The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-21

that If st occurred second time, he would
discharge him when the ship reached
Calcutta.
'Oh. dear oh dear. oookie! he exolaIn-
ed, wringing his pudgy hands. "Wot will
we do? EN- give us both our walking
tickets for this. 90 was it, dye think ~
The men, s'pose,' replied the cook,
gloomlly.
More like them divils o. boys" said
the steward.
We'll, It's your fault. anyway, 'ooever
1t was. IL you wasn't so rotten skinny
with the stores. they wouldn't be takin'
things"
My fault" returned the steward, wax
ing wroth. Didn't you
The threatened quarrel between the two
men was nipped in the bud at this moment
by the sound of two bells. Instantly the
steward snatched up the soup tureen, and
calling to the cook to follow him to the
pantry, he scurred aft
Ere, doctor" he said after the soup
had been put on the cabin table, take
these two cans o. boned chicken and stoo'
em up quick. IL e notices the differ Ill
tell I'm as 'ow You 'ad a haxdeut"
Aye, that's right; tell i'm it was a hax-
idont"
As ii happened, the skipper and the mate
were induling in one of their periodical
rows, and in consequence the dinner pass
ed muster. In spite of this, however the
steward was by no means satisfied. From
what the cook had told him he felt sure
that the boys" were responsible for the
theft; and he promised himself a speedy
and awful revenge.
Now, trouble between the half deck
(the apprentices quarters) and the pantry
was no new thing; there had been more or
less of it ever since the Bonito had left
port, and so far 3iggs had had the worst
of it. The cause of it all was his own as
tonishing meanness. on former voyages
the boys had been treated a little differ
emily from the forward hands as regards
food. They had been allowed cabin
bread" an extra "whack" of sugar, oat-
meal for breakfast, and We're the Tecog-
nized recipients of the cabin table s
Spare" all of which are considered at
sea as delicacies. Under Mlggs' manage
ment, however, these things had been
done away with. The boys. very natural
ly, had resented It, Hence the feud.
At this time the boys were stealing
everything in the way of food that they
could lay their hands on, and In addition
harrassed their common enemy by trip
ping him as he struggled along the slant
Ing deck with a cabin meal in his hands
by dropping balls of spun-yarn upon his
head from aloft and by playing the hose
on him when they were washing decks.
quite accidental these things were, OF
course. They might indeed have passed as
such, so cleverly were they managed, but
for their frequency.
The steward on his side, after making
one or two unnoticed complaints to the
captain, retaliated by giving the boys
their bare allowance and by wantonlS
neaving messes Of fresh meat, halves 81
pies ana such luxuries, over the side
before them.
This new development, the stealing Of
the captains Sunday dinner. reused the
stewards ire to such an extent that he
determined upon a return blow which
should be crushing and final. He chuckleo
as he thought of it.
The following Sunday the blow fell, anc
the haif-deok staggered. 1t came about IN
this way: Masters, the only apprentice IN
the second mates watch, was below wher
seven bells was struck. He turned out
promptly and, tin plates in hand, wen
forward TO the galley for his dinner. After
receiving the usual ration of "salt-horse'
and soft bread on one plate, Masters held
out the other.
.Wot's that for?" asked the cook, with
pretended ignorance.
1.-THE duff, of course" answered the
bay.
you might a saved yourself the trouble
O. bringing two plates, sonny" said Adam
smiling.
Don't play the fool, doctor. Give me
my duff"
Now, don't go for to fly Off the han
die so quick. Mister Masters" said the
cook. '"The whole of It is that there
hain't no duff for you It's bin stopped.
"Our duff stopped" echoed Masters
in his astonishment allowing his chunk OF
mahogany colored beef to drop on deck
''Who stopped it, I'd like TO know?"
"Capting's horders," replied the cook
shortly
Captain be blowedg snorted Masters
IT'S all that beastly little steward, II
bet sou. Well" he added, significantly
II wouldn't like to be in his old boots
He'll be Jolly glad to leave the ship with
out his payday or anything else by the
time we get to Calcutta. And you, too
doctor, If you've got anything TO do with
itw
As Adam had a wholesome fear OF tho
half-deck's enmity, he made no reply tC
the threat, and Masters growing audi.
bly,, went off again. That afternoon the
boys of the Bonito held an indignation
meeting, followed by a council OF war
Plum duff on Sunday for the apprentices
was an institution aboard the Bonito. The
captain had given # to them on the pre-
ceding voyage as a reward for smart ser.
vice, and had made them promise. which
they looked upon as sacred. that It should
be continued until they had served their
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