The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-03-15

the western terminus of the Canadian
Pacific Railway. / was feeling pretty
good, because, since my last visit, my
investment of $500 in town lots had
turned itself into Il good 81, 500 with the
growth of the city. And as to the
Daisy, well. l wasn't going to let that
swink Jones crow over me. He com
manded the Breeze, four-masted bark,
bigger than the Daisy, but with moth
ing of her sailing qualities. He had
got some new fancy patent topsls. and
was trying to make the merchants be-
HeYe that he'd be unloading in London
River before was round the Horn. He
was good talker, was Jones, and made
himself out a proper hero, especially
among the women, who, bless their
souls don't know a man when they see
one unless he has got torpedo beard
and apes the naval officer. Anyway
Jones Dragging made me so sick that
challenged him to start the same day
we were both finishing our loads-and
race me home for $500 a side. He
wanted to back out. but the challenge
was made at the shipping office before
crowd of masters and merchants, and
Jones had talked to such an extent that
his friends forced him to stand up to
me like a man. I've heard since that
he was in desperate hard straits, so
much so that the loss of that bet would
mean sheer ruin to him; but he had
talked too much, and the Vancouver
people would have chaffed the life out
of him If he tried to sing small before
me. We planked down the stakes, the
first man home to cable to the stake
holder, claiming the whole amount
Then, l guess, Jones felt sick. Bar ac
cidents. the man couldn't possibly beai
me sailing, and never suspected fou
play; such a thing never entered my
head. was short of bo's'n, my mat
having run from the ship, and there
was not one of the forGinast hands whC
could sairly claim the job. They wer,
good as sailormen go, the best dozen o
them, but a really frst-class bo's'I
could have given points to the lot. Now
Jones had a regular champion. a Por
tugee. who'd learned his trade whaling
anu lollO0tu Auhl w uuuSI the DtS
masters in the deep sea trade. SO whel
he came to see me the day before
was to sail, l listened to all he had t
say about Captain Jones-which WASH
exactly compliments. l couldn't tel
him to run from his present ship, in
deed, as in duty bound, l advised hir
sOlemnly to do no such thing; but di
drop a hint that I'd pick up valuabl
Inen who'd run from such masters a
Jones, and slowed away in the Daisy
Sure enough, before I'd been day on
found Diego Ramirez aboard of m'
mighty poor in spirit, humble and will
ing. Naturally, l wasn't going to los
time handing the man over to Jones, S
signed him on the books as A. b. Il
soon proved the best sailorman in II
ship; such a good man. in fact, that m
own people weren't jealous when pr
NOTED him over their heads, and mao
him bo's'n. / was proud of Diego r
mirez. If I'd only knownl
We started fair, Jones and l, and O
the city turned out to see the start.
1T.OOO-mile race Is out of the commO
the papers were full Of it, and at Il
time when we cast Off the tugs the be
ting was five to three on Jones. toe
care to be abreast when we passed Il
city of Victoria; took more care viii
we ran down the Straits of Fuca that