The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-06-20

I'LL diagonal, built of teak and
quite big enough for the pur-
pose. OF course something with steam
in her would be better, because we're
both steamer men, but that's out of the
question. That would mean too many
TO share. So the thing is, Can you buy
this lifeboat and victual her for the
trip? Pm no. what you might call cap
italst myself just for the moment"
Captain Kettle eyed the grimy serge
of his companion with disfavor. "You
don't look it," he said. '"That last en-
CINE room you got sacked from must
have been a mighty filthy place"
"Twas," said McTodd; "but, as it
happened, | didn't get the sack. ran
from her here in Glib because I'd no
wish to get back to England and have
this news useless in my pocket, and Of
course | had to let slide the fS in
wages that was due to me-
"By james, it's beginning to look like
business when Scottie runs away
from siller that he's righteously earn
edr'
"Well, I'm no. denying it was spec
ulation. It's a bit of speculation, If
YOU come to reckon up, asking newly
sacked sea captain to join in such a
venture"
81 don't suppose you'd have much
choice here in Gibraltar"
"Maybe you'd not have heard of Ell
ther me OF the wreck if I had," said
McTodd.
Kettles face hardened. "See here"
he said; "keep a civil tongue in your
head or go out of this lodging. I'm to
be treated with respect or don't deal
with you"
"Then let my clothes alone and be
civil yourself. It's mighty dry shop
this, captain"
"I've no whisky in the place nor
spare money to buy it. If we're to go
on with this plan Of yours. we shall
want every dollar that can be raised"
That's true, and Tonic and haven't
10 shillings between us.
Kettle gave up pacing the room and
sat himself on the edge of the table and
frowned. 81 don't see the use of tax
ing either Antonio, if that's his name,
or your other dago. don't like the
breed of them. You and / would be
quite enough to handle an open boat
and quite able to take care OF our
selves. If the wrecks got the money
on her and we finger it, we'll promise
to bring them back their share all
right, and if the things fizzle, as It's
very likely to be-well, they'll be saved
a very unpleasant boat cruise"
"Its no co." said the engineer, "and
you may make up your mind to nave
them as shipmates, captain, or sit here
on your tail where you are. Dyou
think I've any appetite for dagoes my
sell? No, sir; no more than you.
don't trust them no more than strip
ped thread, and they don't trust me.
They wouldn't trust you. They
wouldn't trust the provost Of Edinboro
if he was to make similar proposals to
them"
"Then have you no idea where this
steamboat was put on the ground?'
"Man, I've telled you no already"
"Seems to me you don't know much,
Mr.. McTodd."
81 don't. What know is this: come
ashore here. after vera exhausting
trip down the Mediterranean, just for a
drink to fortify the system against the
chills on the run home. The brandy is
poor here on the rock, though I'll admit
it's cheap, and as for the whisky
"Never mind that. Get on with your
yarn"
"Dinna hustle man so. Weel, went
to little dark shebeen where kenned
the cutthroat in charge. and gave the
name of the ship wanted sending
back to in case sleep overcame me. and
settled down for an afternoons enjoy
ment. You'll ken what l mean"
81 know you're drunken beast when
you get the chance for an orgy"
Il have my weaknesses, captain, or
maybe I'd no have left Ballindrocha-
ter, where my father was Free kirk
meenister. We both have our weak
nesses, Captain Owen Kettle, and it's
they that have brought us to what we
are.'
"If you don't leave me alone and get
on with your yarn" said Kettle acid
ly, you'll find yourself in the street."
ooh, like your hospitality fine. and
I'll stay, thanks. Weel, I'd just set
tied myself down to good square
drink at this Spaniard's shebeen when
out of dark corner come Tonic and
the other dago, bowling and taking off
their hats as polite as though I'd been
an archbishop at the very least. It's
extraordinary how the lower classes
instinctively go to an officer when they
need help"
at is. Moe; it is"
I'D met Tonic in Lagos. He was
greaser on the branch boat there, and
was her second engineer. He's some
English-coast English-and he did the
talking. The other dago knew moth
ing but his own unrighteous tongue
and just said see-see when Tonic ex-
planned to him what was going on and
grinned like a bagful of monkeys.
give Tonic credit. He spat out his tale
like man. He and his mate were In
the stokehold of a dago steamboat
coming from the river Platte to Genoa
and calling at some of the western is
lands ell route. One night they were