Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-12-04

OF his watch.
''He said" replied Bill proudly-"he
upped and said, you cross-eyed son
of a dog. If you don't jump IN bash
the ugly head off you And you bet
jumped. oh. he's all the ways OF
some admirals, he has"
wen, admiral or none," said the
rest OF the crowd, things goes on
pleasanter than they done when you
was mate, Simpson"
And Simpson grunted.
"And he gets more work out OF us
than you done. either. Simpson, for
all your hammerin Of u.s."
"I'll likely be hammerin' some OF
you again shortly" said Simpson. And
as he was cock of the walk in the
foc'sle. whatever he was in the ship.
the others dried up.
Nothing of great interest happened
till they were well east of the Horn
and hauled up for the northward run.
And then Baker took to religion Cor
what he called ~religion) and rum In
equally undiluted doses.
I'm miserable sinner, l am" he
said to the admiral, "but all the same
I'll do my duty to the crowd"
He called them aft and preached
to them for two hours. And when
one man yawned he laid him out
with a well-directed Delaying pin.
The next day, when it breezed up
heavily and they were shortening sail,
he called all hands down from aloft
on the ground that their souls were
of more Importance than the work
in hand.
"Come down on deck, you misera-
BILE Sinners" said Blaker, through
speaking trumpet. His voice rose trt-
umphantly above the roar Of the
gale. "Come down on deck and listen
to me. For, though I'm a miserable
sinner, too, there's hopes for me, and
for you there's none, unless you mend
your ways, in accordance with what
I'm telling YOU"
Even with the speaking trumpet he
could hardly make himself heard over
the roar of the increasing gale and
the thunderous Stating Of the top
sails in the spillir g-lines,
Don't you think, sir, that they'd
better make the topsails fast before
you speak to them" said the admiral.
"No. don't" replied Blaker-"not
much don't, not by a jugful. For If
one of 'em went overheard, I'd be re-
sponsible before the throne. And don't
you forget it." sat
"Damme, he's mad" said Sir Rich
ard-"mad as a march hare. She'll
be shaking the sticks out of her
scor."
He leant over the break Of the
poop and called UP Virgins.
"Mr. Virgins, one word with YOU"
Virgins came up, as Baker roared
his text through the trumpet.
will you stand by me, Mr.. Wig
gins, if I knock him down and take
commando"
Il will; but mind his gum" said
Virgins. when. he's very bad, he'll
shoot
It was not any fear of Bakers six
shooter that made the admiral hest
tate. To take the command, even
from a mailman, at sea IS ticklish
task and may land a man in goal, for
all his being Shanghaied admiral.
II tell you, Mr.. Virgins, that Simp-
son is good man. I'll bring him aft
again"
And Virgins made no objection
when Simpson was called up by the
admiral.
"Mr. Simpson" said the mate, this
is getting past joke. Have you any
objection to taking on your old job
If secure this preaching mailman and
take commando"
Simpson was "full up" Of the foc'sle,
and as he had very wholesome ad-
miration for the admiral, he was by
no means 10th to return to his old
quarters.
"I'm with you, sir. In another quar-
ter of an hour we shall have the
sticks out of her"
And still Blaker beloved Scripture
down the wind. He was still below
ing, though what he beloved wasn't
Scripture, when Simpson and Wig
gins took him down below after Eve
minutes of row in which the de-
posed captain showed something OF
his ancient form as the terror of the
Western Ocean. AS they went, the
admiral, now promoted to being cap
tain of Cape Horner, picked up the
battered speaking trumpet and wiped
some Of the blood from his face,
which had been in collision.
"Up aloft with you and make those
topsails fast" he roared. Look alive,
men, look altve!"
And they did look alive, for 'Dicky"
Dunn never needed a speaking trum-
pet In any wind that ever blew. When
things were snugged down and the
California was walking north at an
easy but tremendous gait, he felt like
man again. He turned to Simpson
and Virgins with a happy smile.
''Now we're comfortable, and things
are as they should be, Mr.. Simpson,
let the men have a tot Of grog. And
how's Mr.. Blaker?"
"Wa'al" said Simpson cheerfully.
when we left him he warn't exactly
what you would call religious nor re-
signed"
But if Baker was not happy, the ad-;
miral was thoroughly delighted.
Nov you see what said was true"
he declared at dinner unat night; IF
hadn't been an admiral and a man
born to rise, how could I have been
shipped on board this ship as fore.
mast hand and come to be captain in
six weeks? I'll be bound you never