Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-10-15

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 yictual her for the
trip? Pm no. what you might call n cap
italist 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 ell
CINE room you got sacked from must
have been mighty filthy place."
"'Twas," said McTodd; "but, us 1t
happened, didn't get the sack. l 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 IS 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
ed"
"Well, I'm no denying it was a spec
ulation. It's bit of n speculation, If
you come to reckon up, asking newly
sacked sea captain to join in such n
venture"
81 don't suppose you'd have much
choice here in Gibraltar"
"Maybe you'd not have heard of ei-
ther me or the wreck If had" said
McTodd
Kettles face hardened. "See here"
he said; "keep 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'ye no whisky in the place nor
snare money to buy 1t. 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 l would bt
quite enough to handle an open boa
land quite able to take care Of our
selves. If the wrecks got the none!
on her and we finger it, We'll promise
to bring them back their share al
right, and If the things fizzle, as it's
very likely to be-well, they'll be saved
a very unpleasant boat cruise"
It's no 60" said the engineer, "and
YOU may make up your mind to have
them as shipmates, captain, or sit here
on your tail where you are. Dyor
think I've any appetite for dagoes my
SEP? No, sir; no more than you.
don't trust them no more than strip
ned thread, and they don't trust me
They wouldn't trust you. The,
wouldn't trust the provost of Edinbor
liz he was to make similar proposals t
them"
"Ihen have you no idea where THU
steamboat was put on the grounds?
"Man, I've telled you no already.
"Seems to me you don't know much
Mr.. McTodd."
81 don't. What / know is this: com
ashore here, after a vera exhaustin
trip down the Mediterranean, just for
drink to fortify the system against tn
chills on the run home. The brandy
poor here on the rock, though I'll ADM
it's cheap, and as for the whisky
II "Neycr mind that. Get on with you
yarn"
"Dinna hustle man SO. Weel, Wen
to a little dark shebeen where / kenne
the cutthroat in charge, and gave tn
name Of the ship / wanted sendin
back to in case sleep overcame me, an
settled down for an afternoons enjoy
ment. You'll ken what mean?"
81 know you're u drunken beast whe
you get the chance for an orgy"
~ have my weaknesses, captain,
maybe I'd mo- have left Ballindroch'
ter, where my father was Free kir
meenister. We both have our veal
nesses, Captain Owen Kettle, and it
they that have brought us to what W
are"
'If you don't leave me alone and &C
on with your yarn" said Kettle ACID
ly, you'll find yourself in the street."
ooh, like your hospitality fine, an
I'll stay, thanks. Weel, I'd just Sc
tied myself down to good squal
drink at this Spaniard's shebeen whe
out of dark corner come Tonic an
the other dego, bowling and taking o
their hats as polite as though I'd bee
an archbishop at the very least. 1t
extraordinary how the lower classt
instinctively go to an officer when the
need help"
at is, Mac; it Isl
"I'd met Tonic in Lagos. He we
greaser on the branch boat there, and
was her second engineer He's SON
Engllsh-coast English-and he did IL
talking. The other dago knew not
ing but his own unrighteous tongr
and just said see-see when Tonic e.
planned to him what was going on IN
grinned like a bagful of monkeys.
give Tonic credit. He spat out his ia
like man. He and his mate were
the stokehold of dago steambo'
coming from the river Platte to Gene
and calling at some of the western !
lands en- route. One night they wei
just going off watch and We're leani1
over the rail to get breath of cool a
before turning in. They were steamir
past some rocky islands, and there
plain sight of them was vessel har
and fast ashore. There was no mi
take about it. They both saw her
steamboat Of 1900 tons. And, VIII,
was more, the other Portugee, Tonic
friend, said he knew hel. Accordir
to him, she was the Duncansby Hea
He'd served in her stokehold three vo,
ages, and he said he'd know her an
where"
"a dago's word isn't worth much fl
thing like that" said Kettle.
"Wait IL bit. The pair Of them stage
where they were and looked at the re-
Of the watch on deck. The secor
| MATE on the hridpa WAS staring ahao