Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-12-02


surveyed them calmly for a moment
and said:
u thought would come and wake
you-all up. When you gets on your
toys, come on deck. You must be
hungry by this time"
Seymour looked at him doubt
fully.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"First mate" said the man.
First mate of what? You don't
look like pirate"
The man laughed with chuckle
which rumbled from the depths of a
massive chest.
Guess you gents is bit Mixed"
he said. Forgotten me, hev We? I'm
first mate of the schooner Sam Wal
kerr You knew me last night all
right"
sYou have slipped my memory
since," said Seymour. "Where are
we, and where are we supposed to
be going?"
"Come on deck,' said the first
mate. ut is hot below. Come on
deck and meet Captain Parker.
Prob'ly you know him BETTER" and
the sailor opened the door and went
away.
"Well, what do you think of this ."
said Seymour as he sat down on the
edge of the bunk to collect his
thoughts. ''Do you know anything
about it, Bender?"
"Not q thing" said that gentle
man. Il remember meeting some
sailor men somewhere. That's ALL"
They stumbled through passage
way and up narrow fight of stairs.
A draught of fresh night air struck
their faces and was delightfully."- cool
and refreshing. The outline of a
short, stocky seaman, with a CLEAN
OF gold braid on shoulders and cap,
was silhouetted at the head of the
winding stairs. He stepped forward
as Seymour and Bender came in
sight.
"Haouw de We dew, Mr.. SEYMOUR"
he said, extending large, freckled
hand, which Mr.. Seymour grasped
rather cautiously. "Haouw air We,
Mister Bender? Did We sleep sound ?"
II should say we did," said Sey-
mour, treasured by. the cordially of
the greeting and by the honest face
of the Yankee skipper. eve are a
bit mixed about this voyage, Captain.
How did we come aboard, and where
are we headed for?,",
Il reckon you boys war bit
slowed up last night, CT rather this
mornin'," said Captain Parker. "Ain't
We hungry? reckon so. Their cook
has somethin' ready for We. Come
on and eat it while it's good and
hot, and will tell We all erbout it,"
They went into the little cabin.
The darlSey cook appeared with
| steaming dish of steak, some hot
corn bread, baked potatoes, coffee
and vegetables. The voyagers fell
upon the savnry spread with n~idity.-
| After eating a few minutes Sey-
mour said to the captain: "Kindly
explain to us how we happen to en-.
joy your hospitality on the good ship
/ Sam Walker"
1t was long story, but the es-
sence of it was that Bill Howe, the
on shore leave, and at an early hour
had met the convivial Seymour and
Bender. They had declared the sail
or the best fellow in the world, and
would not listen to his departure.
| "You and Bill hove in sight about
six o'clock this mornin'," said Capt.
Parker, as he passed the steak to
Seymour for the third time. "Of
! course, seen that We was bit I'M
der the weather, but We talked all
square and fair, sayin' We wanted to
take a cruise, and when 1 said the
Sam Walker wuz goin' to Havana,
you said that wuz the place We
wanted ter go tew. So you paid me
the money for passage for both of
| We. and we east off and headed out
inter the Gulf erbout eight o'clock
this ere mornin'. Ye fooled aroun'
I awhile, clum out on ther bowsprit,
did various monkeyshines, and then
went below. That's all thar is tew
it," and Capt. Parker laughed with q
vigor hearty and pleasing.
"From early childhood have
longed to go to Havana" said Mr..
Seymour. why should select this
special time is not readily apparent,
but it is well. Cheer up, Bender!
! Once again an aqueous toast to Capt.
Parker and his gallant crew."
Having done ample justice to the
food befors them, the voyagers fol-
lowed Capt. Parker to the deck of
/ the vessel. The "Sam Walker" was a
large, thrce-masted schooner. They
found seats on the after deck. A
big Swede stood at the wheel, and
lazily rcvolved it as the fresh breeze
came in irregular gusts from the
southwest. The air was fragrant with
the odor of newly-sawed lumber, and
Seymour noticed, for the first time,
that the decks between the masts
were piled high with timber.
"Hev a seegar," said Capt. Parker,
| passing box to Mr.. Seymour. 81
kin afford to be generous, SEEM as
how you bought 'em. You gave me
twenty dollars and told me to buy
the best thar was; and l reckon
you'll find them all right"
i "You seem to be in the lumber
trade" said Seymour, as he took a
cigar and passed the box to Dick
Bender.
Eyes, haul right smart of lum-