The morning times., 1896-07-05
"FOretop There. /"
copyrIght, / sss, by w. Clark Russell.l

the break Of the poop looking along til,
deck.
Seems like fight, SIR" said I.
See what it's about said he.
1t was the first dOg-watch, and the
climate, the latitude OF Ascension, sof,
and sweet. The sail rose, leaning wes:,
ward, clothed in red sunshine, and the decks
twinkled with sliding netted shadows, like
a gravel path under dancing branches A
number OF men were collected TO Ieeward OF
the galley, and In the midst of them were
Two young fellows, stripped, each in a
posture OF defense. One was named Tim
Biggins, the other was known as John
simply. They were both ordinary seamen
and In my watch.
saw how II was and went aft and said
to the captain: They'd better have it out. y
why, perhaps so," said he ''But see all
fair, and with a half-laugh in the humorous
COCK or his eye, he strolled off toward the
wheel
These two young seamen had been
quarreling ever since the voyage began.
higgins was the bully, and John, whether
because he wanted spirit, or because
tother was a square young man, as full OF
beef as newly primec harness cask, had
yielded, but noisily, growing echoes to the
others curses, threatening betwixt his teeth
with savage looks, but still submitting, still
letting the other put upon him, until, TO
my satisfaction, IT had come to this-a
stand-up fight.
The crew, seeing that the little dog-watch
joke had the sanction of the quarterback,
elbowed and hustled into a ring, every face
wrinkled to its hair with a grin of expecta-
ton. The lads-I call them so; one was
about 20 and the other 22-stripped to the
waist and stood up before each other on
naked feet and in thin dungaree breecl,es
l feared for John. He looked but a narrow
conformation when opposed to Bigrins
yellow, hairy bulk, layered like a dugong's,
but hard all over as horses buttOcks with
stralnIng at ropes and holding on to save his
life.
He was a Lancashire lad with as rare
an accent as ever you heard at a Bolton
street corner. TOther was of Kent and
said "tew' for two and ''oye" for eye;
their arms were covered with the quaint
devices OF the sea, and mermaIds and
crucifixes and anchors seemed to swim
ard glide in the sweat OF their hairy muscles
as they lifted their clinched fists TO their
faces and fell a.dancing.
Biggins launched out and fetched John a
mcrciiess thump In the chest The lad was
backed to the galley by the blow. and the
breath was shocked out OF him as though
by the wind or flying cannon bali; but
after a moment, with wicked gleam
In his eye, he sprung and took Biggins
fairly between the eyes-a smasher Ian.
cashire fell and the moss upon his breast
turned scarlet with the discharge from
his nose.
He jumped up. mad with pain and dis
grace, and bawiing for room. 1 called to
The men to open outsand told Jim to mind
his guard. l was sorry for that lad. He
Was pale and thin and the other was all
fire and blood, in a death-dealing humor,
too, to judge by his looks. Out flew Big
gins huge fist. John struck it clear, and
with the rapidity OF a postman's knock
cleverly took his opponent under the chin;
had Biggins held his tongue out half of it
would have been on deck. TIE men roared.
That's larDin' him the alfabbit!' cried
the Irishman.
1t was clear that John. had science, while
Biggins virtues were strength and Con-
.cmpt and temper-s They spared for some
minutes, neither hitting the other, both in
ieadly earnest; John white as milk and
3iggins as red as the cocks comb which
Ia shed betwixt the bars of the coops abaft
helongboat. Then Lancashire knocked Kent
iown and blinded him an eye; he sprang to
lis feet breathing fiercely and volleyed with
lis fists into Biggins as though he had been
IN an electric sQuall. 1t was an irresistible
inset. The murderous rain of blows dazcd
8ggins, who seemed 10 have no other plan
# resistance than TO caper out OF reach.
1t promised TO be n good fight. and the
men settled themselves to watch with
ooks OF beastly and sa q ge exultation, such
as distinguish our human countenances
from dogs and other animals when we
view any sport that is cruel and degrad-
ng. The captain found the thing inter-
sting and stood staring from the head
IF the lee-poop ladder.
m Nc 81
before the fight ended. Several papnikins
IF water were emptied by the combataDts
Turing the conflict. Johns face was a
sore sight. with one huge bloated black
'ye; equally queer was Bigsins', with its
,ut lips and eyes half closed and leering
n rage. The favorite was John. and the
'eamen roared to him to cut in and make
IN end. l doubt. however. If he would
rot have been half killed but for his
binding his man by blows delivered with
admirable GOODNESS and skill. The bullys |
rms on sudden began to whirl like the |
ails of q windmill: he fought in a cropping |
way, sent his huge fists spinning for luck |
md tumbled right down. bowling out with |
'urses: "A'am blinded. a 'am blinded: a'am
lone wit" Whereat the men chcered heart |
ly. and the boatswain in deep voice ex-
iaImed: Now, John. you're a-goipg to |
nave peace for the rest of the voyage"
John washed himself. and was presently |
lean. cool and comfortable, smoking his |
'ipe in the forcca stle-head with as cheerful |
face a shislarge. blue. bunged-upeye would |
dmit OF. higgins was tumbled into tn e fore
astle and there left to lie till his sight came |
ound. This happened next morning, and |
hen made both Young men sha Ike hands.
We drove leisurely toward the cape, being |
,ound to Adelaide, Australia, and nothing of |
my consequence occurred for number of
avs. think we were in latitude SO. a
rifle to the westward Of Agulhas, when this
TRANCE thing befell:
1t was a very gloomy afternoon, the hori-
on as thick as smoke. and sky lay in an |
arly night over our rceling ma heads. We
we're under single-reefed topsails and
main top-gallant sail: the wind poures, fresh
v over the quarter. with an edge as though
here was ice i'll the neighborhood, and the
roth swept aft from the hurl of the bow with
he whitencss, and something, even, of the
plendor ofiight. Itwa smy watch on deck.
had noticed two men at work in the fore
op. could not distinguish them. They
we're on some job OF the boa is wain's order
lg, and presently, coming aft from turn
oward the wheel, i say the figure of one Of
iefello dropping into the shroudsover the
uttock rigging. He slapped his way down
and stepped inboards, off the rail.
nd took another turn aft, wondering if the
'eather was going TO harden into whole
ale.
The second mate relieved me at eight
ellis. o'clock, but when had been below
n minutes heard a noise of agitated talk
| the cabin, and, 5Aoking out. l saw the
eward addressing the captain.
Here's pretty business" said the skip
er on catching sight of me; there's Il man
illed in the fOretop," and without another
'ord he sprung on deck.
l followed him quickly and saw some
amen in the act of lowering a body out
the top; the corpse hung in the blight
whip and swung shockingly like
utinSer at u yard-arm. When it was
own the canSntn and I uent alonn the |