The morning news., 1897-04-04

when one afternoon man walked In and
said:
" I've come to see you about a bit of
law sir.
He pulled off battered seaman's cap
and sat down awkwardly in a chair His
appearance didn't promise much of a re-
tanning fee. His face was weatherbeaten
and his hands were rough and black, with
stumpy fingers, He wore an old blue reef
er jacket and wide sailors trousers, and
his voice filled my office. He introduced
himself as captain in the merchant serv-
ice, and because he may be still alive for
all know, l shall call him simply Capt,
Barnes.
Are you something of a sea lawyer.
sir| he inquired suspiciously.
1 do a general law business 1 an
swered.stiffly, and If you will briefly ex-
plain your case 1 will consider it.
capt Barnes moved around uneasily
in his chair as if debating my offer and
then he fished a very dirty piece of paper
out of the lining of his cap, and passing
it over to me, said:
viii you collect what's due me on
that?
ut was the most curious document on
which to base a suit ever saw. The pa
per on which it was written was a page
torn from a small Bible such as ships
carry, and it had been handled so much
that ii was nearly black. Across one page
was written in red ink:
L promise to pay Capt Barnes one
fifth of one-third Of the prize money re-
sulting from the sale of the Nancy Bell.
Greatjohn, Commander H. r. M. ship
Sprite.'
Il read this interesting document over
twice, and then turning to the captain,
said:
L" This isn't much proof of suit What
is the meaning of itT
1T means, sir, that the English gov
ernment owes me about 5000 for my share
in that prize money, and l want It?
How does the English government
happen to owe you money!
d" Because 1t seized my ship, sir, and
that paper proves it.
IF there is any merit in your case
will take it, l said, but l must know the
whole story
capt. Barnes looked at me refiectively
and then he told me his story. l can't
reproduce his sea slang but 1 remember
ed his story almost word for word.
1t happened last year; said the cap
tain, and IL was a piece of bad luck. You
see sir, l was loahng around Charleston
looking for a ship and ready to take al
most anything. was In hard luck, and
just as / was ready to ship as a mate, if
l could get a chance, my luck changed. A
big firm of shippers told me that l could
have the Nancy Bell II knew how TO keep
a close tongue and was willing to sail
under sealed orders There were queer
things going on at sea, as you know, sir,
and / wasn't in a position to pick and
choose. Perhaps l may have guessed what
the cargo of the Nancy Bell was to be,
and perhaps not. don't say one way or
the other She was a trim little craft, car
rying a good head OF sail, and as / looked
her over at the dock made up my mind
that she could show a clean pair OF heels
in stif breeze. signed as captain, and
the company shipped the crew. II was a
mixed lot, sir, but am not afraid Of sail |
ors anywhere. / got a tip TO keep out of !
the way until the Nancy Bell was ready TO !
sail and ! didn't see a thing that was put
into her hold. IL was just a year ago on |
April that we sailed out OF Charleston |
harbor under orders 20 go 10 the Blight OF |
Benin and there open sealed orders that |
would give me further directions. Where |
Is the Blight of Benin? Wei, sir it's IN |
the northern portion OF the Gulf Of Guinea. |
between the slave coast and the Calabar
river. ana it's not a place TO 10 for a /
pleasure cruise. The whole coast along |
there Is iron-bound, and the rivers don't |
offer any protection.
We had quick voyage. and one pleas
ant morning We brought 10 In sight OF
the coast. We were all IN good spirits.
because II our cruise was successful we