Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-11-02

tones.
What's the trouble here?" he de-
manded, as the officer tried to push by
him on the steps.
Its mutiny, sir!" was the angry re-
ply. Wait till l get my pistol, and I'll
soon settle it,"
The captain looked about him In sur
prise. Tom stood alone on the quarter
deck. and the whole matter was nex
plicable unless the new mate was crazy,
a thought which found ample justiica-
ton in his disordered appearance.
"Mutiny?" he repeated, contemptu-
ously. See here, If you've been drink
ing, Mr.. Rider, don't let 1t happen
again. / can make allowance for sail
ing day, but see ii doesn't happen
again!'
II am as sober as you are" a the
surly reply. That man there! That
Scott whelp! He refused to obey me,
and I'll see whether l am mate OF this
ship or not!"
With one stride the captain reached
his side and thrust his weather. beaten
face close to the mates. giving him a
look before which the other quailed.
Look you!" he said. sharply. When
you speak to me remember l have a
handle to my name, and see you put II
on every time! You must be drunk!"
The mate looked from one to the 9TH
err as If he could not believe his own
senses. What did 1t all mean? Why
did the skipper refuse to side with him
and allow Tom to stand there unmo-
Tested after a~ssaulting his superior Of
ficerl
Seeing he could do nothing but glare
at Tom the skipper turned to the lat
ter n said, coolly;
Its next to impossible to get a sober
man nowadays. The best eamen all
seem to make 1t a business to keep
drunk all the time they are h
After they get out to sea they are all
right"
Captain Coffin" said the mate, step
ping forward, II have not touched a
drop Of liquor today. / ordered this
man to go forward and he resisted me-
ordered hin forwardi Well, that's
a good one!" And the captain broke
into a hoarse chuckle. why, bless me,
but OF course you didn't know! Mr..
Scott is a passenger on the Seabird and
Is going TO Frisco with us. There's an
other down below, a Mr.. Avery. Make
you acquainted With Mr.. Scott. Mr..
Scott, this Is my mate, Mr.. Rider. It's
all my fault not telling him you was
aboard. Kinder funny, wasn't TT"
I'VE don't need any introduction"
said Tom, quickly. II have known Obed
Rider a long time. / don't know any
good Of him, either"
Captain Coffin was surprised, but he
asked nc questions, preferring to wait
until he could see Tom alone. The
mate bit his lip in bafIied rage as he
saw his prey not only removed from
his power, but placed in a position
where he must be treated with out
ward respect at least. He turned on
his heel and went forward, vowing ven
geance under his breath, but not daring
to show his feeling further before the
captain.
$50 you know my mater" then asked
the captain.
Il knew him years ago." replied Tom.
"and we had some trouble. 1t doesn't
matter what II was about, but his nose
got broken, n he hates me as hard
as / do him. He may be a good sailor,
however, and no doubt he Is. He used
to sail with my father"
A hail from the tug saved Tom any
further explanation, and as the cap
tain hustled off to reply Avery came
out OF the cabin and Joined his room
mate, who told him briefly about the
recent trouble, making no mention OF
the original cause OF the enmity be-
tween himself and Rider, for the
charge against his father was too sore
a subject to pass his lips.
BY the time dinner vas over the yes
sci was well down the harbor. When
Boston light was reached the westerly
wind began to freshen, and the sails
stood full. Lines were hastily cast off.
the tugs whistle gave n short blast as
a parting salute, and, with a graceful
nod of her sharp bow In return, the
bark shot toward the open water, with
every square inch of canvas pulling at
the sheets, and the captain rubbing
his horny palms with delight at the
prospect of a fine departure.
John Avery was an old sailor, and
the motion of the vessel caused him no
inconvenience, but Tom was soon
stretched In his bunk, where he re-
NAMED the better part of two days,
while the Seabird flew along before the
favorable gale in a manner which did
not belle her name.
When he managed to get on deck
Cape Cod was more than 300 miles
astern, and already the weather was
beginning to grow milder. A few days
more made him completely well, and
long before the equator was reached
he had acquired quite a professional
roll and felt perfectly at home.
or the mate he saw very little, as
the latter stood watch and watch with
the second officer, being oil deck every
other four hours, night and day. Mr..
Green, the econd mate, was a bright.
active young man about Toms age,
and the two became very friendly as
the Seabird sped steadily to the south
ward.
1t seemed as If old Neptune had made
an extra effort to help the vessel along,
for she escaped the customary Gains
near the line and caught the southeast
trades the same day she lost those
from the northeast which had served
her so well. Nc incident of Importance
occurred to break the monotony of the
voyage, and as they stood by the wheel
one noon when Captain Coffin was TAX
ing his observations he announced that
they were as far south of the line as
boston was north of 1t.
Then he went below to look at the
glass, cast a careful glance around the
horizon, and went below once more,
only to reappear on deck.
There amt a CLOUD in the sky he
said, bluntly, but the glass is going
dropped out of everything. We're 60
ing to catch it, as sure as my name is
Seth Coffin. My glass lever lied to me
yet"
Gradually the wind died out, until the
Seabird lay becalmed, rising and fall
ing on the swell, but the sky remained
clear. The barometer continued to fall
In an alarming manner, and after an
hour the heat became oppressive.
Then from all quarters of the horizon
a mass Of white clouds arose, until they
presented the appearance OF huge
of snow, darkening as they
assembled, and massing together until
they formed a canopy overhead, en-
tirely ~concealing the blue sky above.
they deepened until the whole
heavens were solidly black, as if COW
cred with folds of velvet. In a few
however, the color seemed to
vary to a dark, purplish gray, as one
edge Of an overlapping cloud was ex-
posed.
on deck, and the Seabird was stripped
for the battle with the elements. What
ever his other faults. Obed Rider was