Morris tribune., 1903-09-05
! A Shabby Trick

IO-O-O-C-O-O-OO- O-O-O-O-O-C
The stake was $1,000. The Phebe
belonging to Captain James War.
bone, having the larger sail, must
give the Pilgrim, Captain Burt's
boat, small timelallowance.
Everything on board the Phebe
was taut and trim, and Captain
Warbone had fnished:his supper and
was putting away at his cigar. The
new moon was setting beyond the
hills, and the chirping Of the crick-
cts and the sharp grating Of the
katydids from thej shore could be
distinctly heard on board the yacht,
"Well, Charlie, i don't see why
we can't beat the! Pilgrim in good
shape, do your" said the captain.
"Well, cap'n, we'll have to work
hard to. beat her, but I,think we can
do it if We have plenty of wind. We
must put some other rigging on that
jib than them sister hooks. They
can't never be depended on, and we
don't wants no break down tomor-
row."
"All right, Charlie. We will do
that in the morning. You call me
as soon as you get theAdecks scrub
bed down. Good night. Pm going
to turn I'M
"Good night, cap'n.," returned
Charlie,as he went forward to keep
anchorwatch. Charles, as you doubt
less have surnised, was the right
hand man on the Phebe.
On board the Pilgrim everything
was different. Theicaptain, Frank
lin Burt, was holding low CONVEX
sation with rough blocking man of
the longshore type. Every few min
utesl he would pushsa bottle across
the table SO that dan, as he called
him, could fill hissglass.
'You are sure you,can do it, Dan !?
1t won't do to have amy breaks,made
and the trick discovered, you know" "
81 can stay under water for min
ute and a half, and that ought to do
the business, cap'n, cause can
drive two inails3in that time if take
a seam, sure"
"Well," said&B urttsuddenly, after
a silence, "stop,drinkJand go ashore.
When you get the fob done come
back and report"
"Aye, aye, sir. TN do it," So
saying Dan pushedyoff in the dingey
and with strong. Anoiseless strokes
rowed the boat DOWN the river with
the current toywhere the Phebe was
Hethen beached his boat,
and, going into the bushes, soon
brought back a,life preserVer, ham
mer, nails andtan empty -four bag.
He carefully pat the, last mentioned
articles on the life preserver, and,
after divesting himself of his
clothes, started to swim to the
Phebe, pushing fthe life preserver
before him.
Swimming aroundtunder the stern,
he tied the preserFer to the rudder
post <and, taking the, bag, hammer
andfnails, Owed down underline keel
andnailedlthe bag to the bottom Of
the sHoop. Thejnoisef aroused Char
lie, flor the, slightest sound Of any
thing rubbing against boat sug-
gests danger andl puts "a seaman on
the alert.
Dan had riseneto the top OF the
water for BREATH and, hanging to
the rudder post, remained quiet for
some, time. After looking around
Charlie thought the,noise must have
beent caused by log or, piece OF
driftwood striking the botSstay, and,
seeing.nothing aniss, he went below
andsLpt till daybreak.
Dam pushedl off and slowlyeguided
The life preserver to the shore.
Then, putting it in the dingey, he
rowedfto the Pilgrim, where Burt
vas waiting for him. He climbed
IN aboard and latter another Wigor-
,usl attack ,onsthe bottle turned in
Ora nap.
When theDday broke, bothl crews
we're hard ait work washing decks,
md plenty Of wateri soon made ev-
rything as neat ASIA whistle. An
he ropes were coilhd downs and in
heir proper fplaces. WIarbone was
he first capt. tin to make,his appear
nee on deck, hand itswas, signalized
y the hoistfngA of the,mainsail. The
ig club topsaH was fhe next to go
p. The sails Eshonetwhite and daz-
ling .throught the morning mist,
rhichs was ri sing fin small clouds
har +