Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-07-06

mixed up with the foreign enlistment
act and the Alabama case and dozen
other things which may mean anything
between Jail and confiscation, and my
head isn't big enough to hold it. If
you'll II be advised by me, sir, you'll see
a real first class solicitor and stand him
drink and pay him down what he asks
right there on the bar counter and get
70 know exactly how the law Of this
business stands before you stir foot in
IL the law here in England, said the
little man, with reminiscent sigh, sis
q beastly thing SC fall foul of. It's new
er done Kicking you, once it's got u Ialr
start, and you never know where it will
shove out it's ugly hoof from next No,
MIR. Gedge, give me the States for nice,
comfortable law, where man can buy
it by the yard for paper money down,
and straight pistol shooting is always
remembered in his favor
The young man who owned the
steamship Sultan of Borneo tapped his
plotting paper impatiently. "Stick to
the point, Kettle. We're in England
now and have nothing whatever to do
with legal matters in America AS for
your advice, l am not fool. You can
lay your ticket on it know to an inch
how stand. And l may tell you this,
the shipment is arranged for. !"
cpd like to see us cleared" said Cap
tain Kettle doubtfully.
mo one will interfere with the clear
ance. The Sultan Of Borneo will leave
here in COAL consigned to Havana. A
private yacht will meet her at sea and
transship the arms out of sight Of land. :"
"Tyne coal for Cuba? They'd get
their coal there from Norfolk or Welsh
steam coal from Cardiff or Newport. :"
| "It seems not. This contract was
placed long before ship was asked for
to smuggle out the arms -
"Well it looks tishy, anyway"
IT can't help that" said Gedge irri-
tably. "I'm telling you the naked truth,
and if truth, as usual, looks unlikely it's
not my fault Now, have you got any
more objections to make?'
ono, SIR" said Captain Kettle.
"None that can see at present. -
Every we'll, then," said Gedge. "Do
you care to sign on as master for this
cruise or are you going to Cry off,"
They'll hang me if I'm caught, I"
said Kettle.
"Not they. They II only talk big, and
the British consul will get you clear.
You bet they daren't hang an English
man for mere smuggling in Cuba. And
besides, amt | offering to raise your
screw from e12 month to G14 SO as to
cover the risk? However, you won't get
caught. You'll find everything ready
for you. You'll slip the rifles ashore
and then you'll steam on to Havana and
discharge your coal in the ordinary
humdrum way Of business. And there 8
a e10 bonus if you pull the thing off
successfully. Now, then, captain, quick.
You go or you don't:'
II CO." said Kettle gloomily. "I'm
poor man, with wife and family,
Mr.. Gedge, and can't afford to lose a
berth. But it's that coal I can t swal-
low. quite believe what you say about
the contract. Only it doesn't look nat
ural And it's my belief the coal will
trip us up somewhere before we're done
and bring about trouble
| (Which, of course, you are quite a
stranger to, said Gedge slyly.
"Don't taunt me with it, sir, said
Captain Kettle. 81 quite we'll know
the kind of brute am. Trouble with a
crew or any other set of living men at
sea is just meat and drink to me, and
Pm bitterly ashamed Of the taste. Ev-
cry time I sit underneath our minister
in the chapel here in South Shields
grow more ashamed, and if you heard
the beautiful poetical way that man
talks of peace and green fields and gold
en- harps you understand.
eyes, yes, said Gedge, "but I don't
want any Of your excellent minister
sermons at secondhand just now, cap
tain, or any of your own poetry, thanks.
I'm very busy. Good morning. Help
yourself to cigar. You haul alongside
the coal shoots to get your cargo at 2
O'Clock, and I'll be on board to see you
at 6. Good morning. And Mr..
Gedge rang for the clerk and was busily
debating letters before Kettle was clear
| of the office.
The little sailor went down the grimy
stairs and into the street and made to-
ward the smelling Tyne. The black ci-
| gar rested unlit in an angle OF his
mouth, and he gnawed savagely at the
butt with his eyeteeth. He cursed the
fates as he walked. Why did they use
him SO evilly that he was forced into
berths like these? AS bachelor, he
told himself with sheer, he would
have jumped at the excitement OF it.
| As the partner of Mrs. Kettle and the
father of her children he could have
| shuddered when he threw his eye over
the future. For week or SO she could
draw his half pay and live sumptuously
at the rate of 81 month. But after
ward, if he got caught by some angry
Spanish war steamer with the struggled
rifles under his matches and shot or
hanged or imprisoned or otherwise de-
barred from earning income at his craft,
where would Mrs. Kettle be then!
Would Gedge do anything for her? He
drew the cigar from his lips and spat
contemptuously at the bare idea.
With the morality of the affair he
troubled not one jot. The Spanish gov
eminent and the Cuban rebels were two
| rival firms who offered different rates
of freight according to the risk, and he
was employed as carrier by those who
na;d L. L:.hor ,,rioa IF there, was any