The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-03-02


Poor Mac!' Jim Lacey was a-sayin'.
"'Oh. yes; he tumbled overheard
onct too often,' chimes in Tod Wiley.
4 al'us told him he'd die that way.
guess he believes me-
"'He don't leave no relatives, does
he?' asked Jim.
"'None what knows Of
"'Then l guess his things b'longs TO
us, an we might divide 'em.'
"'Yes. but afore he tumbled over
board Mac says ter me that could have
his pipe an baccy an that new suit Of
clothes Of his'n. don't care fur none
o. the rest o his duds an you can have
'em an welcome H
"'No, you don't come no such game
as thet on me, Tod Wiley Jim an
swered, quick. It'll be fair divvy, or
none at oil. Iwant half the 'baccy an
the pipe or the clothes
"'D'ye mean ter say that I'm a-lyin
ter ye? demanded Tod, sharp like.
Tod al'us was better fighter than Jim.
but Jim was plucky.
81 amt sayin' what ! think you're
doin', but I'm a-goin' ter have my
share
"'Ye are, eh? Well. ye Just shut up
now, or I'll send ye overheard after
Mac, an you can settle It with him
down at the bottom
81 guess two can play at that. I
amt Altered Of ye, Tod Wiley, an If
ye want ter prove it jes' sail in now
There was sound of scufilin' on
deck right over the bow where was a.
hangin', an I knew they was startin'
In ter settle among themselves what
each would take of my things. So up
an yells like bloody murder. shou,in'
first to Tod an then to Jim. You can
bet they stopped fghtin' in double
quick time. They was both SO scared
that l couldn't get neither one of 'em
to help me for plagued long time.
"'It's Mac voice. finally heerd Jim
say, but it was a-quaverin' SO hardly
knew it,
"'No, it's his ghost replied Tod;
it's come back ter settle this dispute
atween u.s.
"'No, l amt ghost yelled back
I'm jest as live as any We. Jes' drop
q rope down here an I'll come up an
show ye.'
SWELL, they finally got back their
senses 'nough to drop me a line. but
when crawled up on deck they kinder
Rteered clear o me. 1t was nigh onto
q week afore they were convinced that
! wasn't Macs ghost"
Mackey and his friend reached the
deck Of the Mary Ann by this time, and
as Macliey helped his friend up the
plank TO her clean deck he added, chang
ing the subject:
"She's reg'ler downeaster--a spick-
an-span first-class Maine schooner that
amt got her sperior on the seas. An
her crew!-they're jes' as good as the
ship, except may be, the captain. He is
Q little queer at times. Now, there's
Tod Wiley over there-see him with the
blue jumper on H-an' thet's Jim Lacey,
one o. the best sailors an swimmers in
the country. But what's he a-tryin' to
do2-get a cold bath?"
The sailor pointed out as Lacey was
leaning over the bulwarks as If trying
to inspect something ON the bottom of
theschooner. Suddenly, without warn
ing, he lost his balance and tumbled
with splash into the river.
rs that Mac overheard? Oh, no, it's
only Jim Lacey" cried some one.
Mac smiled at this remark.
"Jim's a good swimmer, you see, an
they think he can take care of himself.
Now, IL it was mel"
He walked up toward the stern OF
the schooner where a group of sailors
were laughing at Lacey's antics In the
water. The best swimmer in the world
was acting very queerly, spluttering
and splashing around, and going down
Tor some seconds at q time.
-Jim's good one--like a duck in
water" remarked one of them.
The sport was entertaining, and the
sailors seemed to enjoy it; but Jim con-
tinued to act queerly
mac. isn't he".-began Mackey's
friend.
But Mac had gone away. The next
moment there was splash in the water.
Then somebody shouted:
Hello! There goes Mac overheard.
Get line quick; he can't swim"
How he had managed to get in the
water SO quickly was a mystery, but
long familiarity with tine business had
made him an adept. The next moment
his head came up to the surface, and
he was foundering around. The active
sailors already had line dangling over
the schooner's side.
Here, Mac, take this!"
With quick grab the fioundering
man grasped the end Of the rope and
clung tenaciouIsly to it. His other arm
was around the waist of Jim Lacey.
"Say, jes' drop another rope down
here!" he shouted. Jim has tainted"
When the astonished sailors had
hauled the two men on deck. they found
Jim Lacey so far gone that big dose
OF hot Scotch whisky was necessary
to bring him to life again. Mackey was
only wet.
"See. Jim's good swimmer, an he
came near gettiD drowned" he said
Wi h a lepr "Rut | cant sw i'm m u,oa