The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-13

80, as JOo Wpstiako found that nc
couldn't rest ashore, he looked about
him and after awhile fell in with and
purchased smart little cutter which
he rechristened the Tom Bowling, cut
Of admiration of the song which no sal.
or ever sang more sweetly than he. 1t
was perfectly consistent with his tradi.
tons us q man of-wgr's man tha', HAVING
bought his little ship, he shcCl1 am
her. He equipped her with four small
carronades and a pivoted brass SIS
FOUNDER on the forecastle. lie thCu
vent to work to man her, but he die.
rot very easily find crew. Joe was
flstidious in his ideas of seamen, and
though some whom he cast his eye upon
came very near to his taste it cost him
8 great deal of trouble to discover the
particular set Of Jacks he wanted
Three at last he found-Peter Plum,
Bob Robins and Tom Tuck. Joe was
admiral. Plum, coming next, combined
number Of grades He was captain, first
lieutenant and boatswain. Robins was
the ships working company, and Tom
Tuck cooked and was the all round
handy mail Of tho Tom Bowling
1t was Mr.. Joe Wcstlake's intention
to live on board his cutter. He furnish
ed his cabin plainly and comfortably
and laid in plentiful stock CT liquor
and tobacco. As he was to cruise under
his own flag and was indeed an Gdmi-
raj en- his own account, he conferred
with his first lieutenant, Peter Plum,
on the question of q color What de-
scription of flag should he fly at his
masthead? They both started with the
understanding that nothing under a
fathom and half in length was worth
| hosting. After much discussion it was
agreed that the device should consist Of
very small jack in the top corner, and
in the middle n crown with wooden
| leg under il, the timber toe being in
both Westlake's and Plum's opinion
the most pregnant symbol Of Britain
MAS greatness that the imagination
could devise.
Within few months of his landing
from the frigate cut of which he had
been paid Mr.. Joseph Westlake was
again afloat, but now in smart little
vessel of his own. She had been newly
sheathed with copper, and when she
heeled over from the breeze as she
stretched through the winding reaches
of the river the metal shone like gold
above the wool white line of foam
through which the cutter washed, and
lazy men in barges would turn their
heads to admire her, and red capped
cooks in the cabooses CT "ratching" col
liers would step to the rail to look, and
sometimes party of gay and gallant
ccckneys, male and female, taking their
pleasure in q wherry, would salute the
passing Tom Bowling with a flourish of
hands and pocket handkerchiefs.
Never had old Joe been so happy in
all his life. OF "a night he'd bring up in
some secure nook, and after having seen
everything all safe he'd go below with
Peter Plum, and in the cozy interior Of
the little cabin, whose atmosphere was
rendered speedily fragrant with the
perfume Of rum punch, which Joe,
while in the West Indies, had learned
the art of brewing to perfection, the
two sailors would sit smoking theil
yards CT pipe clay while they discoursed
on the past, one incident recalling an.
other, one briny recollection prompting
an even salter memory, until their eyes
grew moist and their vision dim in
their balls of sight, whereupon they
would turn in and make the little ship
vocal with their noses.
1t happened according to the usual
methods of time that an Easter Monday
came round, which, as we know, was
the joyful anniversary of the death OF
the wife Of the retired tailor, Sloper,
whose villa. called Labor's Retreat,
stood upon the banks of the Thames
near Firth. To fifty celebrate this hap
py day Mr.. Sloper had invited three