The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1897-10-05

deck awning, up through the pdhlhS
heat of the cOmpanionWay, ana qFopped
Tstlessly into a deck chair. lie Vas
dressed in slop-chest pajamas OF a ViElu
pattern, and had a newly shaFen GNU
which stood out refreshngly "hlte d
gainst the rest Of his sun-darkened coun-
tenance
.Well," said Capt. Kettle, as ne showed
across the box of cheroots, are we any
nearer getting under way
II looked in at the engine room as l
came nast." said the tall man with a
laugh, and the chief had a good dear 10
say. | gathered it was his idea that the
fellow who last had charge of those en-
gines ought to die a cruel ana lingering
death"
sha breaks down. But did he say how
long if would be before he could give
hnr steam again? I'm a bit ANXIOUS.
The glass is tumbling, hand over hst'
and what with that, and this hea,.
there's small doubt but what Wen nave
tornado gathering about our ears u
rectlv. There's the shore close aboard
as YOU can see for yourself, ana II Tue
wind comes away anywhere from the
BASTARD, it'll blow this old STEAMBOAT
halfway into the middle OF AFRICA pt,
fore we can look around us. It's a DAD
season lust now for tornadoes."
THE gathering of iron boot-plates
made itself heard OF the brass bound
steps of the companionway. "Ihatjl
he the chief coming to answer for nm
self" said COrtolvin.
Mr.. Neil Angus McTodd always ad-
vertised his calling in the attire OF MS
outward man, and the eye OF an expert
could tell with sureness at any gwen
moment whether Mr.. McTodd was In
or mt anh IT so WHAT woe
of steamboat he was on, what was ms
official position, what was his pay, and
what was the last bit of work on when
he had been employed. The present
was the fourth occasion on when the
Saigon's machinery had chosen to break
down during Capt. Kettles two months
of command, and after his herculeah
efforts in making repairs with lhsulH-
cient staff and materials. Mr.. Mc1odd
was unpleasant both to look upon ana
associate with. He was attired in moist
black boots, gray flannel paJama tr"u-
snrs stuffed into his socks, a weird gar
mont of flannel upon his upper man, Il
clout round his neck, and a peaked cap
upon his grizzled red hair Amounted with
wears of spraying oil. his elbows ana
his forehead shone like dull mirrors OF
steel. and he carried one Of his thumhs
wrapped up in a grlmy crimson rag
His conversation was full or unneces
sary adiectives, and he was inclined 10
take a cantankerous view Of the UNI
verse. They'd disgrace the scrap-heap,
of anv decent yard, would the things
they miscall engines on this rotten tub,
said he by way Of preface
They are holy engines, and thafs 4;
fact" said Kettle. How long can you
guarantee them for this time?
The engineer mopped his neck with a
wad of cotton waste. len rcVolutlohS'
if We wish me to be certain. It's a
varra dry ship, this
"And how many more? We shall want
them. There's a tornado coming on.
Pm no anxious to p%crJure mysei
c~aptain, but they might run on for a -ull
minute. or they might run on for a day
There's a capreciOusness about the rat
tle-traps that might amuse some PEG
pie, but it does not appeal to me. III
in fear of my Efe every minute L stand
on the foot plate"
I'D not nave taken You Tor a fright
cned man."
I'm not that as a usual thing. but
the temperature of yon engine room
varies between 100 and 1870 degrees o.
the Fahrenheit scale. and it's destroying
to the nerves. All the aqueous vaDor
leaves the system and I'm vera badly
in need of a tonic. Is yon H}i-sky III the
black bottle, captain"
Take a peg. Mac"
..I'li lust have a sma' three fingers
nav We mention it." He laid the thick
est nart of his knotty knucklcs against
the side of the tumbler and poured on
some half gill of spirits. WELL Ald
he. may we get as good Whusky Wnere
we're going to-" and enveloped the d2st
with a deXterOus turn OF the WrlSl: ~
Inns with cotton waste, ana TOOK hlhiSeil
off again to the baking regions below
and presently a dull rumbllnS ana j
tremor of her fabric announced that th'
SAIGON was once more under way.
The little steamer had coaled at Pc
rim island in the southern mouth of th'
Red sea. had come out into the lndlal
oooan through the straits Of BaD g
Nandeb had rounded cape Guardatul
and was on her way down to Lanzlba
in resnonse to the cabled orders of be
Parsee owners in Bombay. CortolVll
was still on board as passenger. LIS eN
cuse was tina he wanted to lnSpecl tn
island and city of Zanzibar before re
turning 20 England and respectabllify
his real reason was that ne nae take
a fancy to the little ruftan of a III
and wished to see more OF nm.
Cheerful toast, that of McTodd,
said Cortolyin.
Those engines are enough to discou'
age anv man" said Kettle, land Ia
heat down there would sour the temoe
of an archangel."
Cortolvin loosened a couple of button
of his pajamas and barred his chest. 1T
hard to breathe even here, and though
I'd learned what heat was IN those Ar'
bian deserts. There's a tornado con
ing on, that's certain
TT will clear the air. said KEITH
But it will be a sneezer when we &
if, Mr.. Murgatroyd." he called.
The old grizzIe-headed mate thru>
down a purple face from the head OF tn
upper bridge ladder. aye aye!' ,
t"Get all the awnings off her" h
shipmaster ordered; put extra grips Q
the boats and see everything lasheG IA
that a steam crane could move. We
in for a bad breeze directly"
ave. aye rumbled the mate. an
clanped a leaden whistle to mis- mou.
and blew it shrilly. A minute later
reported: "a big steamer lying to ju