The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-15

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f1dence. m older, and / know that luck
may very well get up and hit me, and
III be wanting a helping hand myself.
It's a rotten, undergraduate trade, this
sailoring. You might just call the car
penter and get the cover off that
smaller lifeboat."
You think he'll get a crew then, sir,
and not cur deckhands?"
Him? He'll get some things with
legs and arms to them, if he has to
whittle 'em out OF kindlin' wood. It's
not that that'll stop Cappie Kettle now,
me lad
Presently Kettle came back. 'Well,
captain" he said, Il got q fine crew to
volunteer, if you can see your way
TO let me have them. There's a fireman
and a trimmer, both English; there's
third-class passenger, a dago Of some
sort, think he is, that was ganger
on the Congo railway; a negro stone
mason, and there's Mr.. Dayton-Phil-
ipps; that'll make a good, strong ship S
company
Dayton Philipps!" said Image. why,
he's an officer in the English army, and
he's been some sort of a. resident or
political thing up in one of those niger
towns at the back there. What's he
want to go for?"
said he'd come for the fun of the
thing"
Captain Image gave a grim laugh.
well, / think he'll find all the fun he's
any use for before he's ashore again.
Now, Mr.. Strake, hurry with that boat.
You're to take charge and bring her
back, and mind, you're not to leave the
captain here and his gang aboard if
the vessels too badly wrecked to be
safe
The word was hurry The third
mate Tended off the boat whilst Ket-
ties crew of nondescripts scrambled
unhandily down to take their places.
The negro stOnemaSon, who. had been
a stowaway, refused stubbornly to
leave the steamer, and so was lowered
ANONYMOUSLY in a bowline, and then,
as he still objected loudly that he came
from Sa' Leone and was a free British
subject, somei one crammed a bucket
over his head, amidst the uproarious
laughter of the onlookers.
Ahead of them the quiet ship Shout
deTed clumsily over the rollers, now
gushing down till she dipped her mar
ungale, now sWoOping up again, send
ing whole cataracts of water swirling
along her waist.
The boat was run UP cannily along
side, and Kettle jumped into the main
chains and clambered on board over
the bulwarks. Now, pass up my crew,
Mr.. Strake," said he.
I'm coming myself next, if you don't
mind,'' said the third mate. Must
obey the old mans ORDERS" he ex-
planned, as they stood together on the
sloping decks. You heard yourself
what he said, captain
We'll, Mr.. Mate" said Kettle, grim
~, I hope you'll decide she's seawor-
thy, because whatever view you take of
it, here I'm going to stay"
The mate frowned. He was a young
man; he was here in authority, ard he
had a great notion of making his au-
thority felt. Captain Kettle WAS to
him merely a dOwn-on -his-luck free
passage nobody, and as the mate vas
large and lusty, he did not anticipate
trouble. So he remarked, rather crab
billy, that he was going to obey his or
deTs, and went aft along the slanting
deck.
1t was clear that the vessel had been
swept, badly swept. Ropes ends
streamed here and there and over
board in every direction. and every
thing movable had been carried away
eternally by the sea. But the hatch
tarpaulins and the companions were
still in place and though it was clear
from the list (Which was so great that
they could not walk without holding
Oh that her cargo was badly shifted,
there was no evidence so far that she
was otherwise than sound
The third mate led the way down to
the lazaret hatch. He got his fingers in
the ring and pulled it back Then he
whistled. Half full of water, he said.
I thought SO from the way she floated
It's up 10 the beams down here. Likely
enough she'll have started a plate
somewhere. 'F'raid it's no go for you
captain. Why, if a breeze was to come
on, half the side Of her might drop
out, and she'd go down like a stone"
New. to Kettles honor, be it said
(seeing what he had in his mind) he
did not tackle the man as he knelt
there, peering into the lazaret In
stead, he waited till he stood up again.
and then made his statements. coIdly
and deliberately
N'This ships not too dangerous for
me. and l choose to Judge. And if
she'll do for me, she's good enough
Tor the crew I've got in your boat. Now,
want them on deck and at work
without any more palaver."
Do you, by gadr' said the mate, /
and then the pair of them closed !
without any further preliminaries. /
They were both Of them well used toll
quick rough and tumbles, and they |
both of them knew that the man who /
gets the first grip in these wrestles /
Usually wins; and instinctively each
RED to act on that knowledge But /
L the third mate had bulk and
strength, Kettle had science and album
liant witness; and though the pair Of
hem lost their footing on the sloping
,abin floor at the first embrace. and T
over and under like a pair of
els, captain Kettle got a thumb arts
lcaliy liked in the bigger mans wind
)iDe, and held it there doggedly. The
nate, growing more and more purple.
ut out with savage force, but Kettle
lodged the bull-like blows like the
'oXer he was, and the mates efforts
gradually relaxed.
But at this point they were inter
upted. THAT wobbly boat was max
ng me Seasick,' said a voice so I
anne on board here. Hullo you fell
owsr'
Kettle looked up. Mr.. Phillips" he
aid, 4 wish you'd go and get the rest
# our crew on deck out OF the boat"
But what are you two doing down
here?"
Judgment. He said this ship isn't safe. I
md L shouldn't have the chance to
axe her home. l say there's nothing
wrong with her that can't be remedied !
nd home I'm going to take her, any,
way. 1t may be the one chance in NV
ife, sir, of getting a balance at the
'ank, and I'm not going to miss it."
Hot said Dayton-Phillipps.
IF you don't like TO come. YOU
leedn't," said Kettle; but I'm going
o have the stone mason and the Dago.
md those two coal beavers. Perhaps
-ou'd better go back. 1t will be wet.
lard work here; no way the sort of lob
g suit q soldier
Dayton-Philipps flushed slightly, and
hen he laughed. 4 suppose that's in
ended to be nasty" he said well.
aptain. I shall have to prove to you