Hutchinson gazette., 1902-01-16

down on the main deck,
Now, according to all precedents
the fight should have been long and
Arduous, with varying fortunes, But
the admiral never regarded precedcnts
and inside of ten seconds Mr., Simpson
was lying totally lnsensible under the
spare topmast, To encounter the ad-
miral's right fist was to escape death
by a hairs breadth, and II took
Charles Simpson, able seaman (yico
Mr., Simpson, chief oflicer), two hours
and a quarter to come to,
And | tho't he could fight" said
the dsgusted skipper; come right up,
Mr. What's-your-name, you're the man
for me, There ain't no reason for you
TO trouble about my second mate. for
Simpson could lay him out easy. All
| ask OF you ia to work the whole
crowd up good And don't care II you
are an admiral, you are the right sort
all the same, guess that Simpson
must have reckoned he struck cy-
clone"
And Blaker rubbed his hands, Like
Simpson at the fight between the ad-
mlral and Knight he did not know
when he had enjoyed himself more
He improved the occasion by going be-
low and getting far too much to drink,
as was his custom. and the promoted
admiral took charge Of the deck,
ability tells everywhere" said Sir
Richard Dunn. Il didn't rise In the
service for nothing, Ship me where
you like, and III come to the top. II |
didn't take this hooker into New York
as captain and master I'll die In the
attempt"
He had quite come to himself, and
was beginning TO enjoy himself, His
natural and acquired authority bios
somed wonderfully when he took on
the new job, and, as Blaker never
swore, the admirals gift Of language
was a great vlcarious satisfaction to
him. Virgins accepted the situation
without q murmur, Even Simpson
himself bore no malice when his sup
planter not only showed none, but after
knocking the bo'suns head against q
bollard gave his place to the former
mate, Though he kept the men work
ing, and got the last ounce out OF
them, none of them were down on him.
81 tell you he's an admiral, sure,
they said.
Hes got all the ways Of one.
own" said Bill, an old man-o-war's
man. ~ spoke to an admiral myself
once; or, rather, he spoke to me-"
what did he say?" asked the rest
Of his watch,
"He said" replied Bill, proudly, "he
upped and said, You cross-eyed son Of
a dog, II you don't jump, III bash the
ugly head Of you' And you bet
jumped. Oh, he's all the ways Of some
admlrals, he hast"
"Well, admiral or none." said the
rest Of the crowd, "things goes or
pleasanter than they done when YOU
was mate Simpson"
And Simpson grunted.
"And he gets more work out Of III
than you done, either, Simpson, for al
yer hammerin' of u.s."
"I'll likely be hammerin' some Of you
again shortly" said Simpson. And az
he was cock Of the walk in the fo'csle
whatever he was in the ship, the Others
dried up.
Nothing Of great interest happened
till they were we'll east Of the Horr
and hauled up for the northward run
And then Blaker took to religion (ol
what he called religion) and rum II
equally undlluted doses.
'I'm a miserable sinner, am" HI
said to the Admiral; "but, all the same
I'll do my duty to the crowd"
He called them aft and preached t
them for two hours. And when one
man yawned he laid him out with 9
well-directed belaylng-pin. The next
day, when 1t breezed up heavily ant
they were shortening sail, he called all
hands down from aloft, on the ground
that their souls were of more impor.
tance than the work in hand.
"Come down on deck, you miserable
sinners" said Blaker, through speak.
ing-trumpet, His voice rose triumph.
antly above the roar Of the gale. Come
down on deck and listen to me. Fol
though I'm a miserable sinner, too
there's some hopes for me, and for you
there's none unless you mends your
ways In accordance with what I'm tell
In you"
Even with the speaking trumpet he
could hardly make himself heard over
the roar Of the increasing gale and the
thunderous Stating Of the three top
sails In the spilling-lines.
Don't you think, sir that they'd
better make the topsalls fast before
you speak to them?" said the Admiral
mo- don't" replied Blaker, mot
much, don't not by jugful, For II
one Of 'em went overheard I'd be re-
sponsible before the Throne. And
don't you forget It,"
Hes mad" said Sir Richard, mad
as a March hare. She'll be shaking the
sticks out Of her Boon."
He leant over the break Of the poop