Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-02-10


the course up the north shore and
turned in. the fog shut down, moist
and thick, blotting out the patch Of
blacker darkness that doomed up as
land to the northward and making the
voice Of Dunkirk Sam, heaving the
lead at the request of the anxious cap.
tain, sound hoarse and resonant as he
called out, "No bottom
Captain Tucker wished, not for "A
chart, but that he knew that shore bet
ter and, not caring TO call the mate,
took his stand at the weather bow,
footing the fog horn and straining sight
and hearing into the wet blanket ahead.
The wind was off the land at an angle
which just allowed Bill Tubbs at The
wheel to lay his course.
In his bunk in the foreCastle was
StarIoaid Jack, making the best he
could of his watch below, and beneath
him, be Is remembered, was the confis-
Gated rooster. Either his conscience or
his empty stomach or the fog horn
above kept Starbuard Jack awake, and
be rolled out to enjoy the usual sailor
relief from insomnia--he lighted his
pipe,
1t was not daylight, nor time for II,
and the occupant of the fore peak had
no legitimate right or reason to think
so, but, he was, no doubt, rather upset
by the nights adventure and his pow
ers of discernment unequal to the task
of distinguishing between daylight and
the flicker of lighted match showing
through the chinks in the forecastle
floor. Or ii may be that he understood
and merely expressed approval Of the
light shed on his darkness. He gave
vent to hearty, long drawn crow,
which, reaching the ears Of Captain
Tom on the weather bow, muffled and
indistinct, seemed TO him to come from
the lee side, where there should be moth.
ing but open water.
"Great snakes, where are wef' he
shouted. Hear that, DunkirkH Did
you hear it, Light up the jib sheets.
Hard.a-lee. There's land over there"
Around went the little vessel. Star.
board Jack heard with dismay the
sounds beneath and above and started
mp to forestall any further mischief by
honest confession, but the sight Of Dun
kirk Sans round face, shaking with
silent, unholy glee rs he peered down
the hatch during tho transit from jib
sheet to jib sheet, sent him back. Dun.
kirk Sam returned to the lead, while
Captain Tom footed tho horn from the
weather bow, now, of course, the other
side. When n lonely rooster begins tc
crow, it is hard to guess when he will
stop. the schooner had been Swimming
along straight for the shore for five
minutes, and Dunkirk Sam had jus,
called ont. Mark 90. hard bottom, -
when Captain Tom distinctly heard an.
other rooster--not the first; they were
leaving that astern. This one was on
the lee bow, as before, but in another
direction.
sob, my good Lord" no groaned,
"where in Sam Hill are we-barnyards
all round-we're goin mp some river.
Hard nr. Bill" he yelled Hard up.
Slack off the main sheet an get her fore
the wind"
He ran aft TO look at the COMPASS
and call the mate IL necessary, waving
his long arms and shouting. Dunkirk
Sam jerked the lead inboard and sped
to the forecastle hatch.
''starboardl" he called in boarse
whisper. lyon awaken
"WhatT'
Wiring his neck the old mans goin
daft. He near beached her"
Dunkirk Sans sense of humor had
left him when his lead reached bottom
Captain Tom Gteadied his vessel due
southeast and had partially recovered
his wits, when from straight ahead he
heard another rooster. The misguided
fowl in the fore peak had proclaimed
his third defiance just as Starboard
Jack raised the trapdoor to descend
upon him. Loud and clear came the
clarion note to the ears of the perplexed
skipper. to whom it seemed not three
lengths ahead.
Hard down." he snarled TO the
grinnins Bill "hard down, man; down