The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-17
THE TWO TRAMPS.
IFrom Chambers Journal

deck planks of the bridge and listened
to the adorned tale OF the engineer with
a. superabundance of patience The sur
plus expression of Mr.. Jameson was at
times particularly appalling, and cover
ed more than half of his story The
pith of it was this: The crank shaft of
the tramp Tudor had long since seen
and ended its better days, and having
lately been severely worked by the hard
driven engines had, from sheer and ut
ter WEAKNESS of an overtaxed old age.
fallen into sections on the flooring of
the engine rOOom-
When the expansive account was fin
ished, Captain Bennett put a question
to the engineer:
Can you fix her M and how long
would the job take2''
The engineer thoughtfully applied a
wad Of grease black waste to his per
spring forehead to awaken his intellect.
leaving a beautiful coal-colored mark
where he had rubbed, and then an
swered:
Impossible to say how long the job
would take TO fix"
Then wen need to look out for
tow2" asked the captain, and raised his
search of any steamer that it seemed
probable they would have to call upon
for assistance.
That's what you'd better do" an
swered the engineer surlily; and he
shaded his eyes and gazed into the far
of afternoon sunlight. seeing the word
sack written large over his job in the
Tudor I've done the best l cam, he
added after a pause. rye driven her
a clean ten knots right through from
affa-and-confound it'd have done
it all the way to Liverpool but for that
lazy lump of a second"
"Well, it's no earthly use crying over
spilled milk" said the philosophical
tramp skipper.
Spilled machinery, you mean
groWled the irate Jameson.
He seated himself on the casing of a
steam winch pipe to consider the sit
uation, and stared glOOmily into the
depths of purple that ran in swollen
periods across the bay; while Bennett
paced the tramp's deck forward of the
chartroom, Tuning at the fate that had
brought his ship to a standstin, and
waiting for a definite decision from the
Look here sir said that worthy
mechanic; 4 might get her to go under
one engine. 1t has been known to be
done. Only once she started she'd have
to keep on going, and you couldn't go
astern. Stop her, and we'd be long
enough in starting her afresh."
And If you can't manage the one en-
CINE business" inquired Bennett.
WED have to fit another shaft We
have a spare one in the No. hold
GO ahead, then, Mr.. Jameson that's
the tune Try her at that.
Then the engineer STROBE away, and
and while below, the levers and ma
chinery worked to the jerk of kissing
steam, and much personal enunciation
fiOated up to the captains ears, he
watched anxiOusly for any solitary puff
of smoke or sign of a steamer In front
of the foremost head he had hOiSted two
cork tenders as intimation to vessels
that his ship was not under control;
though, indeed, no vessels came their
way. For two hours the Tenders had
swung lazily to the hes'-e of the Tudor
when Jameson came on the bridge and
delivered his verdict in rusty voice,
and Bennett listened with the feelings
of despair that comes to a man who
sees his only means of livelihood flying
from him.
ITS no USE" said the engineer. I'VE
can't get the cylinder to work Wen
have Ia to mend the job. u, Ia like all hands
If l can have them The job may take
three days, or it may be a week"
Hang it, muttered Bennett, sticking
his hands deep in his pockets. "A week.
And the oranges will be rotten before
we get home Just the luck Of a first
voyage skipper
During the dark hours the Tudor. with
two red lights swinging from her mast
head lamp halyards tumbled about the
ugly seas of Biscay Bay in grim So
lemnity and loneliness.
Two gaunt and very ragged looking
trysails and staysails ballOoned from
her spencer and fOreStays. Such sails
would hardly have been of use to an
up to date mail boat, much less to the
Tudor, built she was on the splen-
did lines of the average dividend pay
ing tramp; indeed, she provokingly
turned her fiat bows to all points Of
the compass, and wallowed and po1ed
in the shimmering crested sWells the
whole night through.
Her enraged skipper watched her
movements as he paced athwart the
bridge. His anxiety grew as time
dragged on, and not without cause. The
barometer was falling, and the clouds
heaping up in the northwest.
About midnight, when the breeze
gathered heart, two sailing ships came
out of the north, and crept swiftly
with a red eye gleaming from each hull
until they worked abaft the Tudor's
beam, then vanished like weird spec
tres. But no steamer came, and the
night trailed through to dawn and day
light.
Not until the Tudor had lain at her
own sweet Will full "A hours did any
thing show up to lessen Captain Ben
nets anxiety. It came in the shape
or a tub-boWed, at-bOttomed, stump
masted, rolling, big tramp. that wal
lowed up from the southwark through
the long seas. dipping her ugly nose
as she came, ard exhibiting q round
rusty side to the glinting red Of tine
sinking sun.
The stranger. no doubt seeing the
signals flying from the Tudor's mast
head and span, and interpreting them
as the promise of something that lay
rich to his hand. sent be1ehes of smoke
from his lean and five cOlOred funnel
and bore down to the helpless ship
with all his might. He came shooting
to within a mile OF the Tudor. then
slowed his engines and rolled slowly to
within a couple of ships lengths of
her
What's the matter, cap'in? Engines
broken doWn2''
There was grim smile of confident
satisfaction on the hairy face of the
interlocutor. He gave the man at the
wheel an order. and the tramp seethed
a few yards closer; then he revealed
himself a big stout, pompous individ-
ual and leaned over the bridge rail-
ing while he rubbed a pair OF broad
larry palms together.