The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-25

statement that Captain Butler had asked
Nodder for the loan of the anger?
| was so pleased that, guessing he might
be hungry, L put before him the best cold
meal l could hastily collect and made him
drink some wine. Indeed, | waited upon
him as though this poor. plain. siilv-eved
sailor had been Tom himself. / asked
many questions about R tch and Ncdder
He had nothing very i'll 10 say of ROtch !;
Nodder he called a drunken, bupgersome
nughea6 (He was of SOmersets hire.)
When he had finished eating he relieved
viii. j told my cousin to see to the galley
fire and laid the cloth for late dinner,
and while | was thus busy Tom and Bates,
talking together very earnestly, came along
the deck and entered the cabin. [ showed
my sweetheart what l had taken down; he
said, Let the man put his mark here
and the three, Of you witness it while
hold the wheel"
Bates read the deposition aloud and then
Collins made cross and we signed our
names. This was precious document l
would not have parted withit for all | was
worth. | put 1t carefully away in the
desk we had found in the cabin occupied,
ana then returning | eagerly asked Tom
what he had to tell me about Nodder.
Hes suriy, stubborn hound" said
he. very i'll. and in my opinion dying
We lighted the forecaste lamp; we found
him living 10 the dark, grooming now and
again. stood apart while Bates spoke to
him. Bates asked him how be did, he
answered with an oath that he felt very
low. Bates long-windedly put further
questions to him. He then said, Dye
know what brig you're aboard OPP The
Old Stormy, amt it?' says Nodder
Yes says Bates, and dye know who her
CAPTAIN is" No, answers the carpenter
He's Captain Butler says Bates. VINO
was in command of the Arab Chief that
you and Rotch charged him with attempt
ing to scuttle.' The man lay silent bit
and then said, Il don't believe It, 'Rotch
does said Bates. He's locked up, and
Captain Butler means to hang him if,
after given time, If he doesn't confess that
you and be consp red together to ruin
him. Here Nodder, who had been lying
on his back all this while. sat up and said :
There's no Butler in this ship. | heered
him sentenced and he was Jagged for four
teen year On this stepped out of the
eyes of the fOrecastle, where / had stood
unobserved. and coming under the lamp
Dye know me? Your memory should be
as good as Rotcb's' The scounarel looked.
shut bis eyes, looked, blinked and
looked again, cursed awhile and lay
BACK. Ia made MP my mind to head on a
new tack with this fellow-that is, to
trim him differently from my handling of
Rotch. said, quietly 'Nodder, you're a
sick and dying man. How did YOU serve
me who never injured youp You ruined
me, made convict OF me, broke my heart
GU were tool in Rotch's hands, and
believe you'd have undone the mischief
before we reached England had you found
courage. R0tch was the villain; you we're
his instrument He now turned his head
to LOOK at me and lay like a corpse
with his eyes fastened upon my face.
couldn't swear that he had his mind, that
ne clearly understood; the fright and
wonder OF seeing me stirred the mud of
his soul and thickeDed his brain. Still
talked. on. l told him that 1 had Rotch
under lock and key, and should hang him
II he didn't confess. repeated what COL
Inns had told me. ! then said that my
enemy was Rotch. that he was the man l
meant to get at and punish. If YOU Il die
tate the truth TO me. said l, tell us the full
story of the diabolical plot. and sign it that
your signature may be witnessed, P1l let
you go; II you live 10 get north III put you
ashore and you shall be no more troubled.
unless you're willing to turn Queens evil
dence 80 as to help me bring Roich TO his
trial. This was. in effect, what l said; |
spoke quietly, even kindly. Like Rolch,
ne made no answer; he lay looking at me,
and when ] had done still looked, and /
waited for him to speak. Bates impored
him to confess. The fellow, silent as a
ghost, turned over in his bunk and gave us
bis back. But it was early times; l was
resolved not TO threaten him. After wait
passed through the hatch he called out in
his harsh. hideous voice. though feeby
enough: Wont you send me a drop Of
sperrlts? l don't want nothen to eat
GU shall be attended to- said |, and we
came awav."
What hopes of him have you?"
lie may be brought to confess"