The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-03-23

the center or me group, ana long arter-
ward Wilbur could remember the
grisly scene the punk sticks, the
bread pan full Of hunks Of meat, the
horrid close and oily smell and the cir
Gle Of silent preoecupied Chinese, each
sitting on his bunk ledge, deyouriug
stewed pork and holding his pannikm
Of black jack between his feet against
the rolling OF the boat
Wilbur looked fearfully at the mess
IN the pan, recalling the chocolate and
stuffed olives that had been his last
luncheon.
"Well" he muttered, clinching his
teeth, I've got TO come to it sooner or
later" His penl,nife was in the pocket
Of his waistcoat, underneath his oil
skin coat He opened the biz blade.
harpooned cube of pork and dcp0s-
tied IL on his tin plate He ate it slow
ly and with savage determination. But
TIE black jack was more than he could
bear.
I'm not hungry enough for that just
now he told himself Say, Jim" he
said, turning to the Chinaman next
him on the bunk ledge say, what
kind of boat is this? What you do
4 where you COZ
The other moved away impatiently.
mo sabe, no sabe" he answered,
shaking his head and frowning.
Throughout the whole of that strange
meal these were the only words spo-
1 ken.
When Wilbur came on deck again
he noted that the Bertha Millner had
already left the whistlng buoy astern.
/ OF to the east. her sails just showing
/ above the waves was pilot boat with
the number { on her mainsail. The
evening was closing in, the Farallones
were in plain sight dead ahead, Far
behind in mass of shadow just bluer
| than the sky, he could make out few
twink ling lights San Francisco.
Half an hour later kitchell came on
deck from his supper in cabin aft. He
/ glanced in the direction of the main
land, now almost out OF sight. then
took the wheel from one of the China-
men ana commanded, Ease off y'r
fore an main sheets The hands
eased away, and the schooner played
off before the wind.
The staysail was set. The Bertha
I EYttiNna bnoIn,l Pa cnntbvvalt INNyiuV
easily ahead Of good eight knot
breeze.
Next came the order, "All hands
aft" and Wilbur and his mates betook
themselves TO the quarter deck Char
lie took the wheel, and he and kitch-
ell began to choose the men for their
watches. just MS Wilbur remembered
to have chosen sides for baseball dur
ing his school days
sonny, I'll choose you. You're on
\ my watch" said the captain to vii
bur, "and | Will aSsoom the ree-spon-
sibilty OF your nautical eddoocation.'
II may as well tell you at once be-
gan Wilbur. that I'm no sailor
But you will be soon" answered the
captain, at once soothing and throateH-
ing. "You will be, Mister Lilee of the
Nallec You kin lay TO it as how you
will he one of the best sailor men along
the front, as our dear friend Jim says.
Before | git thoo with you you'll be a
sailor man or shark bait. | can prom
! al
over here, son
The watches were divided, Charlie
AMI three other Chinameu on the port
ktchell, Wilbur ana two Cinnamon on
the starboard. The men trooped for
ward again
The tiny world of the schooner had
lapscd 10 quiet The Bertha Millner
was now clear of the land, that lay like
blur of faintest purple smoke, ever
growing fainter, low in the east. The
Faralones showed hut their shoulders
above the horizon The schooner was
standing well ont from shore, even be-
yond the track Of the coasters aud pas
Sengcr steamers. to catch the trades
from the northwest, The sun was set
ting royalty. and the floor Of the ocean
shimmered like mosaic. The sea had
gone down aud the fury of the bar
was thing forgotten 1t was per
ceptibly warmer.
On board, the two watches mingled
forward, smoking opium aud playing a
game that looked like checkers. Three
of them were washing down the decks
I with kaiar brooms For the first time
since he had come on board Wilbur
heard the sound of their voices.
The evening was magnificent Never
to Wilburs eyes had the Pacilic APP
peared SO vast, so radiant, 50 diyinely
beautiful \ star or two burned slowly
through that part Of The sky where the
pink began TO fade into the blue
Charlie went forward and set the side
lights-red Oh the port rigging, green
on the starboard. As he passed VIII
bur, who was leaning over the rail and
watching the phosphorus flashing just
under the surface, be said:
"Hcy, You 20 talkee-tnlk one piecey
boss. sayyy boss-chin chin"
/ Wilbur went aft and came up on the
poop. where Kitchell stood at the
wheel. smoking an inverted clay pipe.
"Now, SON" began Kitchell, Il match
Is love you so that I'm goin' to do
you reel favor. do you twig? I'm
Il. 81 he