The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

watches were never disturbed, and
every mans artistic ability as a story
teller was in full demand.
One evening the conversation turned
to hard-case Yankee packets, of ships
where men take and give blows with
deadly intent Each man told of the
bucko mates he had known, and as
almost every one had known Dick
Hardy, or Black Jack, he and his mys
terious fate became the principal sub
ject of discussion.
He was a bad un," commented
Kanaka Joe, darkly; blessed if he
waren't. I've known hard-case mates,
but most of EN- was on the square in
a fight. Black Jack waren't; he was
a mucl1er: he'd hit a man when he
was down"
You bet" agreed another man;
"drownin' was too good for him. He
should a been ham-strung first, then
hung by his arms in the main chains,
an then billed in pot O. tar"
Here each man gave his idea Of
fitting end for Black Jack, and some
were quite ingenious. That is, all
did so except Happy Steve-he only
laughed immoderately as each man
presented his method.
Come, Steve" said Kanaka Joe.
how would you have him cooked?"
Steve laughed uproariously, while his
mates grinned in anticipation of a par
ticularly funny account of an imagin-
airy death for Black Jack. But Steves
laughter increased; his face was red
with suppressed merriment.
Come, Steve" said Cockney sailor
encoura gingly, Tets ave the joke;
don't be a-keepin' it all to yourself
Why, We blessed galoots," chortled
Steve at last, Il could tell We a story
Of Black Jack as would make yer eyes
water. Here you chaps is a-talkin
Of Black Jack, with me here as could
tell ye more about him than any man
livin'" And Steve shook with keen
appreciation of the humor Of it.
We'll, ye blarsted ass, why don't ye
tell us?" suggested the Cockney.
Well painted Steve, between
spasms, "seein' as how 1 am with a
crowd as can appreciate the funny side
of a good story, 1 am going to blige
yez.
''Ye see, fellers, was bos'n's mate of
the Southern Cross the trip Black Jack
croaked."
We'll. I'll be hanged" calculated
several of the men together. Steve
chuckled at the astonishment in their
faces.
You bet" he continued, "an' I am
the boy as can tell ye a few things
about that trip.
I'VE left Liverpool for Frisco with
general cargo an crowd o. green
Cockneys aboard as didn't know the
spanker boom from a marlinspike.
Naturally, Black Jack piled into 'em
before we got clear of Ushant Light,
an the scupDers was red with blood
night an day.
We'll, about five days out, we struck
a bit Of nasty weather, an one night
all hands was up aloft reefin' the fore
upper topsail. Black Jack was up
there in the bunt lookin' arter the job
1t so happened as 1 was next to him.
but he didn't know it was me- Well
something happened to rile him, and
first thing 1 knew he landed on my
jaw an nearly sent me down on deck
Fancy him takin' me for a blasted
lilnejuicer"
.Steye stopped for a moment to
thoroughly enjoy Black Jacks mis-
Well" he continued, when his
laughter. had subsided, when we got
downi l told him as how he had hit
nEes by mistake. But, blast me, hs
| didn't see the joke.
Good for ye,' sez he.
We'll, naturally, that kind o. riled
] me, bein' taken for a bloomin' green
horn, ,anEIstoIds Black Jack right then
as how I'd fix him in Frisco. Upon
, he on
t sends me down to leeward into the
, scuppers.
t Well, things went along that way
2 until we got down into the trades. an
= one night a funny idea struck me as
' swas a-pacin' 2tIfe sdeck.s Ye remember
/ Black Jack was bow-legged, an I wa.
4 larin' to myself, wonderin' how he'6
Z look swimmin' with them bow legs
Ever see a bow-Iegged man swim
/ Funniest thing yet. But Black Jacl
c was the bow-leggedest man ye evel
s see.
That idea stuck to me for a lon,
e time, an whenever I'd think of it, nigh
i or day, I'd larf. was just a-hankerin
n TO see Black Jack swim with them bow
n legs O his a-waggin' behind.
: "One night in the middle match th
a chap at the wheel wanted to be relieve,
s a few minutes, so I went and took tn
e wheel while he went ford. Black Jacl
e was Dacin' the poop slowly, it bein'
sultry night. Pretty soon he goes VI
d to the weather rail and leans agin IL
It kind O. sleepy.
e We'll, feIlers. those legs O. his neve
II looked so bowed as they did then.
IS could already fancy him kicking ther