The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-17

Liverpool, answered Bennett modestly-
In answer to the Tudor's demand, the
Miltiades' skipper raised a big hand IN
depreciation
.'Phewt'' he said: and who's to pay
for the coal what's used in steamlng,
the grubbing of two days, and pay Tor
all hands, d like to know; ana wear
and tear Of my steamer Besides, ne
added, with a grin and chuclzle, do
unto others as others I'D do unto you
If they got half a chance"
Isn't ESQ sufficient" cried Bennett,
with some indignation.
Don't leave scarce 10 margin for
profit answered the other man coolly:
III tell you what I viii do. For 600
I'll take all risks of weather and so on
Your cargo must be worth all of 3IO,-
900. As for the ship-well, she amt
what I'd call a beauty; SO we won't
say much about her Anyhow, she q
fetch a couple OF thousand sold as old
scrap iron. Amt my offer fair2
It's an almighty pickle, m uttered
Bennett, for the Miltiades' skipper had
struck home. the Tudor's cargo of
$4,000 cases of oranges was worth 9l0,-
600 to the owner But this was the
point If Bennett refused a tow, and
landed a bad cargo through delay
caused by his broken shaft, he would
get the blame and a permanent holt
day; on the other hand, accepting as
sistance and arriving home with a clean
cargo, he might be able to dispense
with the holiday and keep his job
clllls Lne coup Was very very 0OuDtAOA
The sword of Damocles could not be
held by a finer hair.
Bennett signalIed to Jameson, who
stood beneath the bridge coolly grin
ming, and when he reached the top Of
the ladder the skipper ardently ex-
horted him to promise steam in Il
hours. or even 20. But the engineer
would not make any promises He did
not see why he should kill himself with
work to save another mans neck. and
said aloud something about more
jobs than church steeples. At this
Bennett spouted up an indigestible ad-
jective, and treated the engineer to
many vivid and Ightninglize prayers
concerning rotten engines and unlucky
tramp steamboat shippers
Jameson did not resent the language.
On the contrary, it gave him a twinge
of SatiSfa ctiOn, and he dropped a re-
mark about being in the same box
which insinuation brought wildly to
Bennet's mind visions of trampinS
MOsiey street and QuaySide in Geofd1e-
land, and Water street in Liverpool
looking for a snip, armed with thick
soled boots and much strong language,
and a few small pence borrowed from
hard up landlady to buy biscuits and
beer. 1t was in the middle of these bad
dreams that the Miltiades' skipper i'm
patiently hailed the bridge of the
Tudor
My old steamboat amt going to wait
here all night for your coffee mill,
time his engines a touch ahead and
steering his vessel close to the Tudor
What's the decision?"
Three hundred and fifty" answered
Bennett nervously.
s.Thank'ee very much" came the
hooking reply. Then the oranges will
be perfectly rotten before they gets
'ome if you wait for my services. Good
night and he put his hand to the tel
egraph
-Four hundred shouted Bennett, des-
perately. Come. that's a fair and
1t is replied the warriors master
sarcastically. It's simply monstrous;
and you'd better eat your oranges rath-
er than chuck 'em away
Before he had finished speaking his
propeller was churning the blue water
astern to a frothy milk, and Bennett
watched the immense square stern of
the Ailtiades as it Wabbled slowly past
the Tudor's stern He held his breath
for one impatient minute; then he
baw1ed at the top of his voice, I'll
make it 8700."
The other steamer wallowed round,
and her screw ceased working A ships
length distant from the broken down
tramp her skipper called triumphant
ly:-
Eight hundred. Not cent less"
The unfortunate Bennett saw it as his
last chance, and glance at the uncom-
Portable northwest fastened his declS-
ion.
I'll take you at that" he groaned. 7
might as well be hung for a sheep as
lamb; and if I get booted out by the
owner I'll lay the result at your door"
You may come to me for a job,
jeered the hairy faced man, IF he sacks
you. I shall be wanting a trustworthy
man for this ship after this paying job;
for I'll retire Send a boat with your
hawsers and We'll connect your old or
ange box on to my ship"
Bennett, with deep forebodings, put
out a boat and passed his steel wires
to the Miltiades.
III
They had not been more than six
hours in tow before no less than a half
dozen steamers came out of the south
ern horizon and passed into the north
Bennett, on the bridge, watched them
with glowering and hungry eyes, and
as they passed cursed the folly that led
him to accept assistance in such haste.
Here, from this host of vessels, he could
have chosen a most respectable tow.
with E200 as a. limit, and Matthew
Walker was the man to know it. There
was absolutely no excuse for his pay
ing such an extravagant sum as $500
Bennett almost prayed that a gale
would come. 1T would save my bacon.
if anything could" he mumbled- But
the weather obstinately kept fine. He
went to Jameson for sympathy, and
cOnfided to him his thoughts. The engI-
neer became quite hearty Friends IN
distress make sorrow the less" he said
He even grinningly asked Bennett for
the promise of a chiefs job in the Mil
tiades when he should take her over,
and tried to bargain for els a month
wages. Indeed, he seemed to take