The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-25
who was aboard the Provocation at the

time 81 - -t&t.a---
The chief sat in silence, adiniring how
that Chief Engineer Bulstrode was made.
l do not know how the young poet will
treat the new Canterbury Tales. Perhaps
like first-class bowler, he will mix 'em a
bit; but I will follow on with another
knock at the door story. 1t was told me
by the commander.
The commander OF cruiser is the cpl
tome Of concentrated energy. You cannot
get up too early to find him about, tele-
scope under arm and rubber boots on
sloshing round on the wet decks; you can
not sit up late enough to be sure he is not
nosing about somewhere-in fact, he is the
man that never sleeps. He is the bugbear
OF the crew. all and sundry; hence the
point to his story.
| THE COMMANDERS TALE,
There was a b'swain knew, McAlis-
ter by name. who Unexpectedly came into
a small fortune-just enough capital TO
bring him in interest ESQ or e1O0 year.
You may be sure he was not long in quit
ting the service and taking to the beach,
| where he secured for himself snug little
cottage as many thousand miles away from
salt water as II Is possible for man to get
In England. When he got settled comforta-
bly, he employed boy to come to his door
every morning at $50 and knock"
The commander paused. and l meekly
| suggested that the bo'swain / took ii,
wished to arise at the old o'clock of the
ship.
"Oh. dear. no. not at ALL" objected the
commander. THE boy was instructed 10
say. when he Knocked. Please, sir, the
commander wants you.' whereupon every
morning the now free bo'swain had the joy
Of singing out in his grardest voice:
ill.,"
True bill brought in by the marine who
knew the boy
Having quoted the marine officer. other
wise THE Soldier" so often it is but right
that should now give him his turn. The
Soldier when he was not called the SOL
der was called The Third Form Boy"
owing to his elephantine idea of humor and
sort of short tailed sportiveness that be.
tokened one very. very young Ii was
sight for the gods TO see his look awful i'm
portance as he strutted up and down scru-
tinizing his men. It is hard for third
form boy to look important. But some
where he had acquired one pretty good
yarn.
THE THIRD FORM BOYS TALE.
Ever hear how Abbott-major now.
but was then only a loo-gave himself
away to Featherstonehaugh. owner of the
Marauder?" (The wardroom always calls
the captain owner abbott was the
deucedest fellow for asking for leave l
ever knew. No sooner did he smell land
than he was determined to get on the
beach. Now you know those sand banks
that lie off the east coast of Gnomen
right out of sight. of land. / should saw
quite sixty miles from the beach. isn't
it,?
The navigator nodded assent.
We'll. one afternoon, when Abbott had
turned In for snooZe, what does the
owner do but run bang into one of the
banks. The shock woke Abbott up, and
when he hears that the engines are
stopped and thf ship not moving, he
other, don't you know, grabs his hat, and
without asking any Questions or looking
about him. dashes up to the bridge and
asks leave of the captain to go ashore"
They court martialed FeatherstOne-
hnugh for what he did to Abbott, didn't
they?" queried the sub.
Yes" answered the Third Form Bow.
but they acquitted him after hearing the
circumstances. But the deuce of 1t is that
since that happened captains quo ., it as
precedent: say they're entitled Is heaye
a soldier overheard at any time. didn't
you know
This tale was sworn to by every meal
Der of the wardroom.
Now, l was assured by the tellers Sf the
tales and also by the marine that these
tales are not only true. but new. and I
have no hesitation in saying that | be-
lieve them to be as new as they are true.