Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-23

ringing scream.
durn me! Ha, ha! Talked of the harness
cask and the demon of murder a-lying
IN It'll If the mate overhears you, thinks
l. he whips off ON his heels just as
though he'd been saying nothing of con-
sequence. But I'll tell you what-there' :
more powder for bust ups III them half
laughs and purser's grins than in the
straight faced tip"
Here they were interrupted by a roar
ing voice in the scuttle Pipes were
emptied. caps adjusted, and half the
men tumbled out into the sunshine to
so Oh with the work of the ship.
The horizon was clear, but the slant
of the vessel was sharp with freshening
gusts, and in one of them, as it swept
salt blue and shrill over the bulwarIs
rail-, splitting into railway whistles up
on the shrouds, the mate of the watch
bawled out an order for the fore and
mizzen royals to be clewed up and the
flying jib to be hauled down. A misty
appearance thickened the blue Oh the
weather bow, and some stuff like scud,
pale as though whitened by moonlight,
was flying up out of it.
In main royal and gaff topsail.'
called out the skipper from the weather
quarter.
The bark was thrashing through it
nobly then. The froth lifted, pouring
inewells or humps Of dazzling white
ness from either quarter, and the sea
smoke few like explosions Of cannon
from the bow. The awning was rattling
like the feather in Miss Mausel's hat.
"We must have the mainsail off her,"
The men raced with a will to the
summons of the mates voice. High
aioft the main royal was ballooning
from the grip of its gear. A man was
hauling taut on its lee brace, when Mr..
Davenire, standing clear of the ridge
rope Ct the awning, close beside the
main rigging and staring On high, ex-
claimed to Mr.. Alexander Burn:
II think we might manage it.
"Of, you lendingsr' cried Burn.
The two men whipped of their coats
/, in jiffy and were half way up the rig
ging while the sailors were still busy
with the gear belonging to the sail.
what did tell you:" says Bill in
the waist. looking up.
"a fine mess they'll make of it," was
the answer. ''All to be done over
again"
The two gentlemen, reaching the fut-
took rigging. gained the top with won
, derfully nimble knees. Fat as he was,
Mr.. Burn did not stop to blow. On the
contrary, he showed the road and was
shining up the topgallant rigging when
Davenlre was making o breathless pause
OF 1t for moment or two in the cross
trees.
Old Captain Benson, gripping the
weather wang, looked up with face of
stern disapproval, which slowly soft
ened. however, when he saw the sail
swiftly timing down into lines of man.
of-war-like neatness and q very daisy of
a hunt. he was astonished.> Mr.. Burn.
coming into the cross:rees, gazed down
with a Furnishing of his hand.
Main topgallants, sir:" he sang
down.
mo. no. gentlemen, not yet,
thank'ee," cried the mate, laughing
and locking aft at the captain.
IN warrant that sail 10 go round
the Horn without blowing adrift,' says
Mr.. Burn in his wheezy. fro;hy. bottled
beer voice to the Mate as he stepped cut
OF the rigging and put on his coat
Captain Trollopa, lornging to ieeward,
muttered to one of his friends as the
hearty figure Of Burn went along the
weather side Of the poop to court the'
congratulations Of tine captain:
II wish those fools wouldn't show
on. Burn bubbles over with self ccr-
oett BE froths like his ale with it II