Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-02-27
THE DERELICT.
By OUTOLIrFE HYNE.

By OUTOLIrFE HYHE.
Copyright, 1892 BY Cutclae Hynsl
"Her cargo'll have shifted, said the
third mate, land when she got that list
her people will have felt frightened and
left her.
"She's a scary look to her, with her
yardarms spiking every other sea. said
Captain Image, "and her decks like the
side Of house l shouldn't care to
navigate craft that preferred to lie
down on her beam ends"
Take this glass. sir. and you'll see
the lee quarter boat davit tackles are
overhauled That means they got at
least one boat in the water. To my
mind, she's derelict.
~ hope her crew have got to dry
land somewhere. poor beggars. said
Captain Image Nasty things. those
old wind TANNERS. Mr.. strake. Give
me steam.
"But there's pile Of money in her
still, (" said the third mate. following
up his own thoughts "She's an iron
ship, and she'll be 1000 tons good.
Likely enough in the Frisco grain
trade.
"And You thinking she'd be nice
plum II we could pluck her In any
where,' said Image. reading what was
in his mind. "Well. me lad. know
that as well as You, and no one would
be pleaseder to pocket $500. But the
old M'poso's .mailboat, and because
she got about quarter OF hundred
weight Of badly spelled .etters on board.
she can't do that sort Of salvage work
il there's no life saving thrown in as
an extra reason. Besides. we're behind
time. as II is. with smelling round for
30 much cargo. and though shall draw
my 2Is per cent on that shall have II
all to pay away again and more to boot
in fines for being late No, tell you II
isn't all sheer profit and delight in be-
ing skipper on one OF these west African
coast boats
Strake drummed at the white rail Of
the bridge. He was very young man,
and he was very keen on getting the
chance Of distinguishing himself. and
here on the warm windless swells abeam
the chance seemed to sit beckoning
him. "I've been thinking. sir. IL you
could lend me half dozen men l could
take her in somewhere myself.
"I'm as likely to lend you half q
dozen angels. Look at the deckhands;
look at the sickly trip this has been.
We've had TO put some Of them on dou-
BILE tricks ut the wheel already. and as
for getting any painting done or having
the ship cleaned up bit. why. can
see we shall 40 into Liverpool as dirty
Ms Geordie collier. Mr.. Strake, II you
have a penn 9th Of brains slowed away
anywhere. | wish TO whiskers you'd
show EN- sometimes.
"Old mans mad at loeing q nice
lump of salvage" thought Strake.
Natural. l guess" So he said quietly.
AYE. aye. SIR" and walked to the
other end Of the bridge.
Captain Image followed him halt
way, but stopped irresolutely with his
hand on the engine room telegraph On
the fore main deck below him his old
friend Captain Owen Kettle was lean
| ing on the rail. staring wistfully at the
derelict.
Poor beggari" Image unused.
/" 'Tisn't hard to guess what he's
thinking about l wonder II could fix
| it for him to take her home. 1t might
set him on his legs again. and he's
come low enough. Lord knows. II !
hadn't given him a room in the first
class for old times sake. he'd have had
70 go home a. distressed seaman and
touched his cap to me when ! passed
I've not done badly by him, but shall
have to pay for that room in the first
class out Of my own pocket, and il he
was to take that old wind jammer in
somewhere he'd fork out and very like
| give me dash besides Yes. / will say
that about Kettle-he's honest as bar
keeper and generous besides He's
steamer sailor. Of course. and has been
| most Of these years, and how he'll do
the white wings business again Lord
only knows Forget he hasn't got en-
gines till it's too late and then drown
himself probably. However, that's his
palaver. Where we're going to scratch
him up crew from's the thing that
bothers me. Well. Wen see" He lean
ed down over the upper bridge rail and
called:
Here q minute. captainl"
Poor Kettles eye lit. and he came up
the ladders with boys quickness.
Image nodded toward the deserted
vessel Fine full rigger, hasn't she
beenf What do you make her out for !"
Frisco grain ship. Stuff the bulk.
and it's shifted"
Looks that way. Have You forgot
ten all your mainsail haul and the
square rig gymnasticsr
"I'm hard enough pushed now to re-
member the theory sums they taught
at navigation school II thought they
would serve me-"
81 know, and I'm as sorry for you,
captain, as can hold. But, you see,
it's this: I'm short Of sailormen; I've
barely enough to steer and keep the
decks clean-anyway I've none 70
spare" -
~ don't ask for fancy goods, " said
Kettle eagerly. 'Give me anything
with hands on tapes, niggers, sto-
kers, what you like-and I'll soon teach
them their dancing steps. Let me 60
round and see. believe ! can rake up
enough hands somehow.
"Well, you must be quick about 1t, }"
said Image. 81 can only kive you FIVE
minutes. captain"
Captain Kettle ran down of the
bridge and was quickly out OF sight
and hard at his quest for volunteers.
Captain Image waited minute, and
be turned to his third mate. "NOw.
my lad, he said. II know you're dis
appointed, but with the other mates
sick like they are it's juk impossible
for me to let you 90. II did. the COM
pany would sack me, and the dirty
board Of trade would probably take
away my ticket So you may as well
do the kind and help poor old Cappis
Kettle. You see what he's come down
to, through no fault of his own. You're
young, and you're full to the coamings
with confidence. I'm older, and know
that luck may very well get up end hit
me, and I'll be wanting helping hand