Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-05-14
THE STOWAWAY.

sSAoSAJ'
They dragged him up the com.
panion ladderac cordingly-a shrink
ing, ragged lad, his pale face pinch
ed with days of hunger, his sunken
eyes scanning those around him as
do the eyes of captive animals.
"H'm - remarked the skipper.
$50 you're the stowawayl Nice
looking young gentleman, too.
Never did stroke o. work in your
life, I'll be bound. Never mind |
Wen see if we can't make you. Eth,
Mr.. Billings 2"
The first mate grinned. His grin
was an eloquent one, and the boy
shuddered as he saw it.
slow did You find him, Mr.. Bill
ings 7" continued the skipper.
"Behind one of the cotton bales,
sir" the mate replied. He had an
old mutton bone with the meat all
gnawed off. Provisions, / suppose,
for the voyage
Provisions, eh ? Well, it's prec-
ious few provisions he'll get aboard
this ship, unless he works for them.
Pity we're out SO fer or we might
put him ashore"
For the first time the stowaway
spoke.
PLEASE don't put me ashore ~ he
cried. Anything but that. l must
go TO Capetown, and Pm more thsn
willing to work my way"
"Shut up !" snarled the mate, en-
phasizing his remark by tug at the
stowaway's ear. "Who gave you
leave to talk, I'd like to know !?
Shut up, and bark to what the cap
tain says"
WHATS your name, and where
dye come from p demanded the
captain, notebook in Land.
Trembling the boy replied that he
was Dick Harley, late of the Tenter-
den grammar school that his father,
a widower, had left him behind in
England while he went to South
Africa as assistant surveyor on the
new Matabeleland railway line;
that nothing bad been heard from
that kindly father for year or
more, and lastly that, compelled to
leave school on account of unpaid
bills, he had resolved to go to South
Africa and find his m issing parent.
"And so you thought to steal
passage on the Only Son of Ports
mouth ~ said the skipper.
81 was refused a berth by every
other ship" pleaded the boy. "They
said looked too weak to work."
Weak or not, you've got to work
aboard the Only Son." said the first
mate +; "hasn't he, sir 2"
"That's correct, Mr.. Billings he
answered. ''If he doesn't want to
pay for his passage, try him with
the ropes end"
"Aye, aye, sir p
And again Billings grinned elo-
quently as he led the boy forward.
A quiet, elderly gentleman, who
had been watching these proceedings
now stepped forward.
Don't hurt him, Mr.. Billings" he
said. "He's only a child you
know
"Captain's orders, sir" answered
the mate, giving Dick Harley's ear
an extra tWeak.
The skipper laughed.
Don't you waste any sympathy
on that youngster," he exclaimed.
I'VE can't afford to have any USE
ess,white handed stowaways aboard
a vessel that carries f25O 900 to the
Chartered Company. How do you
know, my dear Mr.. Lancelot, that
yonder boy is not the spy of some
high-sea robbers, put on board to
find out about the money?
The man addressed as Lancelot
looked grave.
True he said, 'they did think
in London that an attempt might be
made to rob the ship. But
still, this mere boy
I've seen mere boys ere now,
Mr.. Lancelot, that were old men in
crime. Take my advice,
and leave the stowaway to my first
officer"
At this moment shrill cry of
pain, followed by another, caue up
from the lower deck.
Whats that9" cried Mr.. Lance
lot.
The captain of the Only Son. Of