El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-14
CHAPTER K.
TONIGHT.

TONIGHT.
Another day and another sky. Now the
blue gulf water was leaden and dense
as that one looks upon in a hard North sea
gale, and the heavens overhead were as
full of lurid grayS which raced one another
in sliding chase till they were lost in the
northern mist drifts The steamer rolled
heavily to a steep beam sea, and when
they could be seen the iron of her lower
decks forward and aft cleaned as though
1t had been new coated with ocher varnish.
But this was not often, for four minutes
out of every five they were filed with a
churning, kissing pond of green and cot
ton white, which the scuppers could only
empty piecemeal.
The time was evening, 90 hours after
the quelling of the mutiny, and the three
tenants of the upper bridge were the only
human beings on any of the outer decks.
On the midship grating stood a higher
heeled quartermaster, holding ON to the
spokes of the steam wheel, browsing on
plug tobacco and keeping his eyes mechan-
ically fixed in the jumping compass card.
Alternately climbing and descending
athwart ships as the bridge swung under
him, the third mate took his sea constitu-
tional in rubber thigh boots, with hands
thrust into the waist belt of his brooches.
As officer of the watch every time he
passed the pinnacle he faced front and
u
saucer lip of horizon, with an utter blank
lack of interest, and a face wooden and
gnarled as walnut shell. He was an cid
erly man, the third mate, and the sea held
no more surprises for him, and no more
interest, and no more pleasures. If ever
he had ambition, he had lost it years
since. His aim in life was to hold posi-
ton of small responsibility and earn a
monthly wage with the smallest possible
of aith fol
ical.
The remaining occupant of the bridge
sat on a campstool under the lee of the
weather dodger with his red peaked beard
on his chest, his slippered feet stuck out
in front, his elbows crooked out behind
him and hands deep in his jacket pockets
Every time the third mates footsteps
neared him his eyes opened and for an
instant flashed round to the right hand
angle of their orbits. Between whites he
slept. It was owing to this faculty of lit
orally snatching moments of rest that
Captain Kettle at the end of his 90 hours
spell on the upper bridge was as fresh as
though he had just got up from clear
nights sleep. This watchfulness was nee
essary, for, as the experienced skipper was
quite aware, fully half the hands would
have gladly tossed him overheard if they
could have grappled him without danger
dropped his doze with snap and slowed
round to face the head of the bridge lad
der, entirely wakeful. A head showed it.
self. black haired, with a clean shaven,
bright, determined face The correspond
ing body followed, lean, tall, muscular
''Ah, Mr.. Cambel, you've brought mo
some provender? Thanks, indeed. What
sandwich and tea! Couldn't be better"
II have whisky in my pocket
mot for me now. Wait till we get
ashore and then III booze with any man
to his hearts content. The game I'm on
now is like a boat race-if a man wants to
win, he's got to diet himself accordingly"
The third mate, to show to any chance
onlooker that he was not in sympathy
with the unpopular captain, planted him
self in the angle of the lee dodger, which
was the greatest distance that the ties of
duty would allow him to depart. Kettle,
with an acrid grin, drew his companions
attention TO this move.
"What'll that chap do tonight when the
fun begins?" asked Cambel.
bolt like rat at the first alarm. He'd
show pluck if he was paid for it, would
my third mate, but not being paid he'll
take the best care possible of his own ugly
hide. He isn't fellow who'd ever like
tight corner for it's own sake. There's not
an atom of the sportsman about him.
Cambel laughed. You're the other
way on, captain
Kettles face clouded. Its fact" he
said Times 1 am that way, curse my
luck
"Your weakness in that direction came
In handily for me yesterday"
You're right, Mr.. Cambel, right all
through. By my soul, I'd half mind to
chip in with these rogues and grab what
could. 1t was tempting chance, and it
would have been a heap more profitable to
me than what I'm in for now. AS for the
honesty of the thing, there wasn't pin
to choose between it and this racket of
yours and Mr.. Shells. But it was that
Dutchman's gall that put me off. If he'd
held his silly jaw, and if those other blad-
derheads had let me understand L was to
hold the pistol hand over them-well, the
Port Edes would have coral rock spouting
through her bottom plates this minute,
and I'd be man owning a matter of 93,
600 to e5, 600. That's putting it straight
$50, " said Cambei, Il suppose 1 have
to thank the said Dutchman for carrying