The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-08-05
LARK AND TAMARIND.

Dali lUO years ago lanBulu, tropical
night.
At the darkest and quietest part of the
balcony knot OF naval officers had gath
cred together in eager conversation. Their
voices were half suppressed, but the gov
ernor's astute secretary drew the curtains
close as he passed by
"Only my respect for the uniform which
you wear prevents me from calling you
coward and liar, {" said GsptainoEIawke
of Fl. NJ 8. Lark in voice made hoarser
and flercer by It's restraint.
"You boast safely, sir, since the COM
manders Of his majesty's vessels may not
meet here, replied Captain Blade OF H.
M. 8. Tamarind In the same strident wills
per.
docs that apply TO their secondsP"
asked the first lieutenants In the same
breath
AYE aye" said Blade.
"And to their other offlsers, too, " said
old Hawke, hopping his red face ylgor-
ously.
but not to a MILDLY, suggested young
Blake of the Lark, with grim smile upon
his smooth young face.
"May l, SirS" inquired little Hanson Of
the Tamarlnd, with his hand readily upon
his dirk.
ON you, nor roared Hawke.
"What business have you boys here inter
fering in your elders quarrelsS Get out of
it!'
"Put back your dirk, Hanson" said
Blake in his quiet way, land peace, gem
tlemcn all. The quarrel is Captain
Hawkes. and mine. Some day we shall
doubtless settle 1t.
"No, no." broke in the other voices.
at Is our quarrel too"
Faith, sir, said Blake lightly, "it is
the quarrel of the two ships. There ism t
a man of us that wouldn't like to fight it
out fair and square"
For the two vessels had long been rivals
in suppressing the pirates who infested
the islands and had cut each other out in
turns. Hawke had gained the decoration
for which Blade would have given limb
Blade had secured the great haul Of prize
money which Hawke, who was poor and
proud, so sorely needed.
| The first lieutenants had quarreled over
a woman, and the other officers over their
wine. The middics had collided in their
dingeys and had come to blows over a
game.
The boatswains had quarreled over a
smuggled key Of rum and the carpenters
over the way to stop bow leak The sail
ors had fallen out over the Mans and Bets
and Sues, black or white, of every port
where the ships had touched.
Now a meddlesome admiral, newly come
from home, had ordered them off together
after some particularly well armed and
daring freebooters. So the quarrel had
reached fever point. And the cure for fe-
Yer in those days was nothing but some let
ting of blood.
"Sinee these Internal pirates have paint
ed their ships to resemble ours, there are
less likely things than mistake some
fOgey night |, for one, should not regret
it, though we carry ten men and two guns
less, mutterod Rapdsll, the first lieuten
ant Of the Lark, who had lost the lady
For the matter of that, shall leave
ten men ashore, ana two Of my guns need
repair. The foreman of the yard shall
have them tomorrow, " said Captain Blade
bowling courteously. 'Of course it would
be great calamity should such a mistake
hHppenI But
do you mean to suggest > asked tbs
rudy Hawke, with his eyes bOlting al
most out OF their sockets and flaming like
1.-Two Goals.
NAY, sir, suggest nothing. You VIII
am stEe, take care to avoid such ar
event, replied Blade, with the softnesi
that sets ones teeth ON edge, like the touch
of satin.
Gentlemen, gentlemen % expostulatet
the governors secretary appearing through
the window.
SO after polite contest In yielding pre-
cedence, the brawlers went smilingly with
In. This mutual forbearance lasted right
up to the time when they went to sea, anC
the magnanimity Of the officers in forget
ting their notorious feud when allied upor
his majesty's service was common themi
of admiration to the colonials.
Nevertheless they persuaded the new
admiral to let them make sure Of the enc
my byfalling round the island in opposit,
directions though their foolhardiness II
going single handed moved every one Il
Astonishment, for at least two Of the pirate
vessels were as large and as well armed al
lnOhe vi MS mhJefly.
Blade even carried his folly to the ex
tent Of landing two guns on account o
defects which the master gunner ashor,
failed to discover and of proposing Il
leave ten men behind. "They are In indif
ferent health, " said he, land it is but iai
that Hawke and should overcome the pi
rates on equal terms. l."
The men, however, declared that the,
were 1T, and the little MILDLY, Blades ia
yorite, who was to stay in charge, orieC
like a girl
There be four or FIVE Of our men
please, sir, that be related by marriage I,
those IN the Lark, and always Eide will
them. Maybe they wsuld be willing to b
shipped in her and make us square
And so it was arranged.
The Tamarind, which sailsd to the east
had the best q the breeze, and made quicl
! headway. But the coast upon that side o
the island ran In and ont Ike a baby
pepeilings upon slate, making sapriciou
little Says and Icing, winding creeks
Lest pirate vessel shonld be hiding II
them it was necessary 20 enter esuh inle
which drew water enough to admit them
while the shallower waters were senrche,
at night by the boats, WIKI oars muffle,
} in the rowlOckS and eager, whispering
( crews
when four days had passed, they cam