Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-24
should thaw out once in while and

SnOulQ IndW OUT once III d WTlle ana
become a mixer"
"Never mind my failings. An
swer me some questions" said Mr..
Bender, resting his foot on the rail,
aud swinging his arm in an easy posi-.
ton across the mahogany. What
are you doing in New Orleans?"
"None of your business"
e "True, but not to the point.
know what you are doing. You are
on the, kidnapped millionaire case"
.'.Some one must have told you. The
witness refuses to commit himself.
Will you have another drink?'
They had several. Under their in
fuence Seymour told Dick Bender
his mission, but was too discreet to
reveal any information which had
been received from New York He
invited Mr.. Bender to take dinner
with him, and that gentleman was
too polite to refuse.
When Mr.. Seymour awoke the fol-
lowing afternoon he was in narrow
as to the heave of a ship. He as
cribed this to natural causes and
went to sleep. When he again awoke
it was dark. For moment he lay
quiet. To his ears came the splash
of waters and the groaning and NUT
tering of ship. BY the smoky light
of lantern he found his clothes
scattered on the floor. He put them
on as fast as possible, but the opera
ton was delayed by the swaying of
the room. The heavy breathing of
sleeper in an opposite bunk seemed
to beat time to the motion of the
ship. Seymour opened the curtains
and reered in. 1t was Mr.. Dick Ben
der. Seymour shook him savagely.
wake up, Bender!" he said as he
clawed the sleeper around the bunk.
"Wake up! We are kidnapped by pi-
rates!''
Bender opened his eyes, blinleed,
groaned, and dropped back into an
untroubled sleep. Seymour again
aroused him.
''We are Kidnapped. I tell you'll"
he said in a hoarse whisper. "WalSe
up, and prepare to die like a mani"
Forget it," said Mr.. Bender, and
he again closed his eyes. But Sey
mour was persistent, and finally sue
ceeded in arousing the drowsy Ben
der. While he was dressing, the
door opened and a broad-shouldered
sailor stepped into the apartment.
Seymour looked for a weapon, but
there was none in sight. The man
surveyed them calmly for a moment
and said:
81 thought would come and wake
you-all up. When you gets on your
togs. come On deck. You must be
hungry by this time
Seymour looked at him doubt
fully.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"First mate" said the man.
sFirst mate of what? You don't
look like a pirate
The man laughed with chucl;ie
which rumbled from the depths of a
i massive chest.
Guess you gents is a bit Mixed
he sail. Forgotten me. hev We? I'm
first mate of the schooner Sam Wal
/ kerr You knew me last night all
right
"you have slipped my memory
since,' said Seymour. Where are
we, and where are we supposed to
be going?''
Come on deck" said the first
mate. SIT is hot below Come on
deck and meet Captain Parker.
! Prob'ly you know him better" and
the sailor opened the door and went
away.
! well, what do you think of this?'
! said Seymour as he sat down on the
! edge of the bunk to collect his
thoughts. DO you know anything
about it, Bender?"
! Not thing" said that gentle
man. 81 remember meeting some
sailor men somewhere. That's ALL
They stumbled through passage
way and up narrow fight of stairs
A draught of fresh night air STRUCK
their faces and was delightfully."- coo
and refreshing. The outline of {
short, stocky seaman, with II CLEAN
was silhouetted at the head of thu
winding stairs. He stepped forward
as Seymour and Bender came il
sight.
"Haouw de We dew, Mr.. SEYMOUR
he said, extending large, frcclllet
hand, which Mr.. Seymour graspee
rather cautiously. .'laouw air We
Mister Bender? Did we sleep sound?
Il should say we did, said Sey
mour, treasured by, the cordiality o
the greeting and by the honest fac
of the Yankee skipper. "We are
bit mixed about this voyage, Captain
How did we come aboard, and wher,
are we headed forY'
II reckon you boys war a bi
Slowed up last night, or rather thi
mornin',' said Captain Parker. Ain
ye hungry? / reckon SO. Their COO
, has somethin' ready for We. Com
on and eat it while it's good an
hot, and ! will tell ye all erbout it,.
They went into the little cabir
The darley cook appeared with
u u