Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-09-05
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
" and One UNKNOWN

They had hauled him scpffling nut
Of u coal bunk one morning, where no
had managed to stow himself away.
and where he had lain curled up until
the steamer was well clear Of land
Back somewhere at one of tie
South American ports-Rio, most Ike.
lyle had sneaked on board at dusk.
and crept ratlike to the security Of the
coal bunk. And now, dragged into the
light of day-or, rather. such light as
penetrated down there into the griry
darkness-he stood and grinned like a
detected schOOlbOy at the little knot ~
fremen who had ferreted him out Ot
mis- retreat.
Old Peters. the boatswain, who had
gone below 20 investigate. pushed mis-
cap far back on his head, and COmbcd
, his grizzled beard with mcdtativa
! stroke Of the hand as he regarded tho
stowaway. What should they do with
him? The immortal Mr.. Dick, II he
had been present. would have decided
promptly and emphatically. Wash
HIM" For he certainly needed It.
The lay of tan which had spread over
his sCraggy face was capped by an ad.
ditional film of coal CRIME. and .he
whites of the fellows eyes, as he look.
I'd around him with an affected easy,
Idevil.may-Care expression. were the
only distinguishable marks in his fca
lures.
I've arr mind to turn the 'oso on
/ i'm said the boatswain. as he regar's
/ ed the object of interest that stood
mute before him. But eventually he
decided to take his quarry along to the
captain just as he had been discover.
ed. He was dragged up on deck-n).
not dragged exactly, for there was
some indefnable touch of distinction
about the man. despite his grotesqus
appearance, that made itself felt to his
rough captors-and they led him quiet
ly, almost respectfully, into the CAP
tain's presence.
The interview turned principally up
on the unknOwn's ability to work his
passage, now that there was no means
. oil getting rid of him until they touch.
On that point, the stowaway, speaking
FOR the first time and with eagerness,
gave an ample assurance. He knew
all about machinery, he said: and II
| they wanted an extra hand in the @.
CINE room why, he was ready to turn
TO with oil.can or shovel that instant.
! Ills name?
No, that Is my own concern-no.
body else's. am Welshman," he
said, quietly. MY people are we'll
known in Cardiff. Perhaps ! could
tell tale II liked. Perhaps I could.
MT. 1t doesn't matter to anybody"
And he looked at the captain with eyes
that meant he had said all he intended
TO say on these points.
1t so happened that they We're shcrt.
handed enough in the engine rOoIl
that run, and the captain turned him
| over to the burly, growing Scotch Tn.
gineer, who did not seem to regard
him with any great favor. "Taffy," as
he was called. disappeared below. and
succeeded within an hour in complete.
ly reversing the engineers opinion.
The latter, who stood by to watch him,
could see with half an eye that the
man was quite at home among the
throbbing. pulsing engines. and turn.
ed away with the growing comment,
Hell do"
They had a few passengers aboard
that trip; and in the dusk OF the even.
ing. when Tafy stole up for a mouth.
ful of fresh air, he noticed a danny,
little childish figure go skipping along
the deck. He stood there. with his
grimy head poked out into the softly
changing twilight, watching her. Ev.