The news & observer., 1897-02-07

the Alabama case, and a dozen other
things which may mean anything be-
tween jail and confiscation, and my head
isn't big enough to hold it. If you'll be
advised by me, sir, you'll see a real first
class solicitor, and stand him a drink, and
pay him down what he asks right there
on the bar counter, and get to know eX-
actly how the law of this business stands
before YOU stir foot i'm it, The law here
i'm England" said the little man with
reminiscent Sigh, sis beastly thing to
fall foul of; its just wickedly ofticious
and interfering; it's never dome kicking
you, once it's got a fair start; and you
never know where it will shove out Its
ugly hoof from next. No, Mr.. Gedge,
give me the States for nice, comfortable
law, where a man can buy 1T by the yard
for paper money down, and straight pistol
shooting is always remembered ln nus
favor"
The young man who owned the ). ).
Sultan of Borneo tapped his blotting pa
per impatiently. Stick to the point. ket-
tie. We're in England now and have
nothing whatever to do with legal matters
in America AS for your advice, l am
not fool; you can LAY your ticket ON it |
know to an inch how | stand. And |
may tell you this, the shipment is ar
ranged for"
I'D like to see us cleared said Capt.
Kettle doubtfully.
No one will interfere with the clear
ance The Sultan of Borneo Will leave
here i'm coal, consigned to Havana. A
private yacht will meet her at sea and
transship the arms out of sight of land.
'9Tyne coal for Cuba? They'd get their
IL r1c
Welsh steam coal from Cardiff or New
port"
''It seems not This contract was plac-
ed long before a ship was asked for to
smuggle out the arms"
WELL it looks fshy, anyway
81 can't help that" said Gedge irrita-
BILE. "I'm telling you the naked truth, and
if truth as usual looks unlikely, it's not
my fault. Now, have you got amy more
objections to maIke"'
mo, SIR" said Capt. Kettle; 'mone that
/ can see at present"
Every WE'LL then," said Gedge. 'tDo you
care to sign ON as master for TINS cruise,
or are you going Ito cry OFF,
They'll hang me if I'm caught," said
Kettle.
Not they. They'll only talk big, and
the British consul will get you clear. You
bet they daren't hang AN Englishman
for mere smuggling in Cuba. And be-
sides, arn't / offering to raise your screw
from II pound month to IA so as to
cover the risk? However, you won't get
caught. You'll find every thing ready for
you you'll slip the rifles ashore, and then
you'll steam ON to Havana and discharge
your coal in the ordinary humdrlIm way
of business. And there's a 10 pound
bonus if you pull the thing off success
fully. Now, then, captain, q,Iick; you
go or you don'tY
81 co. said Kettle gloomily. I'm a
poor man. with a wife and family, Mr..
Gedge, and i can't afford Ito lose a berth.
But its that coal / can't swallow.
quite believe what you say about the
contract. Only it doesn't look natural.
And it's my belief THE coal will trip us
somewhere before we're done, and bring
about trouble"
Which, of course, You are quite a
stranger to- said Gedge slyly.
Don't tallnt me with lit, sir" said Capt.
Kettle. II quite well know the kind of
brute | am; trouble with a crew or amy
either set of living men at sea is just
meat and drink to me, and I'm bitterly
ashamed of the taste. Every time l
sit underneath our minister in the chapel
here i'm South Shields l grow more a
shamed. And if you heard the beautiful
poetical way that man talks of peace,
and green fields, and golden haTps, you'd
understand"
"Yes, yes" said Gedge, ''but / don't
want any of your excellent ministers
sermons ait second hand just now, cap
tain, or any of your own poetry, thanks.
I'm very busy Good morning Help
yourself ito cigar. You haul alongside
the coal shoots to get your cargo at
O'Clock, and I'll be ON board to see you
ait g. Good morning" And Mr.. Gedge
rang for the clerk, and was busily dictat-
ing letters before Kettle was clear of the
office.
The little sailor went down the grimy
stairs and into the street, and made to-
wards the smelling Tyne. The black
cigar rested unlit i'm an angle Of his
mouth, and he gnawed savagely at the
butt with his eyeteeth. He cursed the
Fates as he walked. Why did they use
him so eyilly that he was forced into
berths like these? AS bachelor he told
himself with a sneer, he would have
Jumped at the excitement of it, AS the
partner Of Mrs. Kettle and the father of
her children he could have shuddered
when he threw his eye over the future.
For week or so she could draw his
half-pay and live sumptuously at the
rate of seven pounds a month. But after
wards, if he got caught by some angry
Spanish war steamer with the smuggled
rifles under his matches, and shot, or
hanged, or imprisoned, or otherwise de-
barred from earning income at his craft,
where would Mrs. Kettle be then? Would
Gedge do anything for her? He drew the
cigar from his lips, and spat contemptu-
ously ait the bare idea.
With the morality Of the affair he
troubled not ONE jot. The Spanish gov
ernment and the Cuban rebels were two
rival firms who offered different rates of
freight according to the risk, and he was
employed as carrier by those who paid
the higher price. If there was any right
or wrong about the question it was