Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-09
CHAPTER ".


of sailing ships In these degenerate days
and with her bright work. almost as gilt
tering as 1t would have been II SIZE hao
been a naval reserve boat
of / don't get a few more men, OBJ
served the captain as he looked around, i
guess my brassll be some dull fore l GIT
into Boston harbor."
TT must take a good deal of hard work
to keep her as shipshape as she Is now,
said Parton, land 1 know that ships are
generally dirtiest when they are in port.
We'll, It does" sand the captain. Yes, 1t
does; but II l can't sail clean ship don I
want to sail no ship. BY John, some O
these here vessels in these here docks IS SO
dirty that the compass needle can't turn
Yes, sir, by Quincy Why. an Italian brig
come in here t'other day, an, after they d
tied up, some one noticed that the captain
want around nowheres. They found HIN
fn'ly. He'd slipped down an stuck to IN
deck. Yes. sir. by Adamsl He'd slipped
down and stuck fast in tn dirt on his own
deck an couldn't get up by John quincy
Adamsr'
A steam tug was lying, with hawsers al
ready made taut, to haul the Lydia Skol-
field out of her berth. The captain, with a
strange twinkle in his eyes, explained that
II he did not get under weigh at once he
would not have the tide to help him down
the river.
He winked at Parton and beckoned to
him to follow him into the cabin:
''This'll mebbe be my last drink TIL We're
In dock at tother side o. the bound n
MAN." he said, AN reckon I'll make it a
good sized one. Have some?"
Parton nodded and the captain set the
glasses and two decanters out on the cabin
table The cabin was as neat and trim as
could be found in any vessel that sailed
from the West India docks 1t had good
sized table In IT, and, strangely enough,
there were good many novels lying about
and in the bookcase against the wall There
was also vast mass of newspapers. The
captain noticed that Parton looked with
pleasure at the newspapers and books
YES" said he, got plenty O. readin'
matter aboard. 1 didn't use to git so lone
/ like to read love stories. You'll find
lots of 'em here. TIL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
l have to have tn newspapers. Every
mans got to read tn newspapers. Guess
you're glad Of 1t, eh? Bein' writin'
man."
oh yes. Of course" said Parton, smiling
sickly.
And the captain grinned.
He only visited the cabin at intervals
during the ships passage down the river.
and Parton somehow. although he knew
that the idea was idiotic, felt safer there
in the seclusion of the cabin than he felt
on deck 1t seemed to him that when he
was in the open air every person on any
of the craft which swarmed the great
waterway must be looking for him, and
trying to prevent his escape from England
II shall be right glad to have you
aboard The Lyddy this wage" said the
captain on one of his periodical visits to the
cabin. My wife used to sail with me, but
now have to sail alone. My wife. Lyddy.
she can't stand the sea no more. Some
times feel jest II I'd have to give it up
myself, by John Quincy Adamsr'
Parton smiled at the captains oft reiter-
ated and unusual oath. The old man
toht cfp hi nff In t-riy
'Mebbe you've noticed a peculiarly bout
my swearin'." he said. II don't take TIL
name of tn Lord my God in vain very
much: 1 Just use tn name o tn ablest
man He ever made instead. I've sometimes
thought that 1t untitled me for bein'
sailor-you can't allus control men without
usin' real cuss words at 'em, when tn ele-
ments is rely up an dom. But OF John
Quincy Adams'n do in fair weather. all
right. an I know It would hurt my wife's
feelins IL she thought I was off cussin' an
swearin too much. all alone on tn sea-"
After this Parton went up on deck. The
trip down the channel was delightful to
him. For the first time since he had left
the Russell Square house he felt safe
Nothing. he argued, could now interrupt
his evasion of the police before the Lydia
Skolfeld touched port on the other side of
the ocean. He would have weeks of mental
ease in which to formulate plan of action
TO put into execution when that time came
The captain approached him again. and
he looked up with a smile and a conjecture
that the voyage would be a comfortable
one.
Yes" said the captain She's beginnin'
all right. Hope it'll keep UP like this-an
II ought TO at this time o. the year. I'm
goin' ashore down here to Cowes Lyddy
an mes got little scheme, which, some
how. makes me feel better after I git out
to sea. She alus makes it a point to have
long letter waitin' for me at tn port
where / touch last in leavin' anywhere for
some'rs else, no matter where my wage Is
a-beginnin from. IT kind o. starts me off
on wage with good taste in my mouth,
so TO speak. Don't you want to go with
me? Shan't be gone more'n an hour"
Parton. OF course, declined. and with the
dropping of the anchor all of his worry
came back to him. He felt certain that by
this time the police would have traced him,
and would have found that he had sailed
on the Lydia Skolfeld
They probably would have noticed all the
coast towns, and the police there would be
looking out for the ship. and when they
saw her would board her and search her
1t seemed to him that success in his flight
was now to be snatched from him at the
last moment.
The captain went ashore. Parton sat on
the deck. well hidden from the shore by
the cabin. and tried to read He had finally
become interested in one of the captains
novels. when the fall of a bundle OF news
papers on the deck beside him startled him
as II some one had fired gun off near his
ear. As he looked up he saw that the can
tam Hdu returned ana was Just climbing
over the side of the ship He was sur
prised when that able officer cast at him a
tremendous and evidently portentous wink
Parton knew that this facial contortion
must have some meaning, but he could not
guess what 1t might be. and was about to
ask. when he saw the captain put his finger
warningly to his lips, and then turn as IL
he were waiting for some one else to climb
on board The captain looked at him again
and again as he called In an unnecessarily
loud voice over the rail:
Wont you take my hand inspector? You
police fellers amt much on clirlbin' ladders.
be your"
Parton turned suddenly faint and sick
His first instinct was to hide; but that, ne
knew, would be useless, and third wink
from the captain seemed intended to have
comforting significance, although he could
scarcely make IL seem reasonable that II
should have. The captain, of course could
not know that he was trying 10 run away
from tho police. If the captain did know
that, then the captain was an dangerous as
the inspector.
Then the captain suddenly stepped quick
ly 10 Partons side and said, scarcely above
q whisper
Now. don't you be worried Guess we'iI
be enough for him!'
CHAPTER ".