Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-22
CHAPTER I.


the beach (for since the failure OF the lum-
her and salt that had expanded Manistogee
into a city with four paved streets. the only
fmpOrtant events were band concerts ana
crew drills). Four girls in white and pink
dresses which did not agree with their pileo-
up hats and fringed parasols, stood on the
two-plank sidewalk.
Hunch Badeau commanded a sauare-nosed
lumber schooner, the Ed. c. Dean, just Dig
enough to support her two masts lie had
come in that morning with picked-up cargo
of merchandise from Milwaukee, unioaded IT,
and now leaving Billy, the boy, In charge
of the schooner, was lounging up the beach
with Bruce Considne, who made up the
rest of the crew. Hunch had been chris
tened John. after long line of John and'
earlier. Jean Badeaus the first of whom
had probably appeared on the lakes IN
birch canoe. Hunch showed few traces Oh
his ancestry, excepting his blacK mar anu
an easily aroused flash in his eyes. he was
big and he stopped little, as II doorWays
and cabin ceilings were too low for him
There she is" said Bruce. pointing to-
ward the white and pink group. inat
her the little one She amt bigger
mite
Badeau looked critically at the group then
walked toward them.
Hold on a minute. Hunch!
What for? Come along. 1 amt seen
girl In weeks"
Don't go over yet amt told her ABOUT
YOU"
THAT'S nothing 1 guess she knows who
I am"
They stood near the girls, but fixed their
eyes on the drill. After moment Bruce
glanced around a the little girl. She threw
him a smile and he said. Hello. Name"
Her fathers boss of the bridge gang on
the Pere Marquette. he conflded TO Ba-
deau who was edging closer to the group.
Wonder if they're going TO do the upset
drill Badeau said in a loud voice.
The girls g.ggled, and one said boldly:
Won't it be fun if they upset the boat?'
After this sign of favor they blushed. Then
for several minutes each party carried on
conversation intended for the ears of the
Considine found himself at NAMES side
Her elbow brushed against his.
who's your friend?" she asked.
Considine stepped back, thus including
Badeau in the group.
"Hunch Badeau.' he said, shake hands
with Name Banks"
Mamie introduced them to the other girls.
who were still giggling. Then Badeau said
to Mamie
Lets go over to the dock before the
crowd gets all the seats
The party moved slowly toward the sta
ton. Considne walking behind with the
three other girls and trying to show his
freedom from jealousy by jostling them
playfully off the sidewalk
1t took Badeau and Mamie some time to
get into a conversation. Then they talked
about COnS!dine
He's a fine fellow said Badeau. BEST
man I ever had Regular as New Years"
nice thing to say. He saw that 1t pleased
her. so he went on. with wink. You
like him pretty well, don't .you?'
"Oh. I don't knows I do
well. ! guess he likes you, anyhow"
"Oh. no. he DON'T
How do you know he don't?'
"'Cause l don't care one way or t'other."
you don't. eh?"
mo. / don't" -...
We'll, 1 guess there's lots. of girls that
does" b..
ooh, I s'pose he's al right"
After a silence Mamie glanced shyly up
III him.
Say. you're a friend of his amt you?
You won't tell him what l say"
Should say not" said Badeau, feeling
in advance a little embarrassed. Mamie
poked at the sand with her parasol as they
walked
"Well-folks say he drinks
Jess Bartlett's brother told Jess"
Badeau's eyes flashed
He's a d-n liarr'
'Oh-ohr' fa1tered Mamie.
There was a long silence. Then Badeau
said, Excuse me-" and looked out over
the water with a scared face. The girls who
had played part in his life had not OBJ
jected to profanity. When he had gathered
"nough courage to look again at her there
vas an expression on her face that puzzled
Rim. He did not know that he had pleased
a well as startled her In the afternoon
Badeau took on a short cargo Of hemlock
cribbing and worked laboriously out of the
sand locked harbor and through the channel
between the long breakwaters. He could
not afford a tug.
The next morning they lay a. the dock in
Manitowoc. They ate their greasy supper
In silence. the three of them about the ia
BILE in the dirty cabin. When they had fin
fshed and Billy was cleaning up the dishes
Badeau lighted his pipe and stretched out
in his bunk. Considine was changing his
clothes.
Where re you going?"
There's dance up a. the hail.
You going?
Thought I might"
Say, Bruce. you got to quit drinking"
who's drinking?"
That's all right; you got to quit right
now. If you come back tonight with a drop
aboard I will knock 1t out of you"
Considire hurried out nervously
From In till that night Badeau sat on
the rail and scanned the road across the
dock. Billy was asleep below. 1t was lit
tie after when three figures came down
the street arm In arm, singing song that
could never be popu ar except in a '1um-
Der country" They stood on the dock for
a long time. hugging one another and shak-
ing hands. Then one stumbled toward the
schooner. calling out Goo might, Coo
night He came slowly across the dock.
He knew from past experience the proba-
billy Of plunge overheard unless he aim
ed carefully at the schooner.
A dark figure sat on the rail.
fully lowered himself to the deck. Say,
OF man-ain't mad, are you2 Don be mad"
He tried to touch Badeaus shoulder, but
missed 1t. Hunch rose. gripped his arm
and jerked him clear of the deck. Consi-
dine fell on his back and looked up vague
ly. Then Hunch hammered him until he
showed signs of returning to his senses.
Hunch finished him OF with bucket of
water. At last Considine. limp and crushed.
sat on the cabin roof and breathed re-
morse.
That's all right" said Hunch. Told
you I'd knock II out of you and I'll do 1t
again. too. This Is where you quit drink
ing, understand" And he kicked him down
the gangway and sat out on the deck for
long time alone He was thinking not of
Bruce. but OF the girl with the blue eyes
who was startled when he swore.
CHAPTER II.
At Manitowoc they picked up a load of
laths and shingles consigned to Grand
Haven. and from there they went down to
st. Joe; so that II was nearly week be-
fore they returned to Manistogee During
this time Bruce skunk about, working hard
and drinking water. Badeau himself drank
nothing on this trip.
On Saturday they lay ten miles off Man