The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21
A STOMACH TROUBLE.
How the "Ha1f Deck" AboaSd the
BOnitO Licked Riggs Into shape.
By II. PHELPS wHITMARsH.
Author of "The Worlds Rough
Hand"

Author of "The Worlds Rough
Hand"
Copyright, 1899. by H. Phelps Whit
marsh.
The northeast trades were gradually
daily. Yet no one aboard the Bonito
seemed to mind it very much except Adam
the cook and he, being a fat man, and
obliged to spend most of his waking hours
over the gallery stove, sweltered and
swore in a manner alike shocking to the
eye and ear.
"Oh, LordP' he groaned, as he leaned
against the side of the weather door.
"And we 'avent crossed the Line yet"
The cook, after wiping his face on the
greasy rag he always carried, and con
sulting an equally greasy watch, proceed
ed to take the cabin dinner out Of the
oven which he placed on the locker near
the door, ready for the steward It was a
good dinner for a ship thirty days out.
There was some timed soup, roast chick
en- dry hash, and dried apple pie. The
chicken who had been "called'' for this
particular Sunday dinner was a fine fat
bird; and as it lay in the pan all nicely
Drowned it looked and smelled tempting.
Where's that duff-'e aded stooward l
wonder?" said the cook, impatiently eve
ing his watch again. Aug i'm, 'es alus
a-keepin' me waitin'."
At that moment short, round-faced
boy, apparently laboring under great ex-
element, rushed to the lee door.
Inrly oI-t =
There's something in the water over
therew
"Where?" said the cook sliding hur-
riedly TO the door.
There! There" answered the boy,
pointing vaguely toward the horizon.
Don't you see something black?''
"Jigged IL see IT, said the cook, with
his hand shading his eyes,
Must have been a blooming old whale,
then, or something, grumbled the young
ster. when l looked first 1 made sure
it was the sea serpent"
Sea serpent" returned the cook scorn-
fully. Eye ought TO ave more sense,
Tubby."
While this CONVERSATION between the ap-
prentice Tubby and the cook Adam was in
progression at the lee door, the head and
arm of a second small boy appeared at
the weather door. The newcomer remain
Cd Just long enough to graf the rat chick
en- by the drumsticks and drop Il into a
deck bucket. Then he disappeared.
"Why, don't you believe In the sea SER
pent, doctor?" asked Tubby, innocently.
"Lummy no." replied the cook That's
sum at as bin busted long ago. Though
l remember one time when / was In the
Celia G., just out O Frisco, we seed a long,
snaky critter with 'ead on i'm as big as
a harness cask, a-laying ATOP o the water
an-but I'll tell you about that later
Tubby 'Eere comes the stooward."
The round faced boy vanished in the
direction Of the poop, and the cook re-
turned to the cabin dinner.
Now, then, doe 'urry up, me lad.
TIL ole man feroshus 'ungry to-day an
ahm laate now said the steward
busting into the galley In his clean
apron.
He was rlAlculousy dumpy individual
with a very red face, piggy eyes. and
bristling mutton chop whiskers. Coon
COON, man." he continued, what ans
thar"
But Adam apparently did not hear him
for he neither moved nor answered. Hold
Ing a platter in one hand and an unraisad
fork in the other, he stood like a purple.
faced waxwork, eavagely regarding the
empty pan. He exploded at last with orc
tremendous Damn. They bin and gone
an dun it again!" he screamed to the
steward.
100? wot? Where?' asked the bo-
wildered man from abaft.
The chicken, you foolg' answered the
cook. They've took IT,"
The steward gasped and turned pale
The same thing had happened once be-
fore on the voyage, and the captain had
Aold them in strong, deep-water language