The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09
o see that Isaac Birds foot doth not fall

The letter was shut off conventionally
enough, with the statement that the writ
er was Capt. Kettles truly and ended in
a post-scriptum tag to the effect that the
envoy should still draw mis- 2lh per cent.
on net results. The actual figures had ev-
identity not been conceded without a men
tai wrench, as the erasion beneath them
showed.
However, although in his recent pros
perity Kettle had assumed a hatred for
risks and bred a strong dislike for all
I those commercial adventures which lay
beyond the ordinary rut and routine of
trade, he took up his duties on the salvage
| steamer with a stout heart and a cheerful
| estimate for the future.
Murray footed him cheerful farewells on
the Parakeets syren as the little Italian
| salvage boat steamed out of Alden har-
Dor, and ensigns were dipped with due
| formality. Tazzuchi was all hospitality.
He invited Kettle to damage his palate
| with black italian Virginia cigar with
straw up the middle; he uncorked a
bottle of the Scotch whisky and put 1t
ready for reference when his guest should
| feel athirst.
Kettle accepted it all with a dry clvility.
| He had every expectation of upsetting
this mans plans for robbery later on.
| Though it was Tazzuchi who presented
| the Virginias, he took il for granted that
|
| them, and he was not averse to accepting
little luxury from the firm.
| The wreck of the Grecian was out Of
| the usual steam lane. She had, it appear
| ed, got off her course in a fog, holed her
! in two compartments, and then been steer
1 ed for the shore in the wild attempt to
| beach her before she sank. She had ceas-
| ed floating, however, with some sudden
ness, and when the critical moment came
| oil Of hnT cd fO ma
off with their lives in the boats. Those
| that got away found themselves In a gale
! and when they were picked up could only
| give her whereabouts vaguely. However
| they stated that the Grecians mast
trucks remained above the water surface,
| and this fact was brought out strongly
| by the auctioneer who sold the wreck, and
| had due influence on the enterprising AL
| exander
| The salvage steamer wandered for sew
eral days amongst an intensely dangerous
| archipelago and many times over had mar
row escapes from piling up her bones on
| one or other OF those reefs with which
the Red sea in that quarter abounds. Taz-
zuchi navigated her in an ecstasy OF ner-
vousness. and Kettle (who regarded him
| self as a passenger for the time being,
kept private store of food and water bot
ties handy, and saw that one of the quar-
ter boats was ready for hurried lowering
| But nowhere did they see those much
talked about mast-trucks They did not
sight so much as a scrap Of floating wreck
| age.
There seemed, however, q good many
| dhow coasters lodging about in and
amongst the reefs, and from these Kettle
| presently drew a deduction.
Look here, he said 20 Tazzuchi, one
morning, what prevents those gentry
ashore from having found the wreck al
ready? l guess they aren't out here TAX
ing weekend trippers for six-penny yacht
| ing cruises"
NO" said Tazzuchi land they aren't
| fishing"
well, I give you the tip for what IT'S
WORTH" said Kettle, and that afternoon
the steamer was run up alongside a dhow,
| which tried desperately to escape. Her
| captain was dragged on board, and at that
| juncture Capt. Kettle took upon himself
| to go below. He knew what would prob
ably take place, and though he disapprov-
ed of such methods, strongly, he feit he
could not interfere,
| But presently came a noise Of below
| ing from the deck above, and then that
was followed by shrill screams as the
| upper gamut of agony was reached. Ket-
| tie was prepared for rough handling, but
| at information gained by absolute tor
ture he drew the line. Il was clear that
these cruel beggars of Italians were going
too far.
| by James," he muttered to himself,
| Owners or no owners 1 can't stand this"
and started hurriedly to go back to the
| deck. But before he reached the head of
the companionway the cries of pain ceas-
| ed, and so he stood where he was on
| the stair and waited The engines rum
| bled and the steamer once more gath
| cred way A clamor of barbarc voices
reached him which gradually died into
quietude. 1t was clear they were leaving
the dhow behind.
Capt Kettle drew a long breath. They
would stick at little, these Dagos, in
| getting the salvage of the Greclan, and
| 1t seemed preposterous to suppose that
once they gripped the specie in their
| own fingers that they would ever give 1t
up for the paltry pay which had been Of
fered by Bird, Bird & Co. Their own
poverty was aching Still the poverty of
these Italians was no concern of his. They
were paid servants of the owners and it
was his duty to see that they earned
their hire. He took it that he was one
against the whole ships company, but
the odds did not daunt him. On the con-
trary, his old fighting spirit, which had
| been of late hustled into the background
| by SNUG commercial prosperity, came
back to him. And besides, he had always
at his call that exquisite pride of race
which has so many times given victory
to the Anglo-Saxon over the Latin.
BY sort of instinct he buttoned up his
trim white drill coat, and stepped out on
| deck. There would be no scuff1e yet
awhile. With the specie still snugly stor-
ed on the sea-floor. the dirty, untidy Ital-
ians were still all affability Indeed, as
soon as he appeared Tazzuchi himself
stepped down off the upper bridge to give
| him the news.
How do you think those crafty imps
have managed it?' he cried, with a ges-
ture why they dived down and cut off
| her masts below water level The funnel
was out of sight already. They just
thought they were going to have the skim
ming of that wreck themselves. No won
der we couldn't pick her up"
cute beggars." said Kettle.
"Tve begged a pilot. II he takes us
there straight he gets backsheesh. I
think" said Capt Tazzuchi, with wide
| smile. that he'll take us there the quick
| est road"