The herald., 1897-09-12

HE GROUND AND SNAPPED HIS
TEETH.
on themselves, like animals going into
| lairs. Belfast got up and approached
Archie's berth.
| 1--WE pulled him out" he whispered
sadly.
"What?" said the other with sleepy
discomfort.
"And now we will have to chuck him
overheard went on Belfast, whose
lower lip trembled.
"Chuck what?" asked Archie.
poor Jimmy" breathed out Belfast.
| HE be blowed!" said Archie with
untruthful brutality, and sat up in his
bunk. IT'S all through him."
"'Tain't his fault, is it?" argued Bel
fast, in a murmur.
He wandered about as though he had
lost his way in the dim forecastle, and
nearly fell over Donkin. He contem-
plated him from on high for a while.
"Aint ye going to turn M" he asked.
Donkin looked up hopelessly. will
they split on me?" he asked, with pain
ed anxiety.
"Who-split?" hissed Belfast, coming
back step. II would split your nose
this minyt if 1 hadn't Jimmy to look
after! Who dye think we are?"
Donkin rose and watched Belfast's
back lurch through the doorway. On
all sides invisible men slept, breathing
calmly. He seemed to draw courage
and fury from the peace around him.
Venomous and thin-f faced, he glared
from the ample misfft of borrowed
IoJ0 fnr of T1n
could smash. His heart leaped wildly
| in his narrow chest.
"Yere no men!" he cried, in dead
ened tone. No one moved. Eyer
'aven't the pluck of a mouse!" His
voice rose to husky screech. Wamibo
darted out a dishevelled head, and
looked at him wildly. "Ye're sweep
ings ov ships! 'ope you will hall rot
before you die!" Wamibo blinked, un
comprehendng but interested.
Donkin sat down heavily; he blew
with force through quivering nostrils,
he ground and snapped his teeth, and,
with the chin pressed hard against the
breast, he seemed busy gnawing his
way through 1t, as if to get at the heart
within.
| In the morning the ship beginning
another day of her wandering life, had
| an aspect of sumptuous freshness, like
| the spring-time of the earth. The
washed decks glistened in long, clear
stretch; the oblique sunlight struck the
yellow brasses in dazzling splashes,
darted over the polished rods in lines
! of gold, and the single drops of salt
water forgotten here and there along
the rail were as limpid as drops of dew,
and sparkled more than scattered dia-
monds. The sun, rising lonely and
splendid in the blue sky, saw a soli-
tary ship gliding close hauled on the
blue sea.
The men pressed three deep abreast
of the mainmast and opposite the
cabn-door They shufIled. pushed, had
an irresolute mien and stold faces. At
every slight movement Knowles lurch-
ed heavily on his short leg. Donkin
glded behind backs, restless and anx-
ious, like a man looking for an am
bush. Captain Allistoun came out sud
denly. He walked to and fro before the
front. He was gray, slight, alert,
shabby in the sunshine, and as hard as
adamant. He had his right hand in
the side-pocket of his jacket, and also
something heavy in there that made
folds all down that side. One of the
seamen cleared his throat ominously.
"I haven't till now found fault with
you men, said the master, stopping
short And don't now. but am here
to drive this ship and keep every man
jack aboard of her up to the mark. If
you knew your work as well as I do
mine, there would be no trouble. You've
been braying in the dark about See
tomorrow morning. Well. you see me
now What do you Want?'
He waited, stepping quickly to and
fro, giving them searching glances
What did they want? They shifted
from foot to foot, they balanced their
bodies; some, pushing back their caps
scratched their heads. What did they
want? Jimmy was forgotten; no one
thought of him, alone forward in his
cabin, fighting great shadows, clinging
to brazen lies. chuckling painfully over
his transparent deceptions. They want
ed great things. And suddenly all the
simple words they knew seemed to be
lost forever in the immensity of their
vague and burning desire.
"What is it-food?" asked the master
"You know the stores had been spoiled
off the Cape"
1--WE know that. SIR" said bearded
sea-dog in the front rank.
"Work too hard-eh? Too much for
your strength" he asked again. There
was an offended silence.
1--WE don't want to go shorthanded
SIR" began at last Davies in a waver-
ing voice, land this ere black
Enough" cried the master. He stood
scanning them for a moment, then
walking few steps this way and that
began to storm at them coldly in gusts
violent and cutting like the gales of
those icy seas that had known his
youth. Tell you what's the matter?