The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-08-26

+ Reno! here comes the beauty!
Miss Armstrong, in tight fitting blue
ulster and a Tam O'Shanter cap and
looking as fresh as a rose, appeared on
deck. She nodded pleasantly to the
men and made her way to the mizzen
rigging, where she stood, with her fair
hair flying in the breeze, looking to
Mindward
My eyes, but she's a clipper! Eth,
Mr.. Anguish said the mate. "a man
wouldn't mind being moored bow and
stern to craft like thatp'
you're right, Calker. She'd make a
good running mate, that girl Must
weigh ten stone, every pound of it,
and as pretty, by George, asa bull
pupr"
The mate laughed and, lowering his
voice, said
"D'you know, Mr.. Angus, it's my be-
lief that she cones on Hawkins. She's
keeping watch with US pretty regular,
and they are always looking at one an,
other like lost owls"
what! The stowaway? Oh, rot, Calk-
erp'
WELL" said the mate, nodding his
head wisely, "I've seen 'em go that way
at sea before. Besides, Mr.. Angus, he's
no ordinary stowaway. He pretends he
is, but it's bluff. That chaps been to
sea for many day. Haven't you heard
him singing out on the ropes? Well, /
tell you, sir, it takes five years to learn
that trick. He's come out in his true
colors lately. He licked the biggest
man in the fo'c'sle the other morning
for giving him CUFF, and he's the smart
est hand in my watch. Why, just cast
your eye over him, Mr.. Angus. Does he
look like pier head jumperp'
As the Australian glanced at the stall
wart figure so skillfully handling the
wheel, he was obliged to acknowledge
that there was foundation for Mr.. Calk-
er's inference.
Hawkins, in suit of yellow oilskins
and sou'wester, with a neatly trimmed
beard and mustache and his hair of re-
spectacle length, was a handsome fels
low. The change in the appearance of
Hawkins had been SO gradual that Mr.
Angus had not noticed it. Now, how
ever, he went below to his breakfast,
mentally comparing the stowaway of
two months ago and the stowaway Of
the present and marveling at the trans
formation.
All day the 'brave westerlies,"
which for the past week had followed
close at the heels of the Dunbarton,
slowly waned. Evening found her with
her fine weather kites spread to the
dying breeze, sauntering along with the
sluggish, flame lit waves and barely
making four knots an hour. The wind
held at this throughout the first watch.
Then from the ocean rim ahead the
great pale moon rose languidly and
lighted pathway Of shining steel to
the east. The breeze freshened at
once, and the sleepy mate, reused by
the change, shifted to windward and
whistled through his teeth for more
of it.
So bright and clearAwas the night
that the thrifty officer gave orders to
douse the sidelights. The lookout man
relaxed his vigilance, and the watch on
| deck Sneaked into the forecastle and
stretched themselves upon their chests.
Mr.. Calker was nonestoo strict with his
men, and, like most of their kind they
took advantage of him.
1t was getting on for four bells in
| the middle watch when the drowsy
silence of the ship was broken by a
| sharp, alarming cry.
vessel on the starboard bow! Hard
astarboardr
lizard astarboardy' came in a half
Shrek from the lookout.
| With an oath the mate sprang to the
rail. He began to give an order, but
the words died on his lips, for at that
moment a pyramid of ghostly canvas
| blotted out the sky, a red beam and a
| green one danced before his eyes, and
a hurtling mass of black hung over
him.
1 There was terrific crash. The Dun
barton stopped and shivered. Then
with many a crunch and rip and crack
amid the splintering of spars, the rend
ing of canvas and the shouts of fright
ened men, the good ship shook off her
weighty adversary and again plunged
heavily on.
But at what cost! Her mizzen top
gallant mast and yards were trailing
by the backstays alongside, her star
board mizzen rigging, chain plates and
rail had been wrenched away, hel
crossjack was snapped at the crotch
her spanker hung in tatters, and or
her quarter, cut clean to the water
line, was yawning V shaped hole
Her mate had been swept overheard
by the colliding vessels jib boom, and
her captain, though still in his bunk
lay crushed and .insensible.
Instantly the Dunbarton's deck was
scene of widest confusion. "Tht
boats! The boatsw rolled in hoarst
chorus from forward, and dozer
men hacked madly at the lashings
while others knocked the checks out
. cleared away the falls and dragged
their chests from the forecastle. Abaf
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