Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1892-12-15
THREE IN CHARGE
A Story of the ST.
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL.

Il am the captain. said he.
What is your manner" said I, ap-
preaching him.
Capt. Timothy Punch, he answered.
What is your business, sir2
informed him that I had taken a
passage in the Bfddy McDOugal for Eng
land.
-Oh. you're the gent" he cried, and
his. manner Immediately became re-
spectful. You'll excuse me for not
rising. I'm full flush to the matches
with govt, and pain amt going to i'm
prove the manners of a plain sailor. If
I'm bit rough in my speech you'll ex-
cuse me. What can OFFER ye, sir2"
Nothing, thank you.
A ships fox sic was my college," he
continued, giving expression to his en-
joyment Of the matter of his speech by
a succession of silly chuckles, and I
comes from a rough stock, sir. Ye may
have heard of the famous Capt. John
Punch, him as was terror to all wrong
doors down in the West Indian waters.
He couldn't read or write, but he was a
captain in the Royal Navy for all that,
as you may hascertain by consulting
the Admiralty lists of his day. His not
being able to write was nothen; but his
not being able to read was bit incon-
Venient now and again, as, for instance,
when he was sent away under sealed
orders, or when he'd get an official let
ter marked confidential, the inside of
which he was to keep strictly secret.
He was proceeding, but I cut the gar
rulOus, wheezy old man short.
Il may take it, said I, that there
has been fresh captain appointed to
this ship since visited her few days
ago?"
you may take it, " he noisily wheezed,
that the captain of this ship is limo
thy Punch. He brought the Biddy Nc
Dougal out and he's going to take the
Biddy McDougal home"
I viewed him with astonisment, but
held my tongue, never doubling that the
Mr.. Wilson" whom I had met and who
might have happened to be on board as
a guest or as a sightseer when arrived,
had entertained himself at my expense
by deliberate falsehood.
Capt Punch again apologized for not
being able to rise, yet made an effort to
stir in his chair for no other purpose,
however, that I could see than to force
a grOan that sounded like an execration.
He told me that my private stock of
wine and the other matters I had laid in
were safely housed in the berth adjoin-
ing mine, berth that was unoccupied,
and was, therefore, at my service, as
well as the cabin I had paid for. Never
theless, went below to make sure. In
the cabin found a young fellow clean
ing some glasses.
Are you the steward" said I.
L waits upon the Captain, he an
swered.
The Captain?" exclaimed.
Capt. Punch, SIR" said he.
Then it is all right, so far as Punch
goes" thought I; and that fellow Will
son-if 1 should happen to meet himi
is there a regular SteWard?" I asked
L does all the waiting at this here
table, answered the young fellow.
On this I told him that 1 was the pas
senger, babe him see that my cabin was
clean and comfortable and in readiness
for me, slipped a few rupees into his
hand, and, after looking at my pur-
chases, returned on deck.
TIE captain told me that the ship
would certainly sail on the following
Wednesday, at some hour in the after
noon, and babe me be on board not later
than nine.
I'VE ought to ha' got away three weeks
ago, he exclaimed; its all along of the
Rangoon port authorities, as they call
themselves. Every sniveling creature
whose dirty little soul is wrapped up in
a white hide is a boss in this flaming
country, and the more sniVeling he is
and the dirtier the little soul what
wrapped up in him the more aggravating
does he go to work in his bossing jobs.
Punch knows EN-. They've got Punch's
hump up often enough, and lucky it is
for these here port authorities that
Punch amt no longer the man he was,
and here he looked at his immense,
equity fists, then fastened his eyes sig
nificantly upon his bloated, seemingly
helpless knees.