Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26

IL
You bet" he continued; IAN 1 am the
boy as can tell We few things about that
trip.
I'VE left Liverpool for Frisco with gem
aboard as didn't know the spanker boom
from a marlin spike Naturally, Black
Jack piled into 'em before we got clear or
Ushant Light, an the scuppers was red
with blood night an day.
well, about five days out we struck a
bit of nasty weather, an one night all
hands was up aloft reefn' the fore upper
topsail. Black Jack was up there In the
bunt lookin' arter the job. 1t so happened
as I was next to him, but he didn't know
1t was me. Well. something happened to
rile him, and first thing I knew he landed
on my jaw an nearly sent me GOWN on
deck. Fancy him takin' me for a blasted
limejuicer.'
Steve stopped for moment to thoroughly
enjoy Black Jacks mistake.
WELL he continued, when his laughter
had subsidized, when we got down l told
him as how he had hit me by mistake. But,
blast me. he didn't see the joke.
Good for ye. seZ he.
well, naturally, that kind O. riled me,
bein' taken for bloomin' greenhorn, an l
told Black Jack right then as how I'd fix
him In Frisco. Upon which he fetcheS me
an uppercut that sends me down to lee
ward into the scuppers
well, things went along that way until
we got down into the trades, an one night
d funny lQed STRUCK me as L was a-paCln
the deck. Ye remember, Black Jack was
bow-legged, an l was larfin to myself,
wonderin' how he'd look swimmin' with
them bow legs. Ever see a bow-legged
man swim? Funniest thing yet. But Black
Jack was the bow-leggedest man We ever
See
That idea stuck to me for long time
an whenever I'd think of it, night or day.
I'd larf was just a hankerin' to see
Black Jack swim with them bow legs O. his
a-waggin' behind.
"One night, In the middle watch, the chap
at the wheel wanted to be relieved a few
minutes, so 1 went and took the wheel
while he went ford. Black Jack was pacin'
the poop slowly. 1t bein sultry night.
Pretty soon he goes up to the weather rail
and leans agin it, kind O. sleepy
We'll, fellers, those legs O. his never
looked so bowed as they did then. I could
already fancy him kicking them out as he
was swimmin'. The more 1 thought the
stronger that idea got. Thinks 1 to my
self, Here's a man wot makes the world
all the worse for bein' In 1t; why not give
him boost into better world? An 1
thinks O. the easy times wot would come
to the poor chaps ford wot he had lambast-
ed O. every one. An 1 thinks O. when he
smashed me-, too. But most of all, want
ed to see a bow-legged man swim. Say,
you feilers don't know what a good larf Is
till We see bow-legged man swim. Two
seen 1t once
Here Steve broke off his narrative to
chuckle over funny memories
We'll" he resumed, "at larst I couldn't
stand it no longer. There was Black Jack
a leanin over the rail. an there was me,
dyin to see him swim. So 1 steadies the
helm pretty good, an then kicks off my
slippers, easy like, SOS he couldn't hear.
An then l leaves the wheel. softly, an
creeps up to the weather rail, an so help
me- there was Black Jack a snoozin'! Yes
sir, sleepin' on his watch. Him, as would
lam poor Teller from ford near dead for
dom that same thing. Wot yer think O.
that?
He was leanin' over pretty far, holdin'
on to awning stanchion. Wot yer think
/ did? Ye'd never guess. The canvas draw
bucket was layin' on the skylight, an 1t
looked so much like a cork helmet l
couldn't help wonderin' how it would fit
Black Jacks pear-shaped head. So sneak
ed over to the skylight an cut off the rope.
Then tried 1t on my head. an 1T was
jest a trife too big. But, thinks 1, It'll jest
fit Black Jack, a tight fit too sos he
couldn't get 1t off.
Back to the weather rail tip-toes, until
l stands jest in back O. Black Jack. His
head was jest in a daisy position, so L
carefully raises the draw bucket above 1t.
an down I pumps it-jest damned it down
tight to his shoulders.
We'll. fellers, yed a 1arfed to see the
jump he made. like chicken with it's head
cut off, a fioppin his arms like they was
wings. Yessir, Jest like a bloomin chick
en-"
The smile struck steve's sense of humor
so strongly that it was some moments be-
fore he could continue Even some of his
audience laughed with him.
But that was only for a minute" he
continued "'Fore he could do anything 1
ups with his heels as the chap on the
Nancy Bell would said, an over he
went with the draw bucket stuck fast an
a-smotherin' his squeals."
The humor of the simultaneously
humor perhaps-so struck all hands. due
more to Steve's manner than to his words.
that all burst out into long guffaw. The
idea Of Black Jack diving to his death
with draw bucket over his head seemed
ridiculously funny.
Well, fellers.'' said Steve, after he had
wiped the tears from his own eyes. the
ship was goin' bare three knots an the
moon was out. l could see the white foam
spot where he went down. an aft runs
to the log line an watches. VIII ye believe
me-but it's true-all of a sudden l sees
that white canvas draw bucket pop up
with his two arms wavin' on each de O.
1t. An there was them bow legs O. his a.
Vaughn behind, like crabs nippers On
say, fellers-"
Again Steve went off into peals of merri-
ment Finally he was able to resume
Wen, boys, jest leaned over the rail
an larfed fit to bust myself. The way he
was tryln to holler through that draw
bucket an couldn't would a given We fits
II ye'd heard the way he was a rippin
up inside. L kinder reckon the cuss words
lac was iSttiIl out WelBneQ the bucket down
an them, with the iron band, sent him nos
down. Larst | see was his two bow legs a
klckin up in the air. an then 1 went back
TO the wheel
hen the chap came back to relieve me
DIDN'T say nothin' but pretty soon the
third mate misses Black Jack, an as he
couldn't find him, he goes an calls the
skipper. The Of man comes on deck. and
we squares in our yards an sails back over
our course, burnin' blue lights an shoutin'
IKE ell an | was shoutin' louder AN anv
OF EN-, but you bet they didn't see no signs
of Black Jack with his head In a draw
bucket. 49,"
Say. fellers. wot we suppose old Nick
said when he saw Black Jack comm
up to the gates of hell with that draw
bucket over his head? Blessed If 7
wouldn't been willin to stand the high
temperatoore for few minutes jest to see
what happened"
The idea seemed so humorous to Happy
Steve that the story ended in a long hearty
laugh, interpolated by humorous comments
on an imaginary conversation between his
satanic majesty and Black Jack with the
draw bucket presenting difficulties in the
way of mutual recognition.
Happy Steve often again referred to the
murder he had committed, and each time
he sprinkled his story with hearty laughter.
When we arrived in Australia Happy