Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-01-16
CHAPTER TX.
fUTINY.


Patrick Cambel came out OF the chart
room with all the armament he could lay
hands upon-to wit, three revolvers. He
gave one to the captain and put the Others
in his own jacket pocket, SO that they had
a brace apiece. From the other side of the
bridge deck the clamor Of the men rose
high into the night, and the steamers for
truck began TO swing past the stars. Her
engines had stopped. the quartermaster
had deserted the wheel, and the gulf
stream was taking her as simple flotsan
whittier it listed.
There was no starboard ladder to the
upper bridge, but Kettle swung himself
lightly up by funnel stay aud a stanch-
ion and climbed over the canvas dodger.
Cambel followed as nimbly. The mate OF
the watch received them with frightened
sidelong glance, but no words, and then
he vanished into the darkness.
Captain Owen Kettle stunlped cheerful
" across to the port side OF the bridge and
looked down. Beneath him, massed and
moving, WAS apparently every man OF his
crew. The electric lamp from inside the
head of the companionway blazed full up
on them, dazzling some of the group and
binding tho others with dense black
shadow With folded arms he looked
down on them for full minute with u
silent sneering laugh till the upturned
faces which Ind been quiet In expectation
began to grow clamorous again. Then he
waved them to noiselessness and spoke.
The mans words were not conciiiatory.
He addressed his hearers as dogs and
wished to know in the name of the pit
why they had dared To leave their duties
and their kennel and come to sully his
bridge deck The harangue was brief ana
beautifully to tho point. An ordinary sea
man stood out into the middle OF the cir
Gle of light and made reply.
you gall us toys, ind you dreat us as
toys, und we're nod going to schtandt 1t
no longer. Dis grew tenants its rechts.
Hello y said Kettle, got blooming
Dutchman to speak for you! Well, you
must be "a hard up crowd. See here, now,
If you do want to talk, have your say and
be done with it. English is the official
language on this ship. Understand that
and don waste my time
The German seemed inclined to buster
and hold his ground, but he had no back
ers Il told you how it would be If we
put the Dutchman up, said one. why,
can't hardly understand the beggar my
self, /" said another.
If you're undecided, f." suggested Cap
tain Kettle, you've got niger among
you. Why not set him on to talk? If you
were men, l wouldn't say it, but as it Is
he's as much man as any of you, and
perhaps he'll throw in a sand dance to en-
|. liven proceedings.
The negro from somewhere on the out
skirts of the crowd broke into loud GUT
faw till some one kicked him on the shins
and sent him away yelping diminuendo
into the farther darkness An angry growl
went up from the white men at the taunt,
and one of them, a whiskered quartermas-
/ ter in cardigan jacket stepped out and
spat into the circle of light He looked
round to catch the encouraging glances of
his mates and then lifted up his face to-
ward the upper bridge.
"See here, Captain Kettle, you'd better
not try us too far. This isn't slave ship
/ you're commanding. It's an ordinary,
common, low down British tramp, and
the law looks after the deckhands and all
the rest of us. ~
! Now, that's fair speaking" said Kettle
1--we profound respect for the merchant
shipping act and all the rest of the laws
My lad, if you fancy you've anything to
! somplain of, a sea lawyer like you must
know the remedy. Get your witnesses
and go with them before the British con-
sui in New Orleans"
"A fat lot of good that would do, re-
torted the man. what consul ever be-
Iieved an ole sailor against the skipper
No, sir, we'd only get penitentiary for our
pains Besides, what we want-and what
we inteE5 to have-is an alteration in
things, beginning now.'
'Ah, / seel And what would you like!
Shall L have hold cleared out and fit up
with four post beds for you to make
drawing room off Shall order my stew
ard to hand iced pop round to the gentle
men who are heaving Goals in the stoke
hold? Come, now, out with it!'
The little captain was deliberately irri-
Eating the men, and Cambel marveled at
his recklessness. Once let an outbreak
start, and he and Kettle stood not one
chance in a million of living through it.
But Kettle knew his game and was play
ing it well.