The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-03
GOODMI FORTE
By t JENKINS HAMS
Author of the Wind TANNERS, Mr.. Trunnell
Capt. Gore, Etc.
Copyright, 1900. by r Jenkins rIains)

lay O. that Ny forte is running a ship
without any extra advice from forrads,
see? ! know a thing or two about men
when ! see them. an I'll just make it
known now that I'm the whole thing
aboard here. This is Mr.. Enlis, first
mate There're the men-an' the sooner
You get down on that main deck the bet
ter. You say you haven't any paper, or
discharge?
The newcomer looked sharply at him
with his glnting eyes shifting them from
mate to skipper while he spoke.
No, | haven't no mates certificate.
nor discharge. I'll have TO go on tick
he drawled slowly. when you get tired
of me, put me ashore, hey" Amt that
it? Any passengers
well IN trust you, / know some
thing about handling men, an reckon
. know good one when / see him
There's some passengers coming along.
an the rules is. poiteness at all times.
They amt enemies OF the company, an
won't have them treated that way. see?"
The new mate glanced quickly aft but
seeing no one on deck. he nodded to the
skipper and declared that was the way
he liked to hear a captain talk.
to an get your dunnage slowed, an then
get 10 work bending them royals fore an
aft Wen get TO sea before night. My
forte is eettin' away while the breeze
holds, an en- time A good start an q
quick passage, says |.
BY noon the royals were sent up and
bent, and the passengers all aboard.
There were several OF them. Three were
pn act IN n hn ha IL q Il ac-
tination, and they were OF the nondescript
dago type, small, wiry men. dark hair
dark skin and having the cigarette habit
while chatterng nervously in bad Span
ish The other two were a stout ford
man with clean shaved. clerical looking
face. and his wife. They were evidently
either English or American by their
speech and general appearance, but long
residence in South America had given
both the air and accent Of lassitue TO
their talk The man had a way of look
ing benignly upon every one through
gold trimmed spectacles, and when Capt
Breeze addressed him he smiled gently
and beamed upon him.
Nov Mr.. Goodman. said the skipper
here you are aboard the finest ship on
The coast. | got your letter and check
for passage money an if its the same
/ TO you wen keep this little decker
among ourselves NY forte is running
q ship. an | don't want no owners Il
mixin' in the affairs of the cabin. You
get your passage reduced one-half. see?'
81 see, of course" said Mr.. Goodman,
heaming upon him, Il never interfere
with those in charge
No.. said Mrs. Goodman, "it would
be very unjust"
! That afternoon the bark pulled out
end started down the River Piatt The
pompcro season was at hand and the
! heavy banks OF vapCr rose in the west :
/ IN Sky as the sun sank behind them.
The lightning was vivid and incessant by
| dark and Mr.. Enlis had her down to her
| topsaiis, drifting like a log through the
! swirling, muddy current. BY midnight
! however. she had cleared the point and
| The first weight of the squall struck her.
/ The wind came from almost due west, and
| she tore along before it through q com
| paratively smooth sea in the river mouth.
BY morning she had cleared the land and
! was heading more to the northward, with
a heavy gale on her quarter.
| Mr.. Algernon Goodman came on deck
10 have look around. The heavy masses
/ of leaden vapor flying before the pompe :
| TO made the light dim and gray even at
10 in the morning. The quick run of the
! following sea made the bark jerk and
roll badly. but she was too close UNI
! der the land TO fear being popped. al
| though once in q while Q comber would
| start over the t'gallant rail abaft the
main rigging and go roaring along over
! onto the main deck, filing it full Of wa
! ter.
| But the Northern Light was not deep.
! She sat high and buoyant, and with her
! fore and main topsails close reefed and
/ a foresail with its sheets Stacked off to
| let ii lift over the gale, she went to the
| northward at the rate of II knots an
/ hour.
Mr.. Goodman wiped his glasses to clear
them OF the flying drift and then he adj
/ justed them and heamed satisfaction
| upon the wide, snowy path that gurgled
and roared on both sides and astern.
] Dirty weather a-comn'," said Jimmy