The times., 1897-08-29


Donkin looked down, muttering-
what d'you say? What d'you say?.'
inquired Wait, anxiously
..Nothink Tie nights dry; let 'em hang
out TIL morning. = said Donkin, in a strange
ly trembling voice. as though restraining
laughter or rage. Jimmy seemed salts
fled.
-sGiye me little water for the night
in rny mug-there,' he said Donkin took
a stride over the doorstep.
..Git hit yerself," he replied in a surly
tone .You can do it,, hunless you hare
sick"
..of course 1 can do it." said Walt,
ssonly--"
well, then do it, said Donkin vicious.
Iy IF yer can look halter yer clothes
yer can look halter yerseIf.'' He went
on deck without look back.
Jimmy reached out for the mug Not
drop. He put 1T back gently with faint
sigh-and closed his eyes He thought,
That lunatio Belfast will bring nle some
water If ask Fool. | am very thirsty"
1t was very hot in the cabin, and it
seemed to turn slowly round, detach it.
self from. the ship, and swing out smoothly
INTO 4 luminous arid space, where a black
sun shore, spinning very fast. y place
without any waterl No water A police
man with the face of a Donkin drank a
glass OF beer by the side af an empty We'll,
and flew away, Tapping vigorously. 4
ship whose rnasts protruded through the
SKY and could not be seen, was dischafEing
grain, and the wind whirled the dry husks
in spirals along the quay OF dock with
no water in 1t. He whirled along with
the dust very tired and light. He felt
he was lighter than the husks and more
dry. lie expanded his hollow chest. The
air streasned in, rarr ying Way in its rush
lot of strange things that resembied
houses, trees, people, iamppostss. No more,
There was no more air. and he had not
finished drawing his long breath. But he
was In jail, They were locking him up,
4 doa.r slammed. They turned the key
twice and flung bucketof watcrover him!
What for?
He opened his eyes, thinking the fall
had been very heavy for an empty man
empty empty. He was in his cabin.
All All right! His face was streaming
! with perspiration, his arms heavier than
| lead. lie sal the cook standing In the
/ doorway, brass key in one hand and
bright tin hook-pot i'll the other.
II have beer locking up for the night, y
| said the cook, beaming benevolently.
"Eight-tells just gene. brought you /
| pot OF cJId tea for your nights drinking,
| Jimmy. | sweeteued II with some whit 2
| cabin sugar, too. Well 1T Won't break the
| ship"
He ca me in, hung the pot on the edge of
the bunk, asked perfunetorily How goes
Him." grunted Wait inhospitably.
=! Tie 20 Jk " ped his face with a dirty cot
| ton rag. then tied it around hisneck, That's
/ how them fireInen do in steamboats," nc
said serenely. and much pleased wlsh him
| self. My work is as neayy as theirs l. III
| thinking and longer hours. Did you ever
see them down the stokeboid? Like fiends
they look fring--firing -fiTing-down there
he pointed his forefinger at the deck
Some gloomy thoaght darkened his shin
ing face, fleeting, Ike the shadow of trav-
cling cloud over the iiehtof peaceful sea
Therelieved watch tramp Pednoisily forward,
passiug in body across. the sheen of the
| doorway. Some one cried Good night
| Pelrast stopped for. q moment and looked
in at Jimmy, quiyering and speechless as II
with suppressed emotion. He gave the cool
a glance charged with dismal meaning, and
/
| Jimmy stared upward, and kept as still az
man In hiding.
The night was clear. with a gentle
breeze The snip heeled over a little
| slipping quietly over, somber sea to
ward the Inaccessible and festal splendol
OF Hack horizon pierced by points O
| Pickering fire. Above the nlastheads tl'
esplendentcurveoftbe Milky Way spannet
the sky ike triumphal arch of eterna
light, thrown over the dark pathway ol
the earth. On the forecastle head a man
whistied with loud precision lively Jig
| while another could be heard family
shuff,ing and stamping in time. Their,
came from forward a confused murmu
of voices. iauehter-snatchcs of song Th'
cook shook his head glanced obliquell
at Jimmy, and began TO n,utter
Aye. Dance and sing. That's al
they think of. / am surprised the Provi
dence don't get tired They forget the da
that's sure TO come-but you
Jimmy drank a gulp of tea, hurriedly
as though he had stolen 1t; he shrank unde
his blanket, edging away toward the bulk
head.
The cook got up, closed the door, thei
sat down again, and said. distinctly:
whenever I poke my galley fire
think Of you chaps swearing, stealing
lying, and worse as if there was no sucl
thing as another world Not bad fellows
either, in a way" he conceded slowly
then, after a pause of regretful musing
he went on in a resigned tone: We'll
we'll They VIII have hot time OF il
Hotl did ] say? The furnaces of one o
them White Star boats ain't nothing to it.
He kept very quiet for awhile. Their
| vas a great stir in his brain; an addlet
vision Of bright outlines; an exciting row
of rousing songs and groans of pain. II
suffered, enjoyed, admired, approved. Fl
was delighted, frightened. exalted-like o
that evening (the only time in his life
thirty-seven years ago; he loved to recall
the number OF years. when as young mai
he had through keeping bad company
become Intoxicated in an East-end musi
hall tide of sudden feeling swept hif
clean out OF his body. There was a grea
din of cyinbals ill his ears; he flashe
through an ecstatic tumble of shining faces
lilies, pra yer-books. unearthly Joy, whit
shirts, gold barps, black coats, wings H
saw flowing garments, clean-shaved face
a sea Of light-a lake of pitch. Their
were sweet scents, smell OF sulphGr-re
tongues of flame licking white mist. A
aw esome voice thundered- 1t lasted thre
seconds.
Jimmy he cried In an inspired tons
Then he hesitated A spark of human pit
glimmered yet through the internal fog c
his supreme oonceit.