The morning call., 1893-05-21

ne enters q ring. 30 tnen ana lneTe L tOIu
MIR. Bates that the boats were TO be pro-
vsoned and watered the first thing to-
morrow morning, and l turned to VIII.
who stood by, and signifi aBtly ordered
him to take the gig under his own care and
see to her."
THAT was CLEVER" said l, elapping his
hand with mine.
1.-The difficulty l foresee," he went on,
"is the helmsman. Yet it is to be man
aged. L wish there was no moon this
week; but fair or foul | must have you
out of this ship of devils"
he then looked about him at the nauti-
cal Instruments. the charts and books,
peeped here and there and took sorrow
full survey of the plundered berth. HI put
my convict mattresses and pillow into the
| bunk and said that would be my bunk for
| to-night-for the night or two that we
were to remain on board-that he would
lock me up out of harms way and re-
| lease me in the morning. dared not ex-
postulate; he was ny master il be was
not yet my lord; his least command. nay,
his lightest wish moved me as a powerful
| impulse. Where would my dear one him.
self sleep? Yet was afraid to ask.
Now" said he, Il want you to keep
clear of the convicts get away out OF hear
ing of them; lodge yourself here closely
you'll not be missed. I'll lock you in and
no one will dare trouble you. I'll tell them
you're helping me in the navigation of the
snip anu actluS as u SOTl Ul cdpldlu ) CIeTk.
It'll be but for day or TWO. Meanwhile
we must eat and drink. Come forward
and see what's doing 10 the galley"
We were leaving the cabin. when he
stopped to exclaim: do you know what
slOp-chest is?"
Yes"
SIS there one In the ship?"
i've heard VIII sueak of a slop-chest."
He nodded and we then left the berth
They had trimmed up the cuddy, but the
starred and splintered mirrors made ruin
OF it. Aaron was gone; number of con-
victs lounged about the inferior; some
seemed to be preparing the cabins, others
we're seated with their legs holster N to
the table, others sprawled along the cush-
iOned lockers. Most of them were smok-
ing; continuous hoarse, sulky growl of
conversation. frequently broken by short,
deep laugh, rolled through the cuddv
Tom called out, "Do any of you know if
they're preparing meal for the people ?''
LAY" answered one of the men. ''the
cooks are at work; some beef's been taken
ont of the cask, and the officer called Bates
has served out tea and sugar-tbe reg'lar
muck-mesS, pal.
''Wnere are we TO eat?" exclaimed a
heavy-faeed. voiced man. who sat
smoking In a lounge chair near the mizzep
mast.
"The chief'll settle that" answered Tom.
| There's the whole ship for a dinner
table"
We walked to the galley. The destrnc-
| ion of the hnrricades had vastly improved
| the look of the vessel. The decks ran in a
! clear sweep; some of the men had scrubbed
at the stain where the quarterback sentry
| fell, but the dye was still led in the plank,
! The mass OF the convicts aimlessly hung
about in groups. Numbers 0verhung the
rail, staring out to sea and talking. 9th
ers erOuehed in clusters under the bull
! warks; some had half-stripped them
selves. Many were on the poop, where |
caught sight of Mr.. Bates walking with
WIN.
l called Toms attention to the general
air of lstlessness. He answered: .'It's
partly the heat, partly reaction. THEY'VE
woke up to the sense of what's happened
and the loneliness of the sea is upon them.
though they couldn't give you a name for
their sensation"
This brought us to the ships galley: the
convicts had partly demolished their own
| kitchen. yet of the two it had been the
more serviceably furnished for so great a
crowd rs the ship con tanned.
The sun was now hanging low over the
western ocean /: | never before beheld it so
vast and SO red. Its wake came straight
tn the side of the ship from the edge of the
sea. | saw no cloud, yet SOFT gentle wind
| blew. all the water was dark with it I'D
! it tenderly sweIed the ships canvas All
plain sail was set saving the mainroyal.
hoist the yard on. These observations |
made quickly while Tom put his head into
the galley door and talked to the people
| within.
| The men who had cooked for the con-
victs under the doctor were the cooks now
! there were three of them dressed in
clothes stolen out Of the forecastle; spite
| of their cropneh crowns and a sort of
| actors buliet-headed appearance that
might owe something to their blue, shorn
cheeks and chiDS, they looked in their sea-
mems attire superior to most of the fell
lows who had slept before the mast. Tom
questioned them; a large hookpot of
steamiDg tea was then handed to Tim. He
| gave 1t to me with a glance which | per-
! fPctlv understood. They cut off piece of
! beef and put it into a tin dish. With
| these things and two or three ships bis
| cults, which one of the convicts took from
! a dresSer-drawer twn-thirds full of that
sort of bread, we made our way aft, ! car
| ryins the tea and the beet and walking
after Tom as though he used me as his
servant.
One of a number of convicts at the break
Of the poop was Barney Aaron he called
down to know what was that had. Tom
answered it was his supper. II can't wait
for You people," said he "The mate must
be relieved in few minutes" We then
| passed into his cabin.
| We wanted sugar. ridiculous trifing
I
| that with Tnm's leave | went aft nto that
| small starboard cabin which Mr.. Stiles had
made a larder of and which before the con-
victs rose had always been richly stocked,
! hams and sides IF bacon hanging from the
upper deck, fine flour and white biscuits in
casks, various sorts of timed stuffs, with
| all such necessaries. not to ntion luxu-
! ries which the cabin table demanded. |
| say when l entered this little room to
seek tor parcel of sugar | witnessed
| crueller, more abominable scene of waste
than could be invented; fiour-casks split
and the deck covered with the dust, broken
bottles of pickles, hams and cheese, as
/ though they had been jumped upon; in
deed. want memory to describe this hor-
! ria picture OF wantOn, senselesS waste and
destruction. Yet found what | sought,
and took also some cheese, which | broke
from one that lay already broken upon
| the deck, filed tin with white biscuit out
OF a gaping cask, and so returned To 'iom.
we made good meal. Neither of us
| had tasted food for many hours / asked
! Tom after he should have gone on deck 10
send VIII to me. as the lad, being afraid
! 10 seek food on his own account, mi ght be
! half famished for all / knew. Mr. Bates |
| reekoned old enough and man enough to
| look after himself. | then saw that there
was oil IN The lamp at the bulk
/ mead; indeed the seelng tn such things had
! been part Of my work under the stew
/ ard. When Tom had ended his meal be
/ get up and soid: Il shall turn The key
/ up n yon and give it to Will, wlk,'H lei
/ himself in, but see that he locks you up
wien he lraveS Y0uo