Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-06-17

! deserve 1t. bought that whisky from
chandler in Rio. It's drop Of right.
isn't itY'
Here, drop it." said Kettle.
"I'm sorry" said Captain Mulready.
"but you shouldn't have had me on
board. should have been better pic
nicking by myself on Grea. Piton yon-
der. can't make q cheerful ship
mate for you. old man."
"Rrace up" said Kettle.
.By the Lord If I'd only been a day
earlier with that raft" said the other
musingly. Il could have taken her out.
as you have done. and brought her
home. and | believe the firm would
have kept me on There need have
been no inquiry. only delayed that's
all. No one cares so long rs ship
turns up some time.
"lt wouldn't have made any differ.
ence." said Kettle. frowning "Some Of
those lousy Portuguese have been on
board and scoffed all the money"
"What money"
why. what she'd earned-what there
was here in the charthouse drawer
The disheveled man gave Il tired
chuckle. "Oh. that's all right. ! put
In ut Las Pa!mas and transferred 1t to
the bank there and sent bone the re-
ceipt by the B. and A. mailboat to
Liverpool No; I'm pleased enough
about the money. but it's this other
thing | made the bungle of-just being
a day too late with that blasted raft"
Kettle heard a sound and sharply
turned his head. He saw grimy man
in the doorway. Mr.. McTodd," be
said. who the mischief gave you leave
to quit your engine room! Am 10 un
derstand you've been standing there in
that doorway to listen?"
"Her own engineers come back, 30 |
handed her over to him and came on
deck for spell. AS for listening. I've
heard every word that's been said.
Captain Mulready, you have my very
deepest condolences"
"Mr. McTodd," said Kettle, with a
sudden blaze Of fury, "I'm captain OF
this ship, and you're intruding! Get
to Hamlet out of here" He got up and
strobe furiously out of the door, and
McTodd retreated before him.
"Now, keep your hands off me-" said
the engineer when lie had been driven
as far as the end Of the fiddley. I'm
as mad about the thing as yourser.
and | don't mind blowing off few
rounds of temper. | don't know Cap
tain Mulready, and you do, but I'd hate
to see any man all crumpled up like
that if | could help it."
"He could be helped by giving hin
back his ship. and I'd do it if was by
myself. But I've got a Scotch part
ner. and I'm not going to try for the
impossible"
"Dinna abuse Scotland" said Nc
Todd. wagging grinly foretinger. ITS
your ain wife and BARNS you're think
ing about"
81 ought to be, Mac; but, God helI
me, I'm not"
"vera weel," said McTodd. "Then, II
that's the case, skipper. just set yor
down here, and We'll have palaver."
"I'll hear what you've got to say
said Kettle, more civilly. and for the
next half hour the pair Of them talked
as earnestly as only poor men can talk
when they are deliberately making W
their minds to resign solid fortune
which is already within their reach.
And at the end Of that talk Captain
Kettle put out his hand and took the
engineers in heavy grip. Mac" he
said, you're Scotch, but you're gen
tleman right through under your
clothes"
81 was born to that estate, skipper.
and l no more wanted to see yon poor
deevil pulled down to our level than
you do. Better go and give him the
news, and III get our boat in the wa.
ter again and revictualed."
NO" said Kettle; 81 can't stand by
and be thanked. You 60. I'll see tC
the boat"
"Be hanged If l do" said the engi.
neer. write the man letter. You're
great on the writing line. I've seen
you at it."
And so, in the tramp's main cabin be
low. Captain Kettle penned this epis
tie:
To Captain ]. r. Mulready:
Dear Jimmy-Having concluded not to
take the trouble to work Duncansby Head
home. have pleasure in leaving her tc
your charge We. having other game on
hand. have now taken French leave and
shall now bear up for western islands
You've no call to say anything about our
being on board at all Spin your own
yarn II will never be contradicted Yours
truly. o. KETTLE. Master.
n. A McTodd. Chief Engineer. o X.
i. S.-We take along those two dagoes
II you had them. they might talk wher
you got them home. We having them.
they will not talk, so you've only your
own crowd 20 keep from talking. Coco
luck, old tntacks.
Which letter was sealed and nailed
up in conspicuous place before The
lifeboat left en- route for Grand Canary.
1t was the two Portuguese who felt
themselves principally aggrieved men
They had been made to undergo great
deal If work and hardship; they had
been defrauded of much plunder, which
they considered was theirs. for the ben
eft OF an absolute stranger, in whom
they took not the slightest interest, and
finally they were induced mot to talk
by processes which Jared upon them
most unpleasanty.
They did not talk, and In the fullness
of time they returned to the avocation
of shoveling coal on steam vessels. But
when they sit down to think neither
Antonio nor his friend. whose honored
name never learned. regards with af-
lection those little islands in the north
ern sea which produced Captain Owen
Kettle and his sometime partner, MIR.
Neil Angus McTodd. But at the same
time they have very proper and
wholesome awe for the locality and its
inhabitants.
phx.tcollx Not Mentally.