The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-04-19
! MY CABIN BOY.

4
| command Of the ship Pstersham. We were
Bound to Liverpool, and nothing unusual
happened until tho eighth day out, when
we ran foul Of small Iceberg
My cabin boy was named Jack Withers.
Hewas IA years Of age, and this was his
first voyage.
fanoied that he was the most stubborn
piece Of humanity had ever come across.
made up my mind that he had never
been properly governed and had resolved
to break hin, in. told him I'd curb bis
temper before I'd done with him. In reply
he told me might kill him iGt liked.
One day, when 1t was very near noon, I
spoke to him, telling him to bring up nv
quadrant. Hewas looking over the quarter
rail, and knew he did not hear me. But
the next time spoke spoke sharply and
intimated that II he didn't move would
help him.
II didn't hear you," he said in an indie.
pendent tone. KIT
mo words" said l.
II suppose can speak, :" he retorted,
moving slowly toward the companionway
His looks, words and the slow, careless
manner in which he moved fired me in q
moment. i grasped him by the collar.
Speak to me again like that and I'll
hog you within an ace Of your life" said I.
You oan fog away" he answered as
firm as rock.
And did fog him. caught up the
end Of rope and beat him till my arm
fairly ached. But he never WINGED.
'How's that2' said I.
There's little more life In me yet.
! t1,,
And beat him again. beat him till
no sank from my hand to the floor.
l sent one of the men for my quadrant,
but when 1t came and had adjusted ii
for observation found that the sun had
already passed the meridian and that was
too late,
This added fuel to the fire Of my mad
ness, and Selling the lad by the collar
led him to the main hatchway and had
the hatch taken off. l thrust him down
and swore would keep him there till his
stubbornness was broken.
About o'clock went to the hatchway
and called to him. But he returned no
answer. So closed tho hatch and went
away. An hour afterward went again;
still no answer.
r. l did not trouble him again until next
morning. After breakfast went to tho
hatchway and called to him once more.
heard nothing from him, nor could soc
him. Yet the men told me they had heard
him that very morning. Ho seemed to DO
calling on them for help. But he would
NOT answer me. I meant to break him in.
to 1t.
Hell beg before he'll starve,"
thought, and so determined to let him stay
there.
The day passed away, and when evening
came l began to be startled. He had been
in the hold 86 hours, and 40 hours without
food or drink. He must be too weak to
cry out now
So at length made mp my mind to go
and see him. A little way forward saw
a space where Jack might easily have gone
down, and TO this point crawled on my
hands and knees. called out there, but
farther was wide space, which l had
entirely forgotten, but which l now re.
member had been left open on account of
"a break In the flooring of the hold, which
would let anything that might have been
stored there rest directly ON the thin plank
ing Of the ship
| heard the splashing Of water, and
thought l could detect o sound like the in
coming of a tiny jet or stream. At first l
could see nothing, but as soon as became
used to the dim light could distinguish
the faint outlines of the boy sitting on the
broken floor, with his feet stretched out
against cask,
Jack, are you thereP"
eyes. Help mel For mercy's sake, help
mel Bring men and bring lantern. Tho
ship has sprung leakw
WAITED to hear no more, but hurried on
deck at once and soon returned with Ian
tern and three men. Three of the timbers
We're worm eaten to the very heart, and one
of the outer planks had boon broken and
would have burst In any moment the boy
might leave 1.-THE boy whose feet were
braced against the plank before him
saw the plank must burst the moment
the strain was removed from 1t, SO | made
the men brace themselves against 1t before
] lifted him up, Other men were called
down, with planks, etc, and after much
difficulty we finally succeeded In stopping
the leak and averting the danger.
Jack Withers was carried to the cabin in
my own arms, and there he managed to
tell his story.
He had sat with his feet braced for four
and twenty hours with the water squirting
ell over him and drenching him to the
skin. His limbs were racked with pain,
but he would not give up.
I nursed him with my own hands
nurscd him all through his delirium-and
when his reason returned and he could sit
up and talk humbly asked his pardon for
oil the wrong had done him. He threw
bis arms around my neck and told me if
would be good to him he would never give
cause Of offense. He added as he sat up
again: Il am not coward. could not 30
O dog"
During nine years have sailed In three
different ships with the same crew. Not
man could be hired to leave me save for an
officers berth. And Jack Withers remain
ed with me l3 years -LoDdon EeWs,