El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-07-07
PAGES 9 AND 10.

W1SneQ TO Know III Gno name OF the Dit
why they had dared to leave their duties
and their kennel and come to sully his
bridge deck. The harangue was brief and
beautifully to the point. An ordinary sea-
man stood out into the middle of the cir
Gle of light and made reply.
''You gall us toys, und you dreat us az
togs, und we're nod going to schtandt it
no longer. Dis grew tenants it's rechts.''
Hello" said Kettle, got blooming
Dutchman to speak for you! Well, you
must be a hard up crowd. See here, now,
if you do want to talk, have your say and
be done with it. English is the official
language on this ship. Understand that
and don't waste my time.
The German seemed inclined to bluster
and hold his ground, but he had no back
ers II told you how it would be II we
put the Dutchman up" said one. "Why,
can't hardly understand the beggar my
self,' said another.
IF you're undecided" suggested Cap
tain Kettle, you've got niger among
you. Why not set him on to talk? If you
were men, I wouldn't say it, but as 1T IL
he's as much man any of you, and
perhaps he'll throw in a sand dance to en-
liven proceedings"
The negro from somewhere on the out
skirts of the crowd broke into a loud guf
faw till some one kicked him on the shins
and sent him away yelping diminuendo
went up from the white men at the taunt,
and one of them, a whiskered quartermas-
ter in a cardigan jacket, stepped out and
spat into the circle of light. He looked
round to catch the encouraging glances Of
his mates and then lifted up his face to-
ward the upper bridge.
! s'See here, Captain Kettle, you'd better
not try us too far. This isn't slave ship
you're commanding. It's an ordinary.
common, low down British tramp, and
the law looks after the deckhands and all
the rest of u.s.
Nov, that IS fair speaking" said Kettle.
h'I've a profound respect for the merchant
shipping act and all the rest of the laws.
My lad, if you fancy you've anything to
complain OF, sea lawyer like you must
know the remedy. Get your witnesses
and go with them before the British con-
sui in New Orleans"
"a fat lot of good that would do, !" re-
torted the man. what consul ever be-,
lieved an ole sailor against the skipper?
No, sir, we'd only get penitentiary for our
pains. Besides what we waEt-and what
we intend to have-is an alteration in
things, beginning now.''
'.Ah, see! And what would you Hkef
Shall have hold cleared out and fit up
with four post beds for you to make q
drawing room off Shall order my stew
ard to hand iced pop round to the gentle
men who are heaving Goals in the stoke
hold? Come, now, out with it!'
The little captain was deliberately irri-
Eating the men, and Cambel marveled at
his recklessness. Once let an outbreak
start, and he and Kettle stood not one
chance in a million of living through it.
But Kettle knew his game and was play
ing it well.
Only one man laughed, and his laugh
closed up again in a moment like the snap
of a watch. Some scowled few swore;
the quartermaster in the cardigan jacket
alone remained unmoved. OF Kettles
outrageous raillery he took no notice
whatever, but continued his plant in a
solid monotone, though he had been
reading it from a book.
I'm the first instance, it's the grub we
complains of, particularly the sugar. 1t
amt sugar at all. It's just slumph Of
molasses.' -
THAT said Kettle, lis due to your
own laziness. The bottom of a sugar bar
rels always that way unless you turn it
end for end every day or So The mo-
lasses'd settle through the queens sugar
at Windsor and spoil half of it unless the
barrel was looked to. So that knocks in
the head your first complaint. By James,"
he continued, with first show of fury,
lis it for this you dogs have turned your
selves into bowling pack of mutineers
and let my ship drift like a hencoop to-
ward Newfoundland"
The quartermaster was obviously dis
concerted by the attack, SO much SO, in
fact, that he missed the next few counts
of his Indictment and came at once to the
main head, which he had hoped to lead up
to more gently. Its rise of wages that
we insist ON principally he said. I'VE
take it we've been signed on for this run
to New Orleans under false pretenses.
Nothing was said about the sort of cargo
we was to carry, which naturally incites
them anarchist chaps to violence We're
suffering undue risks. There's been one
devil machine found already, and as like
as not there is others besides. The bloom
ing ole tramp may go up any minute, and
because we're standing that risk we say
we ought to be paid according. The cargo
can stand the pull, and if you aren't will
ing the hands here has made up their
minds to breach it for themselves"
You great fools!'' cried Kettle, ''This
isn't an ordinary cargo that you can help
yourselves out of and let the underwriters
stand treat. You bet the tallyman won't
wink at any yarn about damaged in tran
sit over the stuff we re bringing them. II
there's so much a miserable half SOW
ereign missing, the whole crowd here,
cook and captain dog, stay in New Or
leans calaboose till it's found and then
come out with their tickets dirtied. Oh,
you one eyed, mutton headed fools''
Cambel stared at him curiously. His
truculent tone had left him completely
His hands had quilted the pistol butts and
were gripped on the bridge rail. His ell
bows were beating nervously against his
ribs
From some mouth in the blacker shad-
ow came a deep, derisive laugh. Then
voice, presumably from the Laughter, said:
''Who wants to go to New Orleansr Who
wants to go nearer than the next kew or