllSJ Il
nasty head sea. She was heading her
course, and the officer of the watch was
giving her as much canvas as she would
stagger under. When the chief mate
came OH deck at o'clock in the morn
ing he thought she was getting it a lit
tie too strong, SO he took in the royals
and the flying jib. The vessel was
driving pretty badly, and a torrent of
water kept coming in over the tOpgaI-
liant forecastle as she buried her nose in
the big green seas. The sun shone
| brightly. and in spite of the breeze it
was lovely morning.
The captain came on the poop and
the steward followed dragging Tommy
by the collar.
There are two things you've got to
do today" said the skipper to him.
First, you must tell me who it was
that visited you Ill the lazarette last