Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-01-23
CHAPTER x.
TONIGHT.

CHAPTER K.
TONIGHT
Another day and another sky. Now the
blue gulf water was as leaden and dense
as that one looks upon in hard North sea
gale. and the heavens overhead were as
full of lurid grays which raced one another
in sliding chase till they were lost in the
northern mist drifts. The steamer rolled
heavily to steep beam sea, and when
they could be seen the iron of her lower
decks forward and aft cleaned as though
1t had been new coated with ocher varnish.
But this was not often, for four minutes
out of every five they were filled with u
churning, Kissing pond Of green and cot
ton white, which the scuppers could only
empty piecemeal.
The time was evening, 90 hours after
the quelling of the mutiny, and the three
tenants of the upper bridge were the only
human beings on any Of the outer decks
On the midship grating stood higher
heeled uuartermaster, holding on to the
spokes of the steam wheel, browsing on
plug tobacco and keeping his eyes mechan-
ically fixed in the jumping compass card
Alternately climbing and descending
athwart ships as the bridge swung under
him, the third mate took his sea constitu-
tional in rubber thigh boots, with hands
thrust into the waist belt of his breaches
As officer of the watch every time he
passed the pinnacle he faced front and
took regulation peer round the foggy
saucer lip of horizon, with an utter blank
lack of interest, and a face wooden and
pnarled as walnut shell. He was an cid
erly man, the third mate, and the sea held
no more surprises for him, and no more
interest, and no more pleasures. II ever
he had ambition, he had lost it years
since. His aim in life was to hold posi-
ton of small responsibility and earn a
monthly wage with the smallest possible
outlay of exertion either mental or phys
ical.
The remaining occupant of the bridge
sat on O campstool under the lee OF the
weather dodger with his red peaked beard
on his chest, his slippered feet stuck out
in front, his elbows crooked out behind
him and hands deepi in his jacket pockets
Every time the third mates footsteps
peared him his eyes opened and for an
instant flashed round to the right hand
angle of their orbits. Between whites he
slept 1t was owing to this faculty OF lit
orally snatching moments of rest that
Captain Kettle at the end of his 20 hours
spell on the upper bridge was as fresh as
though he had just got up from clear
nights sleep This watchfulness was nee
essary, for, as the experienced skipper was
quite aware, fully half the hands would
have gladly tossed him overheard if they
could have grappled him without danger
to themselves. Presently, however, he
dropped his doze with snap and slowed
round to face the head of the bridge lad
der, entirely wakeful A head showed it
self, black haired, with clean shaven,
bright, determined face. The correspond
ing body followed, lean, tall, muscular.
"Ah, Mr.. Camt'el, you've brought m
some provender? Thanks indeed What
sandwich and teal Couldn't be better.
II have whisky in my pocket"
mot for me now. Wait till we &c
lahore, and then I'll booze with any mai
to his hearts content. The game I'm Of
now is like boat race-if man wants t.
win, he's got 10 diet himself accordingly.
The third mate, to show to any chanc
onlooker that he was not in sympath
with the unpopular captain, planted him
self in the angle of the lee dodger whicl
was the greatest distance that the ties o
duty would allow him to depart. Kettle
with an aorid grin, drew his companion
attention to this move.
"What'll that chap do tonight when tn
fun begins?" asked Cambel.
Bolt like rat at the first alarm. He''
show pluck if he was paid for it, woul'
my third mate, but not being paid he'll
take the best care possible of his own ugl
10 ;s, fol bn' liz
tight corner for its own sake. There's no
an atom of the sportsman about him.
Cambel laughed. you're the othe
way on, captain"
Kettles face clouded. Its fact" b
said. Times I am that way, curse m.
oantankerous luck.
"Your weakness in that direction cam
in handily for me yesterday"
You're right, Mr.. Cambel, right a
through. By my soul, I'd half mid t
chip in with these rogues and grab what
could. 1t was tempting chance, and
would have been heap more profitable
me than what I'm in for now. AS for tn
honesty of the thing, there wasn't pi
to choose be veen it and this racket c
yours and Mr.. Shells. But 1t was tina
Dutohman's gall that put me of. II he
held his silly jaw, and If those other blad
derheads had let me understand l was I
hold the pistol hand over them-well, tn
| Port Edes would have coral rock spoutin
through her bottom plates this minute
and I'd be man owning a matter of f3
600 to 95, 900. That's putting it straight.
49," said Cambel, II suppose hav
to thank the said Dutchman for carryin
o sound windpipe this minute.
NO." replied Kettle thoughtfully, g
don't think it. I fancy you'd have b.
haved reasonably over the new deal, an
then I'd have stood by you, especially,
he added slowly, as though from aftel
thought, especially if those dogs though
that you'd have been safer out of the way
What" he asked, with sudden frowns, g
though the subject annoyed him, "wha
have you been doing with yourself thi
afternoon"
"Physicing a sick fireman principal!
The stokehold temperature was los d.
grees, and as he amused himself drinkin
cold condenser water by the quart togethe
the somewhat natural consequence wa
cramp in the stomach. They sent him Il
by the ash lift, and your steward dose
him with chlorodyne and laudanum an
tincture of rhubarb. The result WASH
encouraging"
"Oh, there's never any knowing what
do with a sick stoker's inside. But one
I these drnps nm o bt tn have fetched him,