Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-07

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yak rof them, at thc same r1me playing q
good knife and fork himself. The food
seemed to straishten his back and knock
the limprcss out of him, hut Mr.. Mutt
and his friend were tapping their cham
payne too industriously TO see any signiii-
canoe in the change
The meal crept steadily through It's
courses, and the empty bottles grew on the
cabin floor No one got drunk. Captain
Kettles own libations were sparine, and
the others had each high coefGcient of
absorption. Still all were exhilara;ed and
ripe for mischief or merTiment, as might
befali.f
Say. cap" said the long man as he
dallied with his last strawberry tartlet,
''isn t it SO that you've got this fine steam
boat of yours ballasted with sovercignss"
Its so" said Kettle, or something
very like that
Your own?''
"Oh. Lord, no. Just freight consigned
to New Orleans and brought here hy that
blowup l was telling yod about. l sup
pose that you gentleneni III have To obioc-
tion to bearing hand aboard o me now
you are horci I'm bit short manned,
and it'd be a pity to let freight like that
fusJ ior WANT oi lingering
Hank srinnesl AZ his vis-a-vis and then
turned to the little skipper in the swivel
chair. No, he said, Il don't sec there's
anything wrong with that hut I'm afraid
II we Clipped In we couldn't sign Oh SO
far rs Moo Orleans
New Orleans be sugarcdi" cried Cap
tain Kettle. Haven't l spoke plai,
enough already? Don't you understand
all this racket s n blessed swindlo? The
steamers going to have tho name plate On
her engine altered, and tic label on her
stern changed. and IL different pattern
painted Oh her smokcstacks, and a coat of
gray clafpcd or her outside. And then
then, when she's SO bcdCviici her own
builder wouldn't know her, We'll run her
round to some South American port where
tho least number of questions will be
asked and sell her for what she'll fetch
But only tho s-eamcr, mari. you. reckon
she's carried tho freight far enough
That'll be struck cut of her here
You bot said Mutt, rubbing hi.
hands. well corral tie dollars for YOU
right here til yoa come back. You shall
have cur nigccrS to s-s-stokc for you il,
you caD get 'c;:I and can manage 'em.
But they're fair touSbS. Perhaps you'd
w-w-wcakcn wEC:i goa came to know 'cm
q bit.''
I'd handle, " Tctorted Kettle, "a crew
Of old Nick's Grcinen raw cut of tho phi;
If was put to it. Don't you make any
error. I've kept my end upNi;h the worst
crowds man ever put to sea with. by
James," he went on, with Il blow at the
table, by james, Id handle you, MIR.
Mutt, if you were signed or board O. me
till yen couldn't call your soul your own -
mn ri toI, sic
Ing in his chair.
sit, you swine" said his partner,
''and &c quiet. You tire ne What are
you riling tho gentleman for just when
We were getting So nice and friendly with
him."
You femme alone!'
I'm smash your ugly little face in if
you don't keep it shut"
Tho one eyed man tried to rctort, but
his infirnaity gagged him, and spasm of
wild fury III into all his muscles.
His friend waved n derisiye finger.
There's an image for you, cap. Look
at the creature, froze like n Chinese pc.
dog. Look at him and don't laugh. And,
say, just reach me another bottle of that
wine; it will be so good-thanks, Stree. !
wouldn't care If l died drinking this.
Here's our blessed health. Good old cap!
You stick to mo, and I'll stick to you, and
II Mr.. Billy Mutt can't swallow his tan.
trums and join us two gentlemen like an
other gentleman, by Jemima, Well give
him what he's got for his share and set
adrift in an empty bottle. You hear me,
Billy Nutts''
"You spup-luttering fool! You boosey
drunken putty head!'
I'm not drunk" retorted Hank, ssbut
I'm merry. Have a sup yourself, and then
perhaps you'll be better company" with
which advice liberal heel tap of cham
payne splashed in Nuts face.
The man sprang to his feet, glowing like
ficnd. What followed was completed be-
fore watch could tick twice. For once
the gift of speech did not desert him. The
fatal words bounced glibly off his tongue.
and Hank vepgeful hands shot out. In
an instant the pair were graphing to.
gether, and a scooping thumb did its hor.
rid work. Then tearing himself away,
| eyeless, the lesser man ran screaming
blindly into the sideboard at the other side