The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-06-14

1t was the small boy he had seen on
the upper deck few minutes before.
NO" growled the man, leaning again
over the rail.
The boy moved nearer and leaned
over beside him. Waters pretty, isn't
it?"
There was no answer. After a mo-
ment the boy began again, Say, isn't
it?"
"S'pose So"
Again there was silence. Near the
man was fastened to the rail a small
dial, with tiny revolving wheel, and
from this twirling string led far out
into the water behind.
The boy came around to the other
side Of the man and near this instru-
ment. "How many miles have they
made today? Did fine yesterday, the
captain said"
A faint look of interest passed over
the mans face. "Most time to take the
record now," he muttered.
They both bent over the instrument;
their heads were close together; they
The man forgot other things for a mo-
ment.
Then great foghorn Of a voice
sounded near. "What are you doing
thereT'
They Strengthened up and faced the
second mate, a big, powerful man,
whose usually good natured face wore
a fierce frown Of disapproval.
Get out of that, you. What you
roun' here for anyway? Get back there
quick. If you touched it, ZIP He
drew nearer to the instrument.
A sardonic SMILE unseen by the mate,
came to the mans face. AS he turned
away his hands rested on the railing
for an instant. How easy to vault it!
What surprise to the mate, whose
words had been comparatively gentle!
What q sensation for the passengers!
He balanced himself for the plunge,
when the boy spoke. The man had for
gotten the boy. He was leaning against
him now, the curls Of his thrown back
head touching the mans soiled shirt
sleeves, while he eXpostulated with tho
mate.
"NOw. look a-here. .'Twasnt his
fault. asked him to show me. We
never touched it. 'Tisn't hurt bit,
now, is itY"
Tile mate Strengthened up from his
examination. "GO round there" he
ordered the man again. and the sailor
skunk away. Then to the boy, you
mustn't touch things like this or l shall
tell the captain not to let you go over
the ship"
"No. | won't. 'Pon my word won't"
cried the boy. Then, turning he ran
after the man. who had dropped upon
the deck some distance away and was
staring at the sea with a perplexed
face.
Hes q nice man," explained the
boy slipping down beside him and
nodding his head in the direction Of
the mate, ''only he has got an awful
voice. Yelled just like that once when
got on top of the engine house. He
doesn't mean it."
NO" answered the man, still gazing
at the sea.
The boy looked slyly up at him once
or twice, then drew a piece of rope
from his pocket. Say" he smiled in
sinuatingly, lone of the sailors told
me you could tie more knots than any
other fellow aboard. Show me how,
won't your
The man took the rope and with
mechanical fingers began to teach the
boy how to make the simplest knots.
The mate came by presently and look
ed at them from beneath his bushy
brows, but passed on without speak
ing.
"My," the boy exclaimed once in
honest admiration, don't you know a
lot! l bet you could beat the captain.
Whered you learn 'em all?"
ooh, | knowed some of 'em when I
was a kid" answered the man, and he
went Oil tying more.
1t was an absorbing lesson, made so
by the boys eagerness and the mans
increasing interest. Suddenly a shrill
whistle sounded through the air. The
boy looked up. His father beckoned
to him from the deck above, and the
boy rose TO his feet.
"I've got to CO." he said, "but I'll be
practicing some Of 'em, and you can
show me the rest next time"
He started to run along the deck,
stuffing the rope In his pocket. But he
had only gone a few steps when he
suddenly turned and came trotting
back. He stopped near the man a lit
tie uncertainty, pulling vigorously at
the frayed end Of the rope.
"Say, say, you didn't mind what the
mate said, did you? He didn't mean to
be cross. They just have to boiler that
way"
The man did not speak. Again the
whistle sounded. The boy turned, but
persisted over his shoulder:
"You didn't mind, did your
Then the man laughed, a strange,
sudden laugh. "No, l didn't mind"
And the boy sped away.
Then the change of stokers came, and
the man was called below. He went I'M
grudgingly and promptly. AS he passed
beneath the upper deck the boy, who
was standing there, leaned over and
waved, and the man lifted his hand to
! is hatless head in salute. The memo
ry Of the orchard and stone step, Of the
apples and doughnuts, was still with