Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-14

on the coast q long time, ana he knew Hiool
of the men. Perhaps he even then realized
the game that was being played on his
commander but if he did, his stolid. high
cheek-boned face betrayed no indication of
the discovery.
That afternoon the Aloha was towed out
to sea. On the glass-covered veranda of
the Cliff House, overlooking Seal Rocks
and the Golden Gate, sat two men, slipping
brandy and soda. Taking turns through
glass, they were watching the Aloha set
sail.
They'll never get beyond the Faral-
lones," remarked Seattle Mike. as the big
topsails of the Aloha were being sheeted
home.
The tug had left her, and alone she duck
ed to the big blue incoming rollers. One
by one her white sails We're loosed and bel
lied out to the northwesterly breeze. dr1V-
ing her through the water at increasing
speed. All the square sails were set; then,
one by one, arose the topsailS. The two
boarding masters watched with keen in
tereSt.
Trouble Aboard.
''Why don't those fellers begin the fun?'
growled Al Black. irritably.
His companion took the binocular
They're at itr' exclaimed Seattle Mike
suddenly. 1.-The ball is openin' up!'
Aboard the Aloha strange things were
happening. Her foreyards, braced up on
he starboard tack, swung loose, swaying
until the wind had them aback. Through
the binocular Seattle Mike made out fig
ures on deck in violent commotion. The
poop was clear, but amidships some great
event was taking place. A confused mass
of men were surging about the deck, but
distance made it impossible to distinguish
just what was taking place. Suddenly the
lee clue at the mainSail, which had been
raised to the yard, came down on the run
and hid the scene of trouble from view.
Now he's getting it, chuckled Seattle
Mike
AL Black seized the glass gleefully,
They'll be raising police signals present
ly," he remarked.
Yes, or squaring in for shore" prophe-
sled Mike
But none of these things happened To
the amazement of the two boarding mas
tiers. the foreyards of the bark were sud
denly braced up again and she ploughed
on to the southwark, sending out long foam
whiskers from her cutwater. Smaller and
smaller she dwindlcd, until she was hull
down on the horizon, beyond the Farrell
lones. Then Al Black and his companion
arose and returned cityward much per-
picked and not well pleased. :.
The Aloha was gone for almost a year.
The usual reports of her safe arrival at
Melbourne and Port Adelaide were cabled
by the underwriters but beyond that no
news came to Frisco of Capt. Larsen and
his crew for a long time.
Astonishing News.
One day the Hawaiian mail steamer came
in, and the passengers aboard told that the
Aloha had reached Honolulu. But more
astonishing was the report that she still re-
tanned the same crew shipped in Frisco.
By this time the game put up Capt.
Larsen was common knowledge among sea-
faring men all over the coast. But the
laugh seemed to be turning on the Al
Black gang.
Then one day the signal station at Fort
Point reported the Aloha standing in for
the Gate. The customhouse officers started
out to meet her in their launch, impatiently
anxious to learn the state of affairs aboard.
They, too. We're on to the game.
They boarded the Aloha a few miles off
shore Capt Larsen received them at the
gangway with his habitual Christian smile
and mild blue eyes. But when the inspectors
beheld Three Fingered Jack, Lager Beer
Pete Big Steve and their equally notorious
shipmates briskly pulling braces, ye hoirg
and Chewing up sails in as orderly and ship
shape a manner ever obtained aboard
man-o' war they swOre aloud in their
amazement. Finally one of the inspectors
got Fingered Jack aside for mo-
ment.
II say, Jack what happened?" he asked
Didn't you everlastingly lambast him?'
you're a child of wrath" retorted Jack.
Indignantly. We've learned the ways of
the meek and lowly, thanks to our noble
captain"
"Oh, come off, exclaimed the revenue
man, impatiently. Don't come any of that
CUFF on me. What happened"
Go soak yer head responded Jack, with
a return of his old-time manner. Eye want
to know more'n what's good for ye.'
And that was all the information that
was forthcoming Big Trig Olafsen smiled
significantly as the boarding house runners
boarded in the bay and the crew refused to
have anything to do with them The Aloha
dropped anchor of Mission Flat. and with
seamanlike promptness the men furled sails
and cleared up decks.
'.The Lord ioveth dose who are industri-
GUS" said the skipper, with pious meekness,
to the harbor officials about him on the
poop.
Still Mystery.
That evening Seattle Mike and Al Black
sat impatently smoking big black cigars
in the latters establishment on Pacific
street. They were waiting for the appear
ance of the Alohas crew. The mystery
must be solved.
At about 10 they showed up-the entire
sixteen-all more or less drunk. and with
Three-Fingered Jack in the lead. The two
boarding masters received them with snis-
ter smiles of welcome, barely concealing
the Impotence and anger within them.
They were of course, too tactful to broach
the main question at once.
All hands crowded about the long table,
and Al Blacks bartender was kept busy
serving first beer, but later whisky and
rum. The men were nlldflOuS, noisy, appd-
rently in excellent humor, but not a word
referring to their late voyage came out.
The two masters waXed more and more i'm
patient especially as the drinks were as yet
not being paid for. Much against their
will they had been obliged to drink with
the crowd. Finally Al Black could no long
err contain himself. He determined to de-
mand an explanation.
Boys he said, rising and hitting the
table with a mug, Il think it's up to you
TO tell us what all this means. Did you fell
lers funk out there?''
| There came a pause-all hands turned to-
ward Three Fingered Jack. He arose, SHOW
| ing away his drink.
well, ye ask an explanation" he
| said, 81 might well tell we we've come
up here to have a few words with you"
! That's what-you bet" broke in several
| of the others.
'Yes," continued Jack, 1--WE have come
| up here to make you see the sinfulness Of
| yer ways. We've come to offer ye the SAL
| walton we got through you. Ye once ship
| ped us on craft wot we said would be a
| home for us. Ye told us the skipper was a
! kind. fatherly oil man wot would look well
| arter our welfare. He did He looked arter
| US all right
, Here Jack pushed back the long hair
| from over his forehead, revealing a long
| white scar