Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-02-11


the terrible pistol spat out another red
tongue, and his yell followed the report,
as he clapped his hand to the ear
through which the bullet had torn.
Hands up, there" Numbered the
shooter, and the mate obeyed, while a
stream Of blood ran down inside his
shirt collar.
ANY more bosses here?' The Sec
ond mate did not respond, but 'Pache's
pistol sought him out, and under its
influence, and his cultural II know you,
get up" he followed his superiors.
.sAny more?''
A manly looking fellow stepped out
of the group and said: you've got the
captain and two mates. I'm bosun
here, and yonder's my mate. We're
next, but we're not bosses in the way
O. bein' responsible for anything that
has happened, or might happen to you.
We b'long forrard. There's no call to
shoot at the crew, for there's not man
among 'em but what 'ud be glad to see
you get ashore, and get there himself -
Silence, bosun," bawled the Captain.
But the voice of authority seemed pit
fully ludicrous and homogeneous,
coupled with the captains position and
attitude, and every face on the deck
wore grin. The leader noticed the ST.
lent merriment, and said:
Laramie, I reckon these men'N
stand. You can come up here. I'm
gettin' long in years and kinder steady
i'm down, but s'pose you and 'Pache
want some fun. Start yer whistle and
turn loose"
Up the steps bounded Laramie, and
with q ringing whoop as a prelude,
began whistling clear, musical trill,
while 'Pache, growing out, Dance,
dance, We white-livered coyotes" sent
a bullet through the outer edge of the
Chief mates boot heel.
Dance" repeated Laramie between
bars of the music. "Crack, crack"
went the pistols, while bullets ratified
around the feet of the men on the hatch
and Laramie's whistle rose and fell on
the soft morning air.
The sun, who has looked on many
scandalous sights, looked on this, and
hid his face under a cloud, refusing to
witness. For never before had the
ethics of shipboard life been so out
trageousy violated. A squat Captain
and two sixfoot officers, nearly black
in the face from rage and exertion,
with hands clasped over their heads,
hoped and skipped around narrow
stage to the accompaniment of pistol
reports tremendously disposed among
the notes of whistled tune, while bull
lets grazed their feet, and an unkempt,
disfgured and sore headed crew looked
on and chuckled. When the mate,
weak from loss of blood, fell and rolled
to the deck, the leader stopped the en-
tertainment.
''Now, gentlemen he said in his Ser
ious voice, "I'm called Pecos Tom, and
I've had considerable experience in my
time, but this lis my fust with human
creatures so weak and thoughtless that.
they'll drug and steal away three men
without takin' their guns away from
them. And SO on account O. this shift
less improvidence, reckon this boat
will have to turn round and go back"
They rolled and kicked the two mates
to the rail, lifted the Captain to his feet
and said:
"Give the right and proper order to
yer men to turn this boat round"
With his face working convulsively,
Captain Belchior glanced at his cap
tors-at his eager, waiting creW-at
the wheel without a helmsman-at
darKening Of the water on the star
board bow to the southward-up aloft
and back again to the three frowning
muzzles so close to his head.
zone hand to the wheel-square in
main and cro'-j jack yards he called.
He was conquered.
With hurrah which indicated the
sincerity of these orders, the crew
sprang to obey them, and with fore
yards braced to starboard and head
sheets fiat, the ship Wilmington wore
around, and bringing the young breeze
on the port quarter, steadied down 10
course for Sandy Hook, which the
Captain, with hands released, but still
under the influence of those threaten
ing pistols, worked out from the mates
dead reckoning Then he was pin
toned again, but allowed to pace the
deck and watch his ship, while the two
officers were kept under the rail, some
times stepped upon or kicked, and often
admonished on the evil of their ways.
Early passengers on the East River
ferryboats were treated to q novel
sight next morning, which they appre-
ciated according to their nautical
knowledge. A lofty ship, with sky
sails and royals hanging in the bunt-
lines and iibs failing ahead like flags,
was charging up the harbor before q
humming southerly breeze, followed
by an elbowing crowd Of putting,
whistling, snub-nosed tugs. It was no
ticeable that whenever fresh tug ar
rived alongside little white clouds left
her quarter deck, and that tug sudden
ly sheered off to take a position in the
parade astern. Abreast of Governors
Island topgallant halyards were let go,
as were those of the jibs, but no clew-
ing I'D or hauling down was done, nor