The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-06-21

Ever near OF me! My nfSt name Is
Mister Remember that"
The men-all but the negro cook
shifted their feet uneasily and dropped
their eyes when his searching glance
met them. But the cook returned his
stare.
81 think, sir" said Martin, you'll
find us all right. I've sailed three W.
+ ages VII Captain Haskins."
1.-TWO and ahalf too many. And right
here, old man, let me say to you I've
no use for townies aboard ship. The
less you have to say about Tompkins-
vile the better for you. Go forrard
the lot of you
They obeyed him, with misgiving in
their faces, though Captain Haskins
smiled his delight. Here was the right
kind of a mate. But for few days,
during which the brigantine put to sea,
nothing further occurred to further sat
isfy his yearnings or justify the mis-
givingS of the men. Mr.. Arbuckle
proved his efficiency as an officer. In
navigation he was superior to Captain
HaskinS and in seamanship above the
criticism of old Martin, an erudite fore
castle lawyer. The men, too, impress
ed by his certain mastery of his profess
sion and jealous to please an officer
they respected, forestalled the first be-
ginnings of disapproval until Tom, an
intelligent young fellow, fresh from the
navy, answered command with Very
good, SIR" instead of the "Aye, aye,
sir" of the merchant service. Obvious
ly no self respecting officer could brook
such an offense, so Tom was promptly
knocked down, stepped upon, kicked in
the face and instructed.
81 want none of your dashed man
of-war etiquette herew said the mate
sternly as the dazed sailor arose. CAN
swer me properly or I'll cut the liver
out Of you! Hear me? Come now,
what d'you say?"
"Aye, aye, sir!" stammered Tom, too
astonished, as well as disabled, to re-
sent this treatment He was not COW
ardly, but no sane man merely resents
the assaults of tiger, and Tom pos
Sessed the man-of-War mans respect
for authority.
Jerry, an lriShman, was next to be
disciplined. lie spilled some tar on the
dingy old deck and was called down
from aloft, collared, choked, pressed
downward and his nose rubbed in the
sticky tar. Then he was reduced to
aches and contusions. But the nation
al sense of injury was strong in Jer-
ry, and he had never served in the ma
Wy. He turned on the officer and
fought him until rendered unconscious.
Then he was carried to his bunk and
nursed back to life by Captain Has
kins, who read him lecture on insub-
ordination and outwardly approved of
his punishment = outwardly, because
the misgivings of the men had reached
to the captain and We're sorely conflict
ing with his inward yearnings.
Dutch Ned's turn came next. A shift
of wind caught the jibs aback, and
Ned at the wheel, was blamed.
Il was put der wheel hard up, sir"
he said in answer, "but she no steerage
way have right away, sir.'
DRY up, you black jowled Ethiopi-
an" yelled the angry Mr. Arbuckle.
Talk back to me, will you?" Then
it was painful-Ned was taught his
place. But when he had learned it he
could not see, and another man steered
his trick. Captain Haskins was non
committal.
In the freezing weather off Cape
Horn John, SWede, fell from the icy
fore topgallant yard, struck the upper
tnnSai1 rl horIn1AH To hn tor
sail yard and held ON. But he had
dropped the HEAVIER which he had TAX
en- aloft, and this fell perilously close
to Mr.. Arbuckle's head. Descending
painfully, with broken ribs and bleed
ing face, his answers to Mr. Arbuckle
at the rail were not such in Conference
and respectful tone as to convince the
gentleman of Johns innocence in drop
ping the HEAVIER so close to him. So
John was further crippled with the
HEAVIER, which the mate had secured.
Captain Haskins did what he could for
the sufferer and then reasoned with
the mate. His crew was small, he
said, and it was unwise to have more
than one man disabled at once, for,
though Dutch Ned could now see, Jer-
ry was unable to pull ropes or steer.
This advice might have prevailed,
for Mr.. Arbuckle possessed fairly
logical mind. But unluckily he COM
muned with George, weakminded,
lanky youth of the crew, whom he
called aft to keep him company on o
clear moonlight night. He asked the
young man about his history, his plans,
hopes and prospects, and the tiattered
weakling responded. He was men,.
Der of the Salvation Army. he said, not
q sailor, and he had signed with Cap
tain Haskins at the behest of his su-
periors as practical means of saving
souls, for sailors ashore were hard to
reach, and the Army had few converts
among them. But he had achieved lit
tie with this crew. The spirit of the
Lord was not with them. They were
irreverent. profane and revengeful in
spite of his prayers and exhortations.
And this led to the object of the inter-
view.
"Revengeful? repeated the mate.
"What about? Are they after me?"
SWELL no, sir, not that; but they say
spiteful things"
"About me? What do they say? Tell
me, boy. I've been your friend. | saw
Mt the start that you We're different
from that crowd"
'It's not all of them, sir" said the
fatuous youth. but Martin says that
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