The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-01
AT the End
of the
Wanrope.
BY MORGAN R'6BEaTsoN.


masters and owners it was good. Aside
from slight mention of an independence
=, character which had prevented their
commencing him for command, cap
,airs with whom he had sailed spoke well
n him. They agreed that he knew his
business. He could click a crew into
sbane" before the green hands had learn
Al the ropes He could get more work
MT If them than could ordinarily be got
1T of double their number. He could
axe a lofty skysail yarder-dingy and
lstv from a long stay at the dock-and
nth the poorest of crews could have
her spick and span as a yacht before
eaching the Horn or the Cape. In sud
len squall he could shorten down to top
,sllant sails before the watch below could
reach the deck to help. In short, he
vas as one skipper expressed it, 1.-THE
Two ends and the blight of a sailor" and
IN the opinion of all of them, the best
chief mate out of New York. The opin-
ion of sailors who had signed under him
was equally unanimous, but, being unfit
for publication, is not given here. 1t
does not matter. Gossip of the forecas-
tie and sailors boarding houses would
not have influenced Capt. Haskins at this
stage of his development, even had he
heard It. A secret and unsatisfied yearn-
ing for higher things, hidden in his mar
row little soul since his first voyage with
his father, would have risen up to offset
such gossip.
. CHI
consuls' Offices and at shipmasters' ia
BE he had listened to tales told by his
Il confreres of mutinous crews, double irons
I'd bread and water, Delaying pin and
ndspike medicine, powder and buckshot
r. uments and other details incident to
government of big ships; and he, the
I lie, withered, kindly faced old man.
had never struck a blow or received
2, who did not need a mate to keep
~ men at work, whose ancient little
Il essel was known as the Sailors Home"
would have lived such experiences and
tod such tales. His humdrum life pail
ID upon him. Hence his secret warnings
hence his delight when. looking for
mate at Callao. he was introduced by the
consul to Mr.. George Arbuckle, the crack
chief officer of big ships, the dashing,
handsome six-footer whose reputation
was so good, who for twenty years had
signed in nothing smaller than 1000 tons
register, and who would sign with Capt
4askins now, only because shipwreck
had left him penniless, and the consul
i having procured him a berth, declined
further assistance.
"1u take the berth" Captain, he said,
and he aboard in the morning but there's
4 one thing 1 stick out for. There's no sec
u ond mate you say, so, III have more
Il than my share of the work What l want
Is, no Interference between me and the
j men. I'm not used to 1t, in the first place.
and then. I'll have no time for it. I don't
4 believe in coddling men, and if l break
u one O. their heads-that's my business II
kill one o. them that's my business, too
but I'll expect my money at quarantine
as usual, and chance to skip before we
dock"
4 Certainly certainly" stammered the
little Captain. 81 understand. Mr.. Ar
buckle A mate has rights which a mas
Ter is bound to respect. l leave things en-
urely to you-as far as the work goes
You know your business. l heard of you
years ago. 1 have six in the forecastle
little stirring up won't hurt EN-. Suit
Yourself. Stir EN- up if you like"
30, Mr. George Arbuckle became mate
the little brigantine Warrior, loaded
nd cleared for New York. On his way
The dock in the morning, he stopped
the consulate to post a letter home
nd listened to this from the white-hair-
III old consul:
II I heard you speak. carelessly, Of
ieaking heads and killing men. You have
me this before-I have heard of you
II nd will possibly do it again but be as
II lfed sir, en- the word of an old man
'ho has studied men and events, the
i wrong we do comes home to us This side
II q the grave. and the men we kill come
Il JACK to watch us die. Here is letter
Just in from the Frisco steamer for one
YOUR crew."
Mr. Arbuckle laughed at the ,admoni-
@n shook hands with the consul, peck
'el' the letter and went on board. When
mad changed his clothes and reached
deck, he found that Capt. Haskins
mustered the crew at the mainmast.
II Itese are my men, Mr.. Arbuckle,' said
ls captain. Men, this is Mr.. Arbuckie,
lo goes home mate with us.
II A gray-bearded man, elderly, but active,
ssepIe1 forward from the group, and
~cHhg his head with a conciliatory grin,
sa hardly to the captain, partly to the
\ ! knew Mr.. Arbucke when he was
KY Sir, though ! don't 'spose he mem
Srs me- / lived in Tompkinsville a
~ue He used to chum wi my nephew
s Ss namesake. Ny names Martin Math-
egs sir"
Ar Arbuckle made no immediate re-
vl.i ne was looking mo each iaS|
%'N dispassionate stare, and onl gave
,t r5 Old sailor his share of the scrutiny.
"neH he had finished the inspec. ion he
a al quietly to the crew as a whole:
Il We aiken your measure. Now, let me
N you at the start-I expect when
ps"A 20 a man that that man viii jump
NJ s'l walk, or run, but jump. Understand?
s1 We can get along. But, If he don
i have to speak twice to man-that
TgaN u wish himself dead. Unders and?
Nlme's Arbuckle. Ever hear o me!
M '"s' name is Mister. Remember that.
r. 'uo men-all but the negro cook-shiitei
n WIZ" Ieet uneasily and dropped their eyes
4 F1'n MIS- searching glance met them. But
o., cook returned his stare.
i fl. mink, sir" said Martin, you'll hnd
C1u right I've sailed three wages Wi
eag,' Haskins."
h "o and a half TOO many. And right
p.' Old man. let ME say TO you; I've no
~g or townies aboard ship. The less
N'Fe TO say about Tompkinsville. the
o,I Tor you. Go forrard, the lot OF
4 hn'l obeyed him, with misgivlng IN
N, ,'ees, though Capt. HaslSins smil q
b,, 'Hiht Here was the right kind or
Ue hut for a few days. during wnlcn