The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-01
CATARRH is A CONSTITUTIONAL Oh Bio

Jared him one dark night when he had
crept aft with a new tale, marched him
to the taffrail, and in spite of his screams,
tied him to the end of the mainsheet and
lowered him over the stern, Stacking away
until the poor wretch was immersed to
his waist. Occasionally a lifting sea
would bury him, smothering his cries;
then as the stern arose, he would dangle,
dripping and gasping, from the upright
rope until another sea came to overwhelm
him. Mr.. Arbuck1e watched from the taft
rail- and might have pulled him in after
he was presumably cleaner; but a sudden
squall and shift of wind required his at
tention and the work of the watch below
for two hours, during which George re-
NAMED overheard, forgotten by all but the
man at the wheel. AT last it was Mar
TIM barely recovered from his beating,
who informed Mr.. Arbuckle that if he did
not hoist George aboard he would beckett
the wheel and call the captain, which in
duced the officer to curse Martin luridly,
but, as a secondary consideration, to res
cue the involuntary bather. George would
not talk when he was pulled in. He
smiled unanimously in the light from
but would not talk in spite of the stern
command of the mate to tell how he
felt and to state his future intentions
with regard to soap and water. They led
him forward, where his Mortified ship
mates stripped and put him in his bunk
to drivel himself into the sleep of utter
exhaustion and idiocy. He awakened IL
hours later, and, though he still gibbered
| of
words of the speaker-he showed no sign
of brain. mind or soul behind the words.
| They found that he could pull a rope If
put in his hands, and would Delay when
| told He could not be trusted at the
wheel, but learned to express himself
on seeing a light, and became available
| on the lookout. If properly watched he
| could paint, tar down rigging, sweep and
scrub the deck, but could do no work re-
! curing the intelligence Of a pack-mule'
| Yet, in pite of the embargo on his tongue,
he could sing the songs he had known in
| a soft, plaintive voice which moved these
rough men to tears; and in spite of the
| terrible experience that had wrecked his
mind he displayed no more fear of Mr..
Arbuckle he never avoided him, but
would smile into his face with the limo
| cent candor of a babe.
! What Mr. Arbuckle thought of his hand
! iworlx found no expression in his manner
| or discourse. He was still the strict, ar
| bitrary, profane critic of the crew that he
was before What Capt. Haskins thought
! could be surmised by the fact that he
| spoke no more to his mate, and entered
| the incident in his official log. The men
| were less guarded boldly announcing
| their intention to throw him overheard
if he went much farther, and warning
! Mr. Arbuckle in any event to be prepared
for legal proceedings on shore-which dld
! not in the least effect the officer at the
time, this being the last gossip given him
by George on the night of his ducking.
1t was when the anchor was dropped off
Tompkinsville Staten island, that he
broke out again, to wind up the passage
with proper assertion of his dignity. A
slight mistake on the part of one of them
in paving out chain, and the scowling ap-
proyal of the mistake in the faces of the
rest, induced him to lay about him with
a handspike, and when he had finished
three only of the crew-Tom, Martin and
George-could stand erect. Even the COOK
was disabled. When he left his galley
TO Join the row, he was met, not by q
pistol shot-simply by the swinging hand
spike, and the hand which held that sharp
carving knife was crushed.
Canvass had been furled while towing
I'D the bay, so when the pilot had been
put ashore in the dingy, the work of the
| day was done, and all hands went to a
late supper-seryed handed by the
cook When he had cleared off the dishes
from the cabin table, Mr.. Arbuckle, cour-
ageous and confident from his recent vic
tory. reminded the captain of his pre-
| expressed desire to be paid off before
| docking
you want your pay, do you?" asked
| the indignant little captain, heatedly'
| you want to quit me now to escape ar
| rest, and leave me to dock this Vessei
with thee men. You'll get your money to-
morrow, and you'll get it in the presence
of the policeman who arrests you""
| The argument and quarrel which fol-
lowed need not be detailed. 1t ended in
crashing blow of the six-foot officer S
fist on the temple of the five-foot captain.
| The little man reeled, sat down on
| stool slid off and stretched himself on
| the floor with the elaboration of man
| preparing for sleep, while Mr.. Arbuckle,
/ breathing loudly and deeply, looked down
on him with angry eyes. But, as he look
! ed. the anger left his eyes, and his
| breathing though still loud and deep,
! changed it's character. He examined the
! captains head. There was no outward
! sign of injury, and he felt for movement
| of the heart. The breast was warm, but
as rigid as the face with it's staring eyes.
/ He stood up, then sat down on the stool
/ and looked at the man he had killed.
He had bargained to receive his money
and discharge before docking if he killed
] q man on the passage. Here was the
dead man, where was the money?
He procured keys from the captains
pocket, lighted the lamp in his room,
searching his desk and found, not only
money enough to pay off all hands, but the
account of wages due each man up to the