The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-07-18

j regular ton. But I thought perhaps
son'd like your own home ways best,
Ind SO I've ordered the ships chandler
ashore to send off a case of Scotch,
Ind sent also for some London pic
4 Hes. know how you English like
I FOUR pickles.
4 In fact, all that q man could do in.
he of outward attention Taz-
iuchi did, but somehow or other Cap
Jain Kettle got suspicion of him
rom the very first moment of their
meeting.
| Perhaps it was because the civility
| vas a little unexpected and even effu-
| live. Putting himself in the Italians
place, Kettle certainly would not have
zone out, Of his way to be pleasant to
} foreigner who was sent practically
10 supersede him in command
But perhaps q second letter which
ae had received had something to do
with this hostile feeling. It was from
the same hand which had written the
FIRMS formal letter, but it was couchel
IN quite a different vein. Isaac Bird
was evidently scared for his very COM
mercial existence and he thrust out
Ills arms to Kettle on paper as his only
savior. It seemed that Alexander
Bird, the younger brother, had been
running little wild of late. The
wreck of the Grecian had been put up
to auction. Alexander strolled into
the room by accident and bought at an
eXOrbitant figure. He came and an
bounced his purchase to Isaac, declar-
ing it as an instance of his fine bust
| hess instincts. Isaac set it down to
whisky, and recriminations followed.
Alexander in a huff said he would 20
but and overlook the salvage opera
tons in person. But forthwith Alex
nnder, still in his cups, gets to brawl-
Ing and is next discovered in hospital
with broken thigh.
II have found Alexander's depart
ment Of the business very tangled"
wrote Isaac, "and the thought Of this
new complication drove me near crazy.
Salvage is out Of our line. Alexander
should never have touched it. But
there it is; money paid, and Eve had to
borrow. And engaging that italian
firm for the job was the best thing l
could manage. What English firms
wanted was out Of all reason. L don't
wonder at Lloyd's selling wrecks for
anything they will fetch. A pittance
In cash is better than getting into the
hands of these sharks. And what guar
antee have that the firm will see even
the money outpaid again, let alone rea-
sonable interest? None.''
There were several words erased here,
and the writer went on with what was
evidently considered a dramatic finish.
"sBut stay I say to myself. You
have Kettle. He is down in the Red
sea now doing we'll. You had all along
INTENDED to promote him. Do it now
and set him to overlook this Italian
salvage firm while the new boat is
building. He is the one to see that
Isaac Birds foot doth not fall, for Cap
tain O. Kettle is a godly man Also"
The letter was shut off conventional
ly enough with the statement that the
writer was Captain Kettles truly and
ended in a postscriptum tag to the eff
feet that the envoy should still draw
his 219 per cent on net results. The ac-
| tual figures had evidently not been con-
coded without a mental wrench, as the
erasion beneath them showed.
However, although in his recent pros
perity Kettle had assumed hatred for
risks and bred a strong dislike for all
| those commercial adventures which lay
beyond the ordinary rut and routine
of trade, he took up his duties on the
salvage steamer with stout heart and
a cheerful estimate for the future
Murray footed him cheerful fareWells
on the Parakeet's siren as the little
Italian salvage boat steamed out of
Alden harbor, and ensigns were dipped
with due formality. Tazzuchi was all
hospitality. He invited Kettle to DAM
age his palate with a black Italian
Virginia" cigar with a straw up the
middle; he uncorked a bottle of the
Scotch whisky and put it ready for ref.
erence when his guest should feel
athirst.
Kettle accepted it all with a dry
civility. He had every expectation of
upsetting this mans plans for robbery
later on. Though it was Tazzuchi who
presented the Virginias, he took it for
granted that Messrs. Bird, Bird & Co.
had paid for them, and he was not
averse to accepting little luxury from
the firm.
The wreck Of the Grecian was out of
the usual steam lane. She had, it ap-
peared, got off her course in a fog, two
OF her compartments had been stove in.
and then she had been steered for the
shore in the wild attempt to beach her
before she sank. She had ceased float
ing, however, with some suddenness,
and when the critical moment came
not all Of her people managed to scrape
off with their lives in the boats. Those
that got away found themselves in a
gale, and when they were picked up
could only give her whereabouts vague
". However, they stated that the Gre
clans mast trucks remained above the