The times., 1897-07-25

the syndikct, Dick?'fhe abked. boldly.
"wotg,' said the c1ok, hastily replacing
| the coins.
II arst him whether he was sorry o
| 'adn't joined u.s. said Sam, trying to
| speak calmly.
The COOK threw out b Is hand and looked
round appealingly to the landscape to bear
witness to this appalling attempt at brig
andage.
You needn't look like that" said Sam.
s.Two pun tens wot want of you, an I'll
take 1t afore you lose II"
Then The cook found Words and with
Dick and Henry for audience made an
| impassioned speech iii defense OF vest
| ed interests and the sacred rights OF
| property Never in his life had he been
so fluent or so inventive, and when he
wound up a noble passage on the rights
| OF the individual, in which he alluded to
| Sam $ FAT sharper, he felt that his case
| was won.
Two pun ten said Sam, glowering at
| him.
The cook, moistening his lips with his
tongue, resumed his discourse.
Two pun ten, said Sam again; .an'
/ don't know what you're goin' to do
| with your half, but IN goin' TO give ten
bob to Dick
.why don' you give theman his noney?''
said Dick, warmly.
'.Recos the syndikit 'ad all fell through"
said the cook. ..The syndikit was only
| a syndikt when we was both looking for
| i'm together. II the syndikit--''
That's enough about 'en," said Dick,
fmpatiently. 'Giye the man lis money
Everybody knows you was soin shares.
I'm ashamed OF you, cook. ! wouldn't
have thought IL of you"
| 1t ended In simple division, Dick taking
what was over on Sans side AMI more
| than limiting that he was ready to do th.,
cook similar service. The cook turned a
/ deaf ear. however, and, declining in en-
| phatic language to step ashore and take
something, went and slIlked III the galley.
| At dinner-liIBe q telegram came from
! Annis, and the next morning brought a
letter from her, which the skipper read
aloud tothe proud father He read il some
what jerkiiy, emitting sentences which he
| Thought might not interest the old man,
| or perhaps, what was more likely, interest
him d reat Geal After that they We're
all busy taking in the cargo, Capt Gething
i'll shirt and trousers, insisting upon lend
ing a hand.
The cargo was all in by 5 O'Clock and the
| tatches down. Below in the cabin the two
captains and the mate sat over a sub
stantial tea.
Get away about three, 1 s'pose," said
the mate
The skipper nodded
''Get away about three" he repeated,
land then for Northfleet I'll have all Tile
| hands TO the wedding, and you shall be best
Ican jim"
And Henry II be d little page in white
satin knickers. holding up the brides
train" said the mate sputtering at the
picture he mad conjured up
They all laughed = all except Henry. who,
having come down with some hot water
from the galley, surveyed the ribald scene
with scarcely concealed sncer.
Half an hour later the skipper and mate
went ashore 10 transact a little business
leaving the old man sleeping peacefully
! in the CABIN. The crew. HAVING adjusted
tEeir differences had already gone ashore
to treat each other 10 beer, leaving Henry
in sole charge. y
Youn stay by the Ship. 10y" said
the skipper, looking down on him from
tire quay.
"Ay, ay, sir" said Henry sulkily.
The two men walked along the quay
and into the High street, tie skipper
struggling his shoulders good-naturedly as
he caught. throughs.s a ha1f-opeu door, a
glimpse Of his crew settling down to
business
IL was an example that under the cir
cuTnStances seemed TO be worth following,
and at the next publc-house the mate
sacrificing his incIinations to the occa-
sion, drank port Wine instead of his
fevorite whisky For the same reason
he put his pipe back in his pocket and
accepted a cigar, and then followed his
superior into the street
Where's likely tailor's?" asked the
skipper, locking around
What for?'f asked the mate.
I'm going to get some things for
cap'n Gething," said the other Hes
hardly the figure to meet his family
as he is''
why don't you bring him with us?"
asked the mate. How about a nt?''
"He wouldn't hear of it," said the skip
per- pansing in deep contemplation Of three
wax boys in a taiIor's window. Hes
an Independent sort of man. but if l buy
the clothes and take 'em aboard he can
|
He led the way into the shop, and asked
to see some serge suits At the mates
tnstigat.on he asked To see some more. At
the mates further instigation he asked
whether that was all they had got, and
being told that it was locked at them
all over again.
| 1t is ever difficult thing to fit an alb
sent man, but he and the mate tried on
| every jacket in the hope OF finding a golden
mean, until the mate, dropping his lighted
| cigar In the coat-sleeve of one, and not
| finding lt as soon as the tailor could have
desired, the latter lost all patience and
Insisted upon their taking that one
Its all right said the mate, as they
ieft the shop with the parcel; its only
the lining. I'd fixed my mind on that
one, too, from the first
Wei, why didn't you say so them"
said the skipper
Got it Cheaper" said the mate with
wink. I'D bet you, if it could only be
known. IL we'd been suited at first he'd ha'
wanted ten bob more for 1t ~
1t was quite dark by now, and after
buying cap and one OF two other small
articles the mate led the way into another
tavern for another drink
There's no hurry" he said, putting
his share of bundles on the table with some
relief Whats your poison this time
cap'n?"
Ito be concluded,
|