Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-08-09
DESERTION.

There had been little discussion on
the way between her crew and the engi-
neer, who down in his grimy little en-
gine room did his own stoking and
everything else necessary. The crew,
consisting of captain, mate and boy,
who were doing their first trip on
steamer, had been transferred at the
last moment from their sailing barge,
the Witch, and found to their discom-
fort that the engineer, who had not ex-
pected to sail so soon, was terribly and
abusively drunk Every moment he
could spare from his engines he thrust
the upper part Of his body through the
small hatohway and rowed with his
commander.
''Ahoy, barge" he shouted, popping
up like a jack in the box, after brief
cessation of hostilities.
'sDon't take no notice of 'im," said
the mate. '''E's got bottle of brandy
down there, an he's 'alf mad. -
t'If / knew anything of them blessed
engines, growled the skipper. "I'd go
an hit i'm over the head. y
''But you don t." said the mate,
''and neither do I, SO you'd better keep
quiet
'tYou think you re fine fellow, :" con-
tinued the engineer, standing up there
an playing with that little wheel. You
think you're doing all the work. What's
that boy doing? Send him down to
stoke
go down. said the skipper, grin
ming with fury, and the boy reluctantly
obeyed.
"You think" said the engineer pa
thetically after he had cuffed the boys
head and dropped him down below by
the scruff of his neck, ''you think be-
cause I've got black face I'm not a
man. There's many holly face 'ides
good art. i
'I don't think nothing about it. /"
grunted the skipper. ''You do your
work, and I'll do mine"
"Don't you give me none of your
back answers" beloved the engineer,
COS won't ave EN-"
The skipper shrugged his shoulders
and exchanged glances with his sympa-
bQ6blC ludJ0. w dl6 I'LL R60
ashore, " he murmured.
'The b'iler is wore out, " said the en-
gineer, reappearing after hasty dive
below. 1T may bust at any moment. .
AS though to confirm his words, fear
full sounds were heard proceeding from
below.
"It's only the boy" said the mate.
Hes scared-natural y
II thought it was the b'iler, said the
skipper, with sigh Of relief SIT was
loud enough
AS he spoke the boy got his head out
of the hatchway, and rendered desperate
with fear fairly fought his way past the
engineer and gained the deck
'Very good, " said the engineer as he
followed him on deck and staggered to
the side. 'I've had enough O. you lot. y
Hadn't you better go down to them
engines?" shouted the skipper.
'Am I your slave?" demanded the
engineer tearfully. "Tell me that-am
your slave?''
go down and do your work like a
sensible man." was the reply.
At these words the engineer took um-
bragg at once, and scowling fercely re-
moved his greasy jacket and flung his
cap on the deck. He then finished the
brandy which he had brought up with
him and gazed owlishly at the Kentish
shore.
'I'm going to have wash, he said
loudly, and sitting down removed his
boots
go down to the engines first" said
the skipper, ''and I'll send the boy to
you with bucket and some soap"
"Bucketi' replied the engineer scorn-
fully as he moved to the side s'I'm GO
ing to have proper wash. "
'Hold him, " roared the skipper sud
denly. Hold himi''
The mate, realizing the situation,
rushed to seize him, but the engineer,
with a mad laugh, put his hands on the
side and vaulted into the water When
he rose, the steamer was 30 yards ahead
go astarnl'' yelled the mate.
How can go astarn when there's
nobody at the engiDes?" shouted the
skipper as he hung onto the wheel and
brought the boats head sharply around.
'Git line ready"
The mate, with coil of rope in his
hand, rushed to the side, but his beney-
olent efforts were frustrated by the en-
gineer, who, seeing the boats head
making straight for him, saved his life
by an opportune dive. The steamer
rushed by.
Turn 'er ag 'inl'' screamed the mate.
The captain was already doing so, and
in remarkably short space of time the
boat, which had described complete
circle, was making again for the engi-
neer.
Look out for the line, !" shouted the
mate warningly.
Il don't want your line = yelled the
engineer. ''I'm going ashore.
"Come aboardp' shouted the captain
imploringly as they swept past again.
1--WE can't manage the engines. y
ssPut her round again. said the
mate. ''Pll go for him with the boat.
Haul her in, boyl''
The boat, which was dragging astern,
was hauled close, and the mate tumbled
into her, followed by the boy, just as
the captain was in the middle of an
other circle, to the intense indignation
of crowd of shipping, large and small,
which was trying to get by.
"Ahoyp' yelled the master of tug
which was towing large ship. Take
that steam roundabout out Of the way.
What the thunder are you doing?''
Picking up my engineer, !" replied
the captain as he steamed right across
the others bows and nearly ran down a
sailing barge, the skipper Of which, a
Salvation Army man, was nobly fight
ing with his feelings.
ssWhy don't you stop2' he yelled.
Cos I can't, . walled the skipper
of the Bulldog as he threaded his way
between huge steamer and schooner,
who. in avoiding him. were getting up