The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-23
The Sentry on the Life Buoy

The last troop train drew up at the little
platform, and the men got out Of the bart
compartments. 1t was a mere detail of {
train-a small tank engine with a couple o.
carriages for 1t was only running along
side with a draft of infantry. In front oil
the troops was a great she'd and through
the doorways some of them could see the
transport. ready for getting into the river
The men were marched into the shed, and
fell ravenously upon their breakfast. al
though it was now noon. The meal over
they seized their kits and rifles and filed
up the steep gangway. AS the last section
marched cut of the shed a wild-eyed man
pushed in between two of the privates and
hurried up with them In his eagerness TO
get on board he stumbled. and saved him
self from falling by sEatching at the man
in front. The soldiers khaki helmet was
knocked of, he himself was dragged back
ward, and his rife fell from his hand as
he clutched the gangway's side to save
himself. The soldier rescued his helmet
and rifle, and then turned round to say
what he thought. He was a feroeious fell
low outwardIy, and would have crushed
the offender with look. lie expected to
find that the wrongdoer was a comrade,
and had prepared his speech accordingly;
when he saw a poor, mean. nl-ciad, hun
gry-looking civilian his heart melted and
he kept silence.
Sorry, matey." said the stTaI ger, but
I'm fireman on this steamer. and I'm in
a split to get below. CT they'll sack me.
That's why tumbled over you. A fellow
,ol- iv;
Its all right" said the soldier appeas-
ed but you'll jerk your neck out of joint
il you run upstairs like that. Clutch me
an clutch my body, but let my rifle an
'elmet alone in future; an don't you shove
in between US like that-it isn't military.
AS for you bein freman-well. you may
be. but thought they wore blue uniforms
an brass 'eImets" The soldier was a re-
cruit from the country, and his knowledge
OF steamers and of those that go down to
the sea in them was slight He stepped
on the deck as he finished leaking, and
the wild-eyed man stepped a.-o. The SOL
dier's boots made heavy sound, but the
hrenan's thin shoes were no isele S.. and
as he ran along the deck he lsade only a
soft patter.
The soldier stared after him for an in
stant. 4 shall know that face again" he
muttesed- It'll haunt me. He may be
honest but he looks as If he'd done muir
der, az had the hangTnan at his heels
Poor devil. / suppose that mean little
eandie's all the property he has in the
world. My kits fat, compared TO that.
For the present he forgot the fireman in
attending to his own duties There was
his helmet to put in the helmet-room, his
rifle to place in the aTmory. his XIII to stow
away for the voyage. and a dozen odd
things to do before he could hurry on deck
TO take last look at the people on the
qusys He cast curious eye round the
troop-deck, with its guardroom and its
cell, the last of which he liked so little
that he there and then resolved that he
would never be its occupant: sauntered
along the horseback, peeped into the troop
galley and wondered how, in so small a
place, cooking WIS done for so many men;
patted the noses Of a few Of the horses,
and assured them that he would feel worse
than they did when the open sea was
reached; marveled where the water came
from for all the drinking taps. and gem
orally how ship built of steel and having
hoors OF concrete like this could by any
Possibility float
When the soldier, by surname Crook got
on deck again, wearing three s.nades Of
KHAKI on his body and de~J blue Tam
shanter On his head, the TRANSPORT had
moved from the quay ard the men were
shouting farewell to the people ashore.
some OF whom we're waving handkerchiefs
ana soma holding babies up to let their
istheTs. See them. He thanked God that
20 one was saying farewell to him. and
mat il could not matter to auy relafive
whether he came back from the war mr.
stayed. because he had no relatives alive
mat he knew or cared for in the least.
he smoked his pipe placidly, and watch
cd win interest as, stern first. the trans
port got out Of the dock into the Thames
and held his place until the bows were
pointing down the river and the shin was
sailing for the Cape, her own siren bel
lowing, and the tune being taken I'D by
small
The transport. No 12s. singIe-funneIed
tWo-masted, twin-screw. churned her way
down the Thames, dropped her pilot. and
forged along the open sea.
On the night of the sixth day out Crook
was on sentry over one Of the stern life
buoys- He came from an inland town and
was still too curious about the steamer and
her build and fittings to let the time drag
YEARLY. So Ear the run had been per-
iectly smooth; there had been no sea, and
Crock was privately of opinion that the
waves did not exist which could disturb a
great bulk like the transports. To him
the iifebuoy, with its devices for lighting.
refreshing, and keeping afioat any man or
woman in the sea who could get hold OF
1t, was a fearsome invention, and he
brought all his intelligence TO bear to IN
derstand il. The bright stars. the clear
night air, the rush OF the air pas. him
sharpened his perception, but the puzzle
was beyond his solving. and with a bafiei
sigh he turned away, looked astern at the
long, broad. white wake which showed
nimly in the darkness and fell to Won
derins how the ship was pushed along like
that
IT'S queer thing altogether" he NUT
tered. But after ALL this lifebuoy Is the
Queerest. wonder what sort of drink It
Is that's in the bottle. By George-what a
thing II I'D be II some dark night the SEN
try uncorked 1t on the sly an drank the
stuff, Halloal Who's that?"
lnstinctiwely he swung round and ported
arms.
IT'S all right, matey," said a boarse
voice. TITS only me-"
An who are your" demanded Crook.
The fireman that came up the gangway
when you did. I'm sweltered below, an I've
Just come up for a breath of air.
You'll have to go somewhere else TO
breathe" answered Cook You can't
come here. an you ought to know IT,
You're a member of the crew, aren't you?'
Yes; but / might as well be dog You
don't know what bein' e fireman is on
board ship"
Come. get ont O. this-you can't stay
here. The officers II be up directly from
their dinner. and / would be myself for
something IL I'm caught talking to you"
But I'm chokin',' said the fireman. "I
can't breathe anywhere, but ere When
you've got Ave hundred horses an five
hundred men on board a ship like this
you've got TO do things that aren't quite
accordin to orders Besides they're rnf 81 7