The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-15
THE DERELICT,
Am Adventure Of Capt. Kettle.
BY CUTCLIFFE IIYNE.
Copyright, 1S9s, by CutcIiGe Hyne.


She's = scary look to her, with her
yardarms spiking every other sea- said
Capt Image. "and her decks like the
side of a house. ! shouldn't care TO nav
igate craft that preferred to lie down
on her beam ends"
Take this glass. sir, and youll see the
lee quarter boat davit tackles are over
hauled. That means they got at least one
boat in the water. To my mind she's
derelict"
y hope her crew have got to dry land
somewhere. poor beggars.' said Capt
Image. Nasty things, those Old wind
hammers. Mr Strake. Give me steam"
But there's a pile OF money in her
sal, said the third mate. following mp
his own thoughts. Shes an iron ship,
aud shell be 2.eoo tons good Likely
enough in the Frisco grain trade"
And you're thinking she'd be nice
plum if We could pluck her in any
Ehsre-- saia Image, reading what was in
his mind. We'll. me lad. know that as
well as You. and no one would be pleased
90 pocket So. But the old MpOso's a
mailboat, and because she's got about a
quarter Of a hundred weight OF badly spelt
letters on board. she can't do that sort
OF salvage work If there's no Hfe-saVing
thrown In as an extra reason. Besides,
were behind time, as il is, with smelling
round for so much cargo. and though !
shall draw my 2is per cent on that, /
shall have it all TO pay away again and
more to boot in fines for being late. No,
tell you it isn't all sheer profit ana
delight in being skipper on one of these
West African coast boats.
Strake drummed at the white rail of the
bridge. He was a very young man, and
he was very keen on getting the chance
of distinguishing himself; and here, on the
warm MINDLESS swells abeam, the chance
seemed TO sit beckoning him. Eve been
thinking sir. if you could lend me half a
dozen men, ! could take her in somewhere
myself"
I'm as likely to lend you half a dozen
angels Look at the deck hands; look at
the siclzly trip this has been. We've had
40 put some of them on double tricks at
the wheel already; and as for getting any
painting done or having the ship cleaned
up q bit, why l can see we shah go into
Liverpool as dirty as "a Ge0rdie collier.
Mr.. Strake If you have a PENN 9th of
brains slowed away anywhere l wish to
whiskers you'd show em sometimes"
''Old mans mad at losing a nice lump
of salvage" thought StraSe; natural,
guess" So he said quietly: "Ay aye,
sir" and walked to the other end of the
bridge.
Capt Image followed him half way, but
stopped irresolutely with his hand on the
engine room telegraph. On the fore main
deck below him his old friend Capt. owen
Kettle was leaning on the rail, staring
wistfully at the derelict.
Poor beggar," Image unused, 3" tisnt
hard to guess what he's thinking about.
wonder if / could fix il for him TO take
her home. 1t might set him on his legs
again, and he's come low enough, Lord
knows ii 1 hadn't given him "a room in
the first class for old times sake, he'd
have had to 90 home as a distressed sea-
man and touched his cap TO me when 1
passed. I've not done badly by him. but l
shall have to pay for that room in the first
class out of my own pocket, and II he
was to take thar old wind-jammer IN
somewhere, he'd fork out, and very like
give me a dash besides. Yes l will say
that about Kettle; mes honest as bar
keeper, and generous besides He's
steamer sailor, of course, and has been
most of these years. and how he'll do the
white wings business again, Lord only
knows. Forget he hasn't got engines till
it's too late, and then drown himself
probably. However, that's his palaver.
Where We're going to scratch him up a
crew from's the thing that bothers me.
Well we II see" He leaned down over
the upper bridge rail, and called:
Here a minute, captain"
Poor Kettles eye lit, and he came up
the ladders with a boys quckness.
Image nodded toward the deserted ves-
rel Zine fullrigger, hasn't she been?
What do you make her out for?'
"' Frisco grain ship. Stuff the bulk. And
hts shifted.
Looks that way. Have you forgotten
tall your 'mainsan haul and the square
mig gymnastics"
I'm hard enough pushed now to re-
member the theory sums they taught at
navigation school If l thought they would
tserve me
az know. And I'm as sorry for you.
captain. as 1 can hold. But you see, it's
this. I'm short of sailormen; I've barely
enough to steer and keep the decks clean;
anyway, I've none to spare"
~ don't ask for fancy goods" said Ket-
tile eagerly. "Give me anything with
hands on tapes, niggers stokers, what
YOU like, and III soon teach them their
dancing steps Let me go round and see.
L Ibelieve l can rake up enough hands
esomehow."
"'Mell, YOU must be quick about IT," said
Image II can only give you five minutes,
captain
Capt Kettle ran down off the bridge and
was quickly out OF sight, and hard at mis-
Quest for volunteers. Capt. Image wait ID
a. minute and he turned TO his third mat
'.1S{ow, my Had he said, 81 know you're
disappointed, but with the other mates
estdk hike they are, it's just impossibls
fSnn m1e to let you go. If 1 did. the CON-
uIsrny would sack me and the dirty board
on TRADE would probably take away my
TICKET so you may as well do the kind
end help poor old Coppie Kettle. You see
miirlgtss dne come down to- through NO
fault of his own. You're young, 7nd
ysDuire full to the coamings with confidence
Inn Older, and know that luck may very
VuaN get up and hit me. and IN be want
i1ls "a helping hand myself RS rotten
ulndependable trade, this sailorng. You
might gust call the carpenter and get the
drsuNsr of tnat smaller lifeboat."
''TWou think he'll get crew then, sir
and mot our deck hands?"
'sKfim? He'll get some things with legs
and arms to them if he has 90 white 'em
cur cG lkindlin wood It's not that tnat,i
stop C.appls Kettle now, me lad"