Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-18

up and sit i'll examination on MIN. lTy
him fairly and convict him. /"
They opened the hatch and pulled
little Sloper off the Thames ballast into
daylight. He was exceedingly white
and trembled violently, and cut, IN
deed, q very pitiful figure as ne stood
on the quarterback Of the Tom Bowling,
surveyed by her owner and crew. lie
was a short man and spare, ana Iom
Tuck grinned as he looked at him.
II suppose you re aweer, SAID old
Joe, "that in shooting at my flag and
wounding her you've degraded the hon.
or of it? Are you aweer Of that?"
"You came in my way. I was shoot
ing for my Entertainment, answered
Mr.. Sloper.
"You're retired tailor, amt your
said Joe.
Sloper sulkily answered yes.
"Have you any acquaintance with the
laws which are made and purwided for
British seamen when it happens that
their flags degraded by the haction OF
a retired tailor?' said old Joe.
Mr.. Sloper, instead Of answering, cast
a languish;ng eye at the river banks,
which were fast sliding past, and re-
Quested to be set ashore.
cit don't answer his purpose to speak
to the pint said Plum.
"Listen now," said old Joe, shaking
his forefinger close into the face of little
Sloper. "When retired tailor degrades
the honor Of seaman's flag by a.shoot-
ing at it and a-riddling Of it, the law
as made and purwided sets forth this,
that the insulted sailor shall collect his
crew and in the presence of all hands
pass sentence after giving an impartial
hearing to what the culprit may have
to say in his defense. Now, you burned
little powder burner, speak up and own
what made you do it, and then I'll pass
Judgment.
whats your game? What d'you
mean to do with me? Where are you
carrying NE top cried the owner of La
boris Retreat. "None of your nonsense,
you know. This is what's called kid
mapping. It's indictable. You may find
yourself in very unpleasant predica-
ment over this business, can tell you.
You profess to know who / am. D'you
want to know what I'm worth? You'd
better put me ashore, say, and stop
this nonsense. don't mind joke, but
this is carrying lark too far. Why, !"
he shrieked, there we are a-drawing on
to Northfleet! You'd better let me 60 +"
And SO he went Oh.
Old Joe and the others listened tc
him with stern faces. In fact, they re-
ceived his protests and threats as his de-
Tense. When he had made an end, Joe
Westlake spoke thus:
"Sloper ri dunno your Christian
name and I won't demean myself by
asking of it--four Of your countrymen
and sorry they are that you should be
a countryman Of theirn-have patiently
listened tolMhat you've had to say And
all that you've said amounts to moth
ing at all. The haceusation made ag in
you is one of the. very gravest as can be
brought g'in retired tailor. You're
charged with degrading the homer Of
my flag, and you've been found guilty,
and my sentence is that after suffi-
Gent times been granted you for prayer
and meditation, you be brought up to the
place of hexecution, aboard this here
cutter, the Tom Bowling, and hanged by
the neck till you re dead"
''Murder!' screamed Sloper. And here
ESQ he afterward swore in court) the
unhappy little tailor fell down on his
knees and begged Joe WDstlake to grant
him his life.
"Clap him under hatches," exclaimed
the old man-of-war's man. And Plum
and another, lifting the hatch cover,
popped Mr.. Sloper down among the bal
last again.
By this time the afternoon hal very
considerably advanced, the wind had
dropped, and it was already dark when
the Tom Bowling let go her anchor off
Gravesend. The cabin lamp was light
ed, and old Joe and Plum sat down to a
hearty meal, after which they smoked
their pipes and dipped ladle into sill
yer bowl of rum punch Of Westlake's
own brewing.
| "D'you mean, captain, said Plum,
''that the little chap in the hold shall
have any SUPPER
"Well, Peter" answered old Joe,
GIVE bin Affirming of it over in my
mind, and spite Of his 'rageous conduct
dunno, after all, that it would be
right to let him lie all night without a
bite Of something. Call Bob"
This man, whose surname was Rob-
ms, arrived. Joe told him to get Ian.
tern and cut plate Of beef and bread
and mix a small mug of rum and wa
ter.
"You can tell the little chap, Bob"
said old Joe, speaking with one eye
shut, "that we're only a-feeding of him
up so as to get more satisfaction out of
his hexecution tomorrow morning You
can say that sailoring is rather mo-
notonous life, and that if he'll die game
we shall all feel obliged for the henter-
tainment he'll afford us
| Whether Bob Robins communicated
this speech to Sloper I cannot say. It is
certain, however, that he took the Ian