The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-04-26

/ ne lclioW Went to"H -
been poleaXed.
went below: and after q little waiting.
DonnaClotilde shiyered and went back
TO her own luxurious room.
But if she was content TO spend the
| rest of the night in mere empty longing.
Can't. Kettle was putting his time to
| more practical use. He was essentially
a man of action.
Cautiously he found his way 10 the
| stewards store room. filled Il case with
meat tins and biscuit. and then coming
on deck again. slowed IL away IN the
L,,eboat. which hung in davits ont hoard
without being noticed. With equal sue
cess he took the boats breaker forward,
filed it from IL water tank and got 1t
fixed on it's checks again still without
| being seen. The moon was behind
clouds. and the darkness favored him.
he threw down the coiks of the davit on
deck. cast off one from where it was be-
laycd. took a turn. and carried the
blight to the other davit 50 that he could
lower away both tackles at once.
But he was not allowed to get much
further. The disused blocks screamed
like a parcel of cats as the ropes rem
dered through them: there was a shrill
whistle from the officer of the watch
and half a dozen men from various
parts of the decks came bounding along
to interfere.
Capt. Kettle let go both falls to over
haul as they chose, and picked up 4
greenheart behaving pin out of the pin
rail and stood on the defensive. But The
forward fall kinked and damned, and
though the little man fought like a de-
mon to keep off the watch till he got it
clear. they were TOO many for him, and
drove him to the deck by sheer weight
of numbers. He had cracked one mans
forearm in the s~cuftie, laid open anoth-
er's face and smashed in the front teeth
of a third, and they were rather in
clined to treat him roughly, but the red
haired skipper came up, and by sheer
superior strength picked him up, kicking
and struggling. and hustled him off be-
low, whether he liked it or no.
The lifeboat dangled, half-swamped.
from the forward davit tackle. and all
hands had to be piped before they could
get her Oh board again: and by the
time they had completed this job there
was another matter handy TO occupy
their attention. \ fireman came up
from below. white-faced and trembling
The yachts half full of water he
said.
New that their attention was called to
it, they noticed the sluggish way she
rode the water.
She must have started Il plate or
something" the fireman went on cx.
cltcdly." We got both bilge pumps run
mig. and they won't look at it. The
waters coming in like a s%luice."
"Carpenter.' sung out the red-haired
man. come below with me and see il
we can find anything" and he led tho
way 20 the companion. Between decks
they could hear the water stopping
about under the flooring. 1t seemed Z
bad. an almost hopeless case.
Il In>tinctively the red-haired man wen,
to his own room to pocket his valuables-
and by a chance he was moved TO iif1
up nc door Of the floor which coverc
the bath beneath il. All. there was III.
mischief. The sea cock which filled thf
bath was turned on to the full. and the
iron tub was gushing water on every
SIDE. h next state room was empty
but the bath cock there was also turne,
on TO the full: and after going rom,
the ship and finally entering Kettles
room land covering him with a reyoI
ver). and turning off his water sunnlv
he found that the sea had been po,Irins
inhoard from no less than cinht con,
rate aperturcs.
"And this is your work. YOU littl,
. devil. | suppose" said the rod ira,
man savagely.
, "Certa:nly." said Capt. Kettle. sShoo
me if YOU like. put me ashore if 70.
) choose. but don't grrmble if You find m,
L q utuceu ugly passenger. I'm not IN thf
napit or belns made 10 travel where
; don't wish
mat afternoon Kettle contrived to Sc
'he yacht afirr. in three separate places
[ "ho a eood deal of damage was don,
! lana night had fallen again) before tn,
1 S'ared crew managed TO cNtingush tn,
J hahnes; and this time Donna Clotilde in
'ef'ened. She asked for Kettles Darol.
i that ne would attempt no further mis-
! chlef: and when this was fatty refused
~ihcontlnentlv nut him in irons. The lad,
was somewhat tigerish in her affections
1 A second time Capt. Kettle manage,
L 10 get the yacht in a blaze. at tho INN;
nent peril of immolating himself. am
: then from lack of further opportunit,
10 make himself obnoxious. Law un;at !,
his lair til such time as tha raoh
would of necessity go into harhor =,