Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-07-02

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savior. It seemed that Alexander
Bird, the younger brother, had been
running q 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
nounced his purchase to Isaac. declar-
ing 1t as an instance Of his fine busi-
ness instincts. Isaac set 1t down to
whisky, and recriminations followed.
Alexander in huff said he would 60
out and overlook the salvage opera
tions In person. But forthwith Alex
ander. still in his cups. gets to brawl-
Ing and is next discovered in hospital
with broken thigh.
IT 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 1t. But
there 1t Is; money paid, and I've had to
borrow. And engaging that Italian
firm for the job was the best thing
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.
"'But stay say to myself. You
have Kettle. He Is down in the Red
sea now doing well. You had all along
Intended to promote him. Do 1t 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 of conventional
ly enough with the statement that the
writer was Captain Kettles truly and
ended in postscriptum tag to the ef-
feet that the envoy should still draw
his 2iH per cent on net results. The ac-
tual figures had evidently not been con-
ceded 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
q 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 straw up the
middle; he uncorked 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 1t was Tazzuchi who
presented the Virginias, he took 1t 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, 1t ap-
peared, got Off her course in q 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
of with their lives in the boats. Those
that got away found themselves in q
gale, and when they were picked up
could only give her whereabouts vague
ly. However, they stated that the Gre
clans mast trucks remained above the
water surface, and this fact was
brought out strongly by the auctioneer
who sold the wreck and had due infiu.
ence on the enterprising Alexander.
The salvage steamer wandered for
several days among an intensely dan
gerous archipelago and many times
over had narrow escapes from piling
up her bones on one or another Of those
reefs with which the Red sea in that
quarter abounds. Tazzuchi navigated
her in an ecstasy Of nervousness, and
Kettle, who regarded himself as pas.
senger for the time being, kept pri-
vate store Of food and water bottles
handy and saw that one Of the quarter
boats was ready for hurried lowering.
But nowhere did they see those much
talked about mast trucks. They did
not sight SO much as a scrap Of float
ing wreckage.
There seemed, however, a good many
dhow coasters lodging about In and
among the reefs, and from these Ket.
tie presently drew q deduction.
"Look here" he said to Tazzuchi one
morning. "what prevents those gentry
ashore from having found the wreck
already? l guess they aren't out here
taking week end trippers for sixpenny
yachting cruises"
"No," said Tazzuchi, "and they are
not iishing."
"Well, l give you the tip for what It's
WORTH" said Kettle, and that afternoon
the steamer was run up alongside a
dhow. which tried desperately to es-
cape. Her captain was dragged on
board, and at that juncture Captain
Kettle took upon himself to go below.
He knew what would probably take
place, and, though he disapproved Of
such methods strongly, he felt he could
not interfere.
But presently came noise Of bel
lowing from the deck above, and then
that was followed by shrill screams as
the upper gamut Of agony was reached.
Kettle was prepared for rough han
ding, but at information gained by ab-
solute torture he drew the line. 1t was
clear that these cruel beggafs Of Ital-
ians were going too far.
"By James," he muttered to himself.
"owners or no owners, I can't stand
thisp, And he atarted hurriedly to go