The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-04
.T'HB PILGRIM SHIP /,
By oJToL1FFE HYNE.
[Copyright. 1898. by the Author.l
CHAPTER I.

copyright 1898. by the Author.l
CHAPTER I.
Even before he left Jeddah Captain
Kettle was quite aware that by shipping
pilgrims on the iron decks of the Saigon
for transit across the Red sea he was
transgressing the laws of several ma
lions, especially those of Great Britain
and her dependencies, but what else
could the poor man do? Situated as he
was, with such a tempting opportunity
ready to his hand, he would have been
less than human if he had neglected to
take the bargain which was offered,
and, though the list of things that have
been said against Captain Owen Kettle
is both black and long, am not aware
that any one has yet alleged that the
little sailor was anything more or less
than human in all his many frailties.
Cortolvin came to the charthouse and
put this matter of illegality to him in
plain words when the engines chose to
break down two days out of Jeddah, and
the Saigon lolled helpless in the blazing
Red sea heat.
Cortolvin up to that time had not
made himself remarked. He had march
ed on board from the new Jeddah quay,
where the railway is, and posed as an
Arab of the Sahara who was 'glorying
in the newly acquired green turban of
hadii. He was niclzed on the mates
tally as a niger, along with some
$40 other dark skinned followers Of the
prophet, and he had spent those two
days upon an orthodox square of ragged
carpet spread on the rusted iron plating
of the lower fore deck. When the pill
grims were mustered for victualing, he
had filed in with the rest and held out
brass lotah for his ration of water and
a battered square of canvas for his dole
of steamed rice. You could count his
ribs 20 yards away, but he'd the look of
a healthy man, and when on mornings
he helped to throw overheard those of
his fellow pilgrims who had died dur
ing the night it was plain to see that he
was fellow of more than ordinary
muscular strength.
He came to Captain Kettle. in the
charthouse, to report that the pilgrims
contemplated Selling the Saigon as soon
as ever the engines were once more put
in running order. "They We declared c
jehad against you, if you know what
that is, - said Cortolvin.
ga holy war, or some such skittles,
isn't it?" said Kettle.
'That's about the size Of it, said the
hadji. "You'll have to look out if you
intend to remain master of this steam
boat
81 don't require any teaching my
business from passengers said Cap.
tain Kettle stifiy.
"All right I" said Cortolvin. "Have
it your own way. But 1 think you
might be decently grateful. I've risked
my life by coming to give you news Of
what was in the wind, and you can't
pretend that the information is not use
full. You've a cody crew who will be
absolutely foolish if trouble comes
These lascars always are that way.
You've just your two white engineers
and two white mates to back you up,
and the five of you wouldn't have a
show. You've $40 fanatics to deal with,
who are all fighting bred and fighting
fit. They're all we'll armed, and they
wouldn't bit object to die scrimmag-
ing in such cause. You know it's part
OF their. creed that if they peg out
while fighting giaours they go slick to
paradise by lightning express That willy
old camel driver of Mecca painted his
heaven as just the sort of dandy place
to suit this kind of cattle, and as most
of them have beast of time on this
earth they re anxious to move along up
stairs whenever a decent opportunity
offers to get there. -
They'll be an ugly crowd to tackle.
I grant that
"You are right, and don't You for
get it. l might point out, captain, that,
personally speaking, I'd been a lot safer
1t I'd staid down on the lower fore deck
yonder and held my tongue. They'd
have got you to an absolute certainty if
they ambushed you as was intended,
and could have kept out Of the actual
throat cutting and preserved a sound
skin. They've all got profound respect
for me. I'm very holy man
"And as it is?"
Hadji Cortolvin shrugged his shout
ders. "Oh, chip in with you'll"
eff you'll tell me why?''
"Cousinship of the skin, suppose.
You're white by birth, and I believe
should turn out to be white also if
kept out of the sun for awhile and had
several Turkish baths. OF course I've a
snuff colored hide on me now, and dur
ing this last two years I've been living
with men of color and following their
ways and thinking their thoughts.
Funny, isn't it? come across you. !
don't know you from Adam. / can't
say l particularly like what I've seen
OF you, and yet here am I, rounding on
my former mates and chipping in with
you on the clear knowledge that shall
probably get killed during the next few
hours for my palms,
MAY ask your name?" said Kettle.
"a le,i,. L.. 4