The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-31
CHAPTER VII
With Apologies From Capt. jerks

A much-battered human being on
board the Sarah Margaret reclined
I sup1neIy in steamer chair 1t was
1 the only steamer chair aboard and
! belonged to Capt jerks. 1t usually
/ graced the captains stateroom, if the
apartment in which he slept can be
designated by that name It now
rested upon the deck, and its occupant
was wrapped In pair of odorous
! blankets and his head was swaIhed in
bandages.
! This human being, as may be i'm
agined, was none other than Ellington
/ O'keefe- He was just on the eve OF
returning consciousness Near him.
! leaning against the rail and yet bend
\ ing MALT anxieusfy toward O'Keefe,
! stood Capt. jerks, of the merchant
marine.
There was a faint movements sort
of trenuieus spasm-from the figure
on the chair, and a 1utter of the eye
| lids.
Capt. jerks, noting this, Immediate
" sprang forward with a flask, which
! he had been holding in his hand, and
/ forced the contents down the others
! throat The man in the chair coughed
! and spluttered, and then opened his
! eyes wildly, looked about and uttered
feeble yell He probably thought
| that he was yet under the terrific ham,
mering of jerks. the implacable. He
closed his eyes once more, to collect
his thoughts, and then, the stimulant
/ having Steadied his nerves and will
/ power, he once more opened them and
/ looked steadily upon the face and figure
| OF Capt. Noteworthy Jenkins.
The latter Immediately flushed UP TO
the eyelids. He had suddenly become
covered with confusion. He did not
move for an instant. Then he stepped
forward and clapped the other man
upon the shoulder.
Why didn't you tell me who you
were2' he exclaimed, thus easing his
mind bit by way of no HARM by
/ placing the blame upon the other mans
shoulders.
| O'Keefe mechanically answered.. 81
IL did, he returned somewhat weak
You did-nothin," retorted Capt
| jerks. WHO did you tell me you
were?'' he asked.
Il told you," said O,Keefe, that I
was Ellington O'Keefe. And that's
who am
"Billington o'Keefe,'' snorted Jen-
kins, "Billington OKeefe. Of course
you did But how in thunder did you
expect me to know all the names you
had? And how could I tell you
with that beard? Now I'll tell you who
you are for fair. You're Constitutional
- L
Ellington O'Keefe did not reply.
He neither acquiesced nor dissented.
He saw at once that this supposed
/ discovery on the part of Capt.
| Jenkins was something in his favor.
| He smiled. Then he once more opened
his mouth
I'm Ellington O'Keefe. I tell you,"
| he answered finally. but in an uncon-
| vincing tone of voice.
That's all right, old boy returned
| the captain. with another gentle whack
upon his shoulders, and it's a darneG
! good name TO go by, too. But when
you get amongst friends-when you're
in safe hands at last; when, by George,
/ you're in the hands of Capt. jerks, you
ought TO tell a body who you are. Old
| Hezekiah Constitutional Smith! And,
| by the Lord" he went on, I'D a never
have known you at all but for this bit
/ of paper that you had stuffed in your
| pocket
He passed it over. It was not one
piece. 1t was several There were
| three in all. One was a letter ad-
| dressed in a disguised hand to Heze-
/ kiah Smith. No envelope accompanied
/ it. Another was confidential note in
| still a different handwriting, adj
/ dressed to Constitutional Smith. The
third was a piece of paper on which
! were ScraWled, not once but dozen
times, the words: .fHezekiah Smith, of
| N. Y c." and constitutional Smith
of N Y. c." Ellington OKeefe
| looked at them Wonderingly. He was
surprised within himself that he had
1 never found them in his pocket. But
! from the date of his advent upon the
saiIer he had been so dazed that he
| recalled now the fact that he had not
/ gone through his pockets with ans
/ care. It was even possible that he
! had pulled out these papers and thrust
/ them back again. But he had never
/ taken note of them That much was
/ clear jerks shook his head. Nov,
| what the devil" he went on. you. want
TO carry papers like that with you, to
| give you dead away. is one on me.
1 That's what.
Again O'1eefe mechanically an
swered II didn't put them there.
Somebody else must have done that for
me-
Jenkins stood looking down upon
the other and scratched his chin for a
short space of time.
sWell, it's blame queer mix up
/ all round" he said, rbut guess II s
safe enough to tell you just what hap
/ pened. I guess you're safer here than
back there on the coast Pm fgurin'
| on this and1syou can tell me If I'm
right. I'm guessin' that you was being
chased pretty lively across the coun-