San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-07
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE GOLD.

The ship had broken off three points
while the gentlemen of the starboard
watch breakfasted. When the port
watch came on deck after eating, Troll
lope bawled the order along for all
hands to put the ship about. Shannon
undertook this task. Trollope pulled at
the ropes with the others. There was a
fine sailing breeze. The soft foam broke
in clouds from the weather bow, and
the Queen was slanting nimbly through
the sea, exhibiting some noble qualities
Of looking up, and, spite of bowlines,
Of preserving a ruled line of wake,
snatching, too, at this hour a speed of
eight knots out of AN antagonism Of
wind that was choking all life of legs
though not of motion out of certain
squad, square ended brig, rolling leagues
out of sight astern.
The men, en- the whole, had good
idea of their stations. 1t was plain they
had talked in Benson's time over this
little business of bouting ship; again
and again with tongue and eye they
must have worked out this evolution;
they went TO their places quickly, and
all were ready after few sharp calls of
correction. Mr.. Peter Johnson, as cook,
worked the fore sheet; William and
AIRY, both men scarcely knowing how
to look with surprise and amusement,
were, as experienced seamen, placed
where knowledge was most wanted.
Mr.. Shannon took up his position at
the head of the weather poop ladder,
and, looking round in the direction of
the wheel, motioned to Mr.. Alexander
Burn to put his helm down.
At all times bcuting ship in breeze
of wind is a time and scene of excite
ment. Here was not indeed full rig
ged ship, but to the landlubbers eye
she was sufficiently complicated aloft
to make the revolution of her yards,
the rush of blocks, the sweep of braces,
the snap of the released bowline, the
headlong shaking of jlb and staysail
sheets and the shearing boom of the
thunder making spanker nightmare of
confusion. But these men knew what
to do, and Captain Benson himself new.
er mt his ship about with sharper eye
for the moment of command than'Shan-
non.
''Full for staysl" he had sung out to
Mr. Burn, and then, while the white
brine gushed at the cutwater with a
pleasant roar of freshening wind aloft,
he had made that quiet motion with
his hand to the fat man, and round
came the bark, shivering into the breeze
and upright as though startled and
bridling. She was on the port tack soon,
the yards braced fore and aft, bowline
triced out, sheets of fore and aft canvas
flattened in by jigger and song and
main tack bowsed down to that moving
chorus, "Whisky, Johnny" Williams
throat howled in this music, and even
Harry the Dane felt as though he was
going to enjoy himself.
"Deucedly we'll done, Shannon" ex-
claimed Trollope, mopping his face as
he stepped ON to the poop.
A number of the fellows sprang up
the ladder and congratulated Shannon,
while the two seamen went the round
of the deck, coiling up the ropes,
'Shall we break out the gold?' said
Trollope.
Certainly" exclaimed Davenire in
his towering way. 1.-THE sooner the bet
ter. Here's Masters all at once taken a
spirit crushing notion into his head
got fit of it, like a sickness, all about
Hankey being made fool of by Poole"
"Boshl" shouted Hankey. Lets
Justify the second mate.
He sprang off the poop and others fol-
lowed. Trollope and Davenire were
detained by loud shout from the wheel.
81 say" bawled Mr.. Burn, swinging
his stout shape off the spokes, "are you
beggars going to break out tho gold?'
"Yes."
81 must have hand in that job, "
cried Burn.
"There are too many of u.s." ex-
claimed Davenire in low voice of dis
gust.
"Hi, therei One of your sailors lay aft
to the wheel for a spell. D'you hear?"
sang out Trollope to the two seamen,
who were close together coiling ropes
over pins.
The Danes posture was instantane-
ously mutinous. 1t is wonderful with |
what eloquence a sailor can express his
feelings with his figure. With silent |
swing of the head ne can raise the dark
est of the passions aft He can be
speechlessly insolent to the very tempta-
ton of murder. William hung back a
moment, then came along on sturdy |
legs and took the wheel
Nothing off, my lad" said Mr.. |
Burn in cheerful, oozy voice. and he
bowled forward, gaining the quarter
deck by the steps i'll a couple of jumps. |
Captain Trollope descended with cold
dignity.
you'll find it tight jam of wool -
said he. "and no machinery 70 lit It /