The National tribune., 1904-07-07

eyes before, behind and on both sides at
the same time. and movements as quick as
their eyesight.
Items of freight and articles of deck fur
niture were sent hither and yon with equal
velocity and recklessness.
The crew did this partly through brutal
callousness. partly through ruffianly enjoy
ment of annoying and hurting outsiders.
| with special malice to the "sojer-men."
whom every sea-gOng man feels it his
duty and delight to hate
Sergt Byrnes stood this but a mighty
few seconds. After he had jumped out of
the way of barrel of sand that came fly
ing over the deck as if aimed directly at
him, and lodged the sweep of a spar being
slowed away. he began to take action
The Second Mate. low-browed bully.
staggered by, dealing out curses and foul
| Language to the deck-hands for their slug
glshness. His thin coat fell over the han
| die of a revolver and the hilt of bowie
knife. He rubbed roughly against Shorty
as II he was extensively in the way. and
elb0wed 81. Both stood back apologetical-
ly. as if intruders on his domain. He was
| passing Sergt Byrnes with the surly OBJ
liviousness he would show toward stanch-
ion or hatch, when the Sergeant's mighty
hand fell upon his collar and jerked him
| upright.
What dye name. We Secesh spawn av
F'oive Points. by trating the United States
| uniform with disrespect and insulting the
| jintlemen who wear it," sternly demanded
| the Sergeant
'WhO the" - the Second Mate sta rted
TO growl, but the breath was shaken out
| of him as the Sergeant commanded:
"Stop that. Don't you dare swear at
me, you whisky soaking crimp, or Oil jerk
| your hide OF over yer head. Stand erect
and salute, or it'll be worse for YOU"
The Second Mate had bully's quick
| ness in recognizing a master, and prudently
did as hidden, without venturing a word
of protest.
Byrnes's swift quelling Of the tyrant of
| the lower deck had its immediate effect
| and when the Sergeant looked around for
| other objects of discipline he found none
The deck hands were civilly asking the
passengers to make way there; gang
| way, please" when they wanted to move
| anything. and Si and Shorty were asked to
get out of the way of q man laying up
| ladder.
These hoodums Of the say" remarked
Serg't Byrnes quite loudly and distinctly.
as he, 81 and Shorty moved down toward
! the stern through lane opened up for
them by the deck hands. made being kilt
at least vance a week. in arder to make
| thin lade daycint lives. All the respectable
men have gone into the army or the navy.
laving the Offal to man these merchant
ships. If they should all sink the divvil'd
have TO put up barracks outside the works
to house thin all :"
'Well, Sergeant, there's no question
about you're being the Hi-Muk-a Muk on
the lower deck. Mebbe we'd better stay
down here. You'll have to take drop if
you go up to the cabin deck. among those
eagles and stars"
This from Shorty with a laugh.
We'll 60 up. all the same" answered the
Sergeant. "a jintleman and a soldier al
ways knows his place, wherever he is. Dim
more comfortably aisy among the aigles
and shtars. as you call thin. than among
this ruck of the Ould Nick's own. Oh wish,
though, that sailor-robbing crimp Of Sec
ond Mate had had more sand in his craw.
Old loiked to've clanei up the deck with
him, the longshore hyena."
mo, l never saw a man wilt as he did,
when you caught him by the scruff of the
neck, and he took good square look at
you. He's dominick. clear through" an
swered Shorty. "He ought at least made a
kick to've held his own on his own deck"
These waters belong to the United
States" said Byrnes. with fine. swelling
air of proprietorship land the United
States officers and men riprisnt the owner
ship. Dim going to make it respected
There'd be Ould Nick to pay all the tonne
around here, if we didn't lay a heavy hand
on these worid-scrapings that the wars
brung here"
They ascended to the cabin-deck. The