Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-06-20
THE CABIN BOY.
BY EDEN PHILLpoTTs.

No-cant say much In the wig d
adventures comes to q craft tradin' IN
old bones and such like sundrie,
tween Southampton an Cardiff, but
rum things happen now an again, even
on q coaster. For instance, the cabin
boy us got from Penzance.
The Copperhead was a topsail
schooner. and Bassett was master and
Price Evans mate. bein' a chap WI a
face like an old fgurehead-a deep
man, silent an much give to bis own
thoughts, which weren't none too pleas
ant most times by the countenance Of
un. Chips, our carpenter, reckoned as
Evans was a petticoat troubled man,
an certainly his lady, Is comsd down
to the docks now an agnin to see un
of from Cardiff. was q bit too capa-
cious in her lines an 'ful!-blown every
way to be wife for q peace-ioving
man. Red In the gills likewise, wi .
voice similar to the crack @ down
which doubtless 1t were to Evans.
Twas arter we'd put into Penzance
three voyages running as Tommy Bates
coined aboard for cabin boy. Evans
had got rid Of Bill Davies, as was no
sort Of use on ship for certain, an
Tommy seemed all right ap' willing,
though a greenhorn. Mate, he'd catch
ed sight O. the lad loafn' on penzance
quay. an shipped US right away. We
was gwaine up along to Southampton
that time, an the lad-a guide, spry
youngster-got his fust dose O weather
of Portland Bill, wheer 1t blawed fur
lous. He wasn't too happy, On us
never seed I'm In the fo'c'sle, for Evans
gived US a shake-down aft. Rut us all
liked I'm very well, an reckoned he'd
make tidy seaman some day; an
Evans took amazing kind to nm also.
Bein' jealous cuss, he hated To see the
boy friends wi'anybo dy else, an allus
KEEP him away when he could; but
Tommy weern't by no means 10 fond
of the mate, as the mate 'peared to be
Of him, an | fancy he took delight in
getting the wool fairly of Of Evans.
Us had a Dago aboard-a mongrel.
bred chap from Lard he knaws wheer,
but 50 guide a Daso as ever sailed
with; an Evans hssed un, an lo.nmy
liked I'm, which GO matey sore an
crooked in his spec ia as a bested TOM
cat. An Tommy vaok awful kind to
Chips too; which didn't make Evans
no happier, seem aim an Chips were
old enemies. In fact, the damn boy
worked spell on Evans, an he'd pre-
tend to be gruft as an old owl wi un,
an really he was ~ fond Of the lad as
though he'd beea Ais own cheeld. On
cold days he'd call Tommy In his cabin
out the wet, an give un baccy, no
doubt, an many s0ig out Of Ii pri-
vate bottle; so ua coined to have
.heories pom 1t, al Dago Judged as
Tommy was the mates son In sober
though sesin' his greet grey
Eyes an purity yellow hair twas easy
q see he took arteH his mother. We'll,
Is mostly reckonet that Dago was
light In his surmiss; an one day
lxed Tom plump nut II twas SO, an
lie laughed, an tn. bright eyes shined
n the purity face Of I'm, an he said,
Maybe | am; maybe ban't.'
So. of course, US judged 1t must be
o, an reckoned tae cat fair out the
,ag. But we was strong all the same,
m the truth coined out laer-a purity
armed coorious thing, too.
Time passed, an we was off the Isle
I Wight at last, after long, tetious
oyage. Me an Chips, 1t being our
,atch below, was just smoking an walt
az for dinner, when somebody sings
ut MAN Awverboard!" Us tumbles
n deck to find 'tweern't no man at all,
ut the blessed boy; an, fore the Cop
erhead coined up, an us dropped a
oat on the lee side, Evans was In the
after. He could swim like porpolse,
n got to the lad fore he'd been In the
"a half a minute; an we was purity
lppy too, | assure e. Me an Dago
nd Chips took the boat, an soon got
longside the pair Of 'em, though a
asty sea was runnln' for such job.
ommy was startin' up out o the wat
n cruel, an Evans had grabbed un an
Etched hold his neck like vice. Then
10 an Chips got 'en both in the boat,
nile Dago ker' her head up against
,e seas, an artei - klcklish time OF 1t
g fetched the Ice Of the ship again,
4 glad to get therrtoo.
They rugged a lire an took Tom an