The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-03-11

Il
l had only half fallen in the water. My
feet was a-hangin' in, but my head and
arms was mixed up in the rigging of
the prov. ] couldn't see the deck, but
could hear 'em talk bout me. 1t
sounded queer like, fur they was a
talkin' about disposin o. my things.
Jewell, he's gone fur sure this time.
Poor Mac!' Jim Lacey was a-sayin'.
"'Oh, yes; he tumbled overheard
onct too often, chimes in Tod Wiley.
Il nl'us told him he'd die that way.
guess he believes me-
ale don't leave no relatives, does
hep asked jim.
"'None what L knows Of
"'Then l guess his things blongs to
us, an we might divide EN-
eyes, 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. l don't care fur none
O. the rest o his buds an you can have
'em an welcome
"'No, you don't come no such game
as tibet on me, Tod Wiley jim an
swered, quick. 'It'll be fair divvy, or
none at all. | want half the 'baccy an
the pipe or the Clothes
"'D'ye mean ter say that I'm a-lyin'
ter YEP demanded Tod, sharp like.
Tod al'us was better fighter than jim,
but Jim was plucky.
- amt sayin' what l think you're
doin', but I'm a-goin' ter have my
share
"'Ye are, EN-? 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
~ guess two can play at that. l
amt altered of ye, Tod Wiley, an if
We want ter prove it jes' sail in now
There was Il sound Of scutiiin' on
deck right over the bow where | was a.
hangin', an | knew they was startin'
in ter settle among themselves what
each would take of my things. So / up
an yclls like bloody murder, shoutin'
first to Tod an then TO jim. You can
bet they stopped tightin' in double
quick time. They was both so scared
that | couldn't get neither one of 'eln
to help me, for plagued long time.
Its Mac voice, | finally heerd Jim
say. but it was a-quaverin' so hardly
knew it,
"'No, it's his ghost replied Tod;
its come back ter settle this dispute
atween u.s.
mo, | amt ghost l yelled back,
I'm jest as live as any o We. Jes' drop
a rope down here an I'll come up an
show ye.'
well, they finally got back their
senses 'nough to drop me a line, but
when / crawled up on deck they kinder
steered clear o me. 1t was nigh onto
u week afore they were convinced that
l wasn't Macs ghost
Mackey and his friend reached thl
deck of the Mary Ann by this time, and
as Mackey helped his friend up the
plank to her clean deck he added, chang
ing the subject:
"Shr's regler downeaster-a spick-
ansspan frst-class Maine schooner thai
amt got her s'perior on the seas. An
her crew!-they're jes' as good as the
ship, except maybe, the captain. He is
n little queer at times. Now. there:
Tod Wiley over there-see him with the
blue jumper n?-an' thet's Jim Lacey
one o the best sailors an swimmers in
the country. But what's he artryin' tc
do?-get cold bath?"
The sailor pointed out as Lacey wa:
leaning over the bulwarks as If trying
to inspect something GU the bottom OF
the schooner. Suddenly, without warn
ing. he lost his balance and tumbleC
with a splash into the river.
us that Mac overheard? Oh, no, it:
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. if it was mel"
lie walked up toward the stern oil
the schooner where n group of sailors
were laughing at Lacey's antics in the
water The best swimmer in the world
was acting very queerly. sputterine
and splashing around, and going dowr
for some seconds at a time.
"Jim's a good one-like a duck il
water" remarked one of them.
The sport was entertaining, and tn,
sailors seemed to en- Joy it; but jim con
tinued to act queerly.
"Mac, isn't he"-began Mackey'
friend.
Il But Mac had gone away. The mex
moment there was a splash in the water
Then somebody shouted:
Hello! There goes Mac overheard
Get a line quick; he can't SWIM"
, How he had managed to get in tn
water so quickly was a mystery, Blu
long familiarity with the business hat
made him an adept. The next momen
, bis head came up to the surface, an,
he was floundering around. The activ
, sailors already had a line dangling owe
the schooner's side.
Here, Mac, take this!"
E With a quick grab the flounderini
= man grasped the end of the rope ant
chung tenaciously 20 it. His other arr
, was around the waist of Jim Lacey.
: ~Say, jes' drop another rope dow
here!" he shouted. Jim has tainted.
When the astorished sailors ha.
hauled the two men on deck, they foun
, Jim Lacey so far gone that big dos