Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-30
CHAPTER TX.

MUTINY.
None Of those poets have ever put all
this down on paper. They've got parts,
bits, but not all. 1 fancy it is because
they haven seen tho thing for themselves
I've tried myself. but l haven't made
much account Of 1t.
'What-you-you're o poet!' raped
out Canbel.
Il knock off a bi. of verse occasionally"
said the skipper complacently, when
I'm In the mood. that is. II generally
Genes times like this. when I've been tail
twisting the hands and have q spell of a
rest and a think a:terward.
Il see. The outcome Of vivid contrast"
said Cambcl He Imagined To himself that
these boosted poems would be of the he
roic" order to the verge Of mclodrama As
1t happened, he could not conveniently
have made verse guess Kettle tuggcd
from his pocket q doubled up oxercise book
reddcred slightly under the tan and
handed IL across. His companion fiat
tened out the crease, and in the ligh:
which came from u chartroom port dipped
into the manuscript verses for himself
To his establishment they were one and all
sonnets and ballads which might well
have been written 10y "a sentimental school
girl. They brcathcd of love and devotion
and premature fading away, and at leas.
three gushing adjcctiycs qualified each
tender noun.
There was no word about the sea on
which their author had spent his life or
Of the things of the sea with which he had
had all his dealings. He knew about these
as few mon die, but they seemed common
to him and unclean. Consequently he had
delivered himself to an ode of that spring
xr-h irh hp hal fsrCe ca1 ahnr ,,,l
love songs to ladies he had never met out
side the covers OF cheap fiction. 1t was
all Imagination, and untutorcd, unin-
spired imagination mt that.
As q result, Cambcl found the poems too
killingly funny for words and was con-
sumed wish n wild desire for laughter. but
that red bearded little savage, their maker,
glaring nnxsously at him from the oppo-
site shadow, he dare not let so much as the
tail OK smile dance from the corner of
his mouth. He had to enjoy and endure
In silence, and with the exercise book
thrust out to the yellow light, then he
read on through the stanzas diligently.
In one, evidently autobiographical, the
writer spoke of himself as a .'timid, frail
gazelle." IN another he addressed his re-
marks from the mouthpiece of a Coy and
cooling turtledove" to a 'sylphlike maid
en- Of naughty mien" who at the time of
narration was tine 'bcwitching, entranc-
ing, unparalleled queen" Of another gen
tleman's hearth. An lode to Excellence"
which commenced Hairy Alfred, brother
bard, was evidently directed at contem-
porary, but the past was cared for in
Cleopatra, Lament, which footnote
stated could be sung to the tune of
"Greenland's Icy Mountains Probably
rs a collection Captain Kettles was unique
In its clumsy. maudlin sentiment and its
general unexpectedness.
Meanwhile the author was fidgetinc
ncrvously. He had not got over that in
itial nervousness which publication gives
He hungercd for criticism-favorable if
possible. At last he made bold to ask for
It.
"You'rc a wonderful man, Kettle" re-
turned his companion, quite meaning
what he said. land unless had seen those
verses for myself I'd never have believed
you capable of producing them, no matter
what had been told me about your pow
ers.'
The poet gave sigh Of relief, and was
going to pursue the subject further when
something fell upon his ear which turned
his thoughts into q very different key.
by James, there's the engine stopped
What's up now, wondcrs'
He jumped to his feet and stood with
neck craned out, listening. The ring OF
heavy boots made itself heard Oh the en-
CINE room ladders. Then there was a
murmur of voices and a pateering of foot
steps from the forecastle, and presently a
steady stream Of men began to ascend the
bridge deck ladders. Among the growing
babel of voices came references to the gold.
HALF n million yellow sovercigns, boysl'
and threats there was no mistaking,
Teach the old man manners or put him
over the side
BY an evident previous arrangement the
men were ma,ssing themselves on the por,
side OF the bridge deck.
"Mutiny, by James. that's what thi.
mcans'' commented Captain Kettle i'm IN
undertone. He was cool as ice and on tho
moment had decided how to act. Now
Mr.. Cambol, slip into tho chartroom 70,
your pistol. I have mine in my pocket
It's US two against tire lot of en-, ant
we'll finish out top side. oh, don't yor
make any error. It'll be n red night
work for those dogs. But we'll rub thu
fear Of death into them before we've don,
this time-into those that arc left, that Is
Get your pistol. quick. sir, and skin you
cye for handy shooting"
Patrick Cambci came out Of the chart
room with all the armament he could la,
hands upon-to wit, three revolvers. II,
gave ono to the captain and put the other,
In his own jacket pocket, SO that they hat
. brace apiece. From the other side Of tn,
bridge deck the clamor Of the men ros,
high into the night, and the steamers for
truck began to swing past the stars He
engines had stopped, the quartermaste
II A. -
stream was taking her as simple 0otsau
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