Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28

III w
lie notice, skipper. But we had a name
sake some years back who was famous A
horse named Cortolvin won the Grand
National in 81. That's wrat you have
got on your mind.
Capt. Kettle stiffened. IT beg your par
don. SIR" he said with acid politeness, but
DON'T see you've earned a right to insult
s me; Mhen EN-, am at sea l am what circum-
england, l would have you know I am
very different person. 1 am regular at
tender at chapel, and man who Outside
straight. In England, sir, 1 take an in
terest in neither pocket picking, horse rae
ing, nor sacrilege: and I have it on the
word OF a minister sit under that there is
very little to choose between the three"
Cortolvin faced the situation with ready
tact. That this truculent little ruffan. who
could fiirt with homicide without second
thought, should so strongly resent the i'm
putation of being interested in horse race,
Cid not surprise him much. He had met
others of the breed before. And he smooth
ed down Capt. Kettles ruff1ed feelings with
the easy giibness Of a man of the world.
But the needs of the moment were again
recurring to him with violence, and he
broke off artistieally to refer to them.
Don't you think" he said, -t'my fellow
skipper?''
Il will be off and make up a bit of a sur
prise packet for Them said Kettle. "Ex-
crse me. sir. for two minutes whilst 1 go
he swung on his pith helmet and left the
chart house.
The sun climbed higher into the Reckless
sky. and lolled above the Saigon in insolent
cd
thing yet more dreadful. The mems veins
stood out in ropes upon their streaming
bodies, and it scorched them to draw in a
breath. Drink, too, was scarce. The Hedaz
Is region almost waterless; the desert at
the back drains up all the moisture; and
the Saigon had left Jeddah with her tanks
only half filled. She had to depend upon
her condenser, and this was small. And in
the tropics, condenser water must be dealt
out in sparing ration, or a dozen hours
may easily see a whole ships company
down with raging dysentery
The Saigon carried a spar deck amidshins
and the pilgrims were grouped in two
BODIES fore and aft of this on the iron plat
ing of the fore and main decks
The spar deck was officially reached from
these lower levels by a couple of slender
iron ladders, but it was not unscalable to a
fairly active climber. There was an alley
this could easily be closed by the iron doors
In the two bulkheads, which fastened inside
with heavy clamping screws.
Inc chief engineer came into the chart
mouse and hitched up his grimy pajamas
and mopped his face with & wad of cotton
waste He looked meanfng1y at the whisky
bottle, but Kettle ignored his glance
Well. Mr.. McTodd?" he said.
I'm a ready for the pagans, sir. when
ye're willing to gi' the word"
what are your engines like now7'
"A wee bittie less fit for the scrap heap
than they were dozen hours back, but no
out into the sunshine. They're the rot
tenist engines ever I fingered" said he.
and that's what think of them. A man
ought to have double my pay to be near
tn . Iheyre Just heartbreaking'
when you signed on"
We're neither of US here, Capt Kettle.
because we were offered fatter berths.'
McTodd. to attend to the matter in hand.
You have those steam pipes ranged?
Both forrard and aft
Commanding both ladders?''
Just like that"
And you've plenty of steam?"
Ye can hear 1t burning through the es-
cape this minute If yen use your ears. It's
been va u; . exhausting work toiling down
We'll, Mr.. Cortolyin here assures me that
the niggers will begin to play up the min
ute we get under weigh SO you see we
know where we are, and must be ready for
them. shall want you and the second
engineer on deck, of course, so Won must
arrange for one of your crew to run the
engines TIL we've got the business settled"
I've a greaser down yonder who can
open the throttle" said McTodd gloomily,
but he's got no notion of nursing sick en-
gines like these. and as like as not he'll rive
them OF their bed plates in a score of reyo-
buttons. Ye'd better let me keep the engine
-oom myself, captain. I'm sick man, and
I'm no fit for fighting with my throat as
dry as 1t Is now"
Capt Kettle poured out a liberal two
fingers Of whisky and handed it across.
Now, Mac" said he. wet your neck, and
let's have no more of this nonsense You'll
have to fight for your life inside of ten
minutes, and you'll do 1t better sober"
The engineer eyed the whisky and poured
1t slowly down its appointed path. "Mon,"
he said. we've an a'ful poor opinion o. NV
capacity. I'll just be off and give Won
cooiie greaser instructions, and get my
side arms and be with you again In forty
clock ticks"
Il pity the Niger that comes to hand
grips with McTodd," said Kettle, when The
grimy man in the gray patamas had left
the chart house He's an ugly beggar TO
handle when he's sober as he Is now Wen
get ready now. sir. II you please You 20
to the after end Of the bridge deck with
McTodd and the second mate, and IN look
after the forward end with the old mate
and the second engineer. When they try
to rush the ladder. McTodd WIFI give them
the steam. and they'll never be able to
face 1t. All You and the second mate have
rail"
II wish It could be avoided" said Cortol-
win. sadly. That high-pressure steam win
seald some of them horribly"
1T win do more than that" said Kettle.
1T will strip the meat clean on thoir
bores."