The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-01-12
the black jack was more than he could

the 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
where you go?'
The other moved away impatiently
No sabe, no sabe," he answered,
shaking his head and frowning.
Throughout the whole of that strange
meal these were the only words spo-
ken.
Waen Wilbur came on deck again
he noted that the Bertha Millner had
already left the whistling buoy astern.
OF to the east, her sails just showing
above the waves, was pilot boat with
the number I on her mainsail. The
evening was closing in, the Farallones
were in plain sight dead ahead. Far
than the sky, he could make out few
twinkling 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 and commanded, Ease off yr
fore an main sheets" The hands
'eased away, and the schooner played
off before the wind.
The staysail was set. The Bertha
Millner headed to southwest, bowling
easily ahead of good eight knot
breeze.
Next came the order, Gail 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 as 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 Will
bur, land I will assoom the ree-spon-
sibility Of your nautical eddoocation."
Il may as we'll tell you at once" be-
gan Wilbur, ''that I'm no sailor"
But you will be soOn," answered the
captain, at once soothing and threaten
ing. "You will be, Mister Lilee of the
Vallee. You kin lay to it as how you
will be one Of the best sailor men along
the front, as our dear friend Jim says.
Before l git thoo with you you'll be a
sailor man or shark bait, I can prom
Use you. You're on my watch. Step
over here, son."
The watches were divided, Charlie
and three other Cinnamon on the port,
Kitchell, Wilbur and two Cinnamon on
the starboard. The men trooped for
ward again
The tiny world of the schooner had
lapsed to 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
Farallones showed but their shoulders
above the horizon. The schooner was
standing well out from shore, even be-
yond the track of the coasters and pas
senger 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 and the fury Of the bar
was a thing forgotten. 1t was per-
ceptibly warmer.
On board, the two watches mingled
forward, smoking opium and playing a
game that looked like checkers. Three
of them were washing down the decks
since he had come on board Wilbur
heard the sound of their voices
The evening was magnificent. Never
to Wilbur's eyes had the Pacific ap-
peared so vast, so radiant, so divinely
beautiful. A 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 on the port rigging, green
on the starboard. AS he passed Will
bur, who was leaning over the rail and
watching the phosphorus flashing just
under the surface, he said:
"Hey, you go talkee-talk one piecey
boss, sayvy boss-chin chin
! Wilbur went aft and came up on the
poop, where Kitchell stood at the
wheel, smoking an inverted clay pipe.
NO", sui, DeSdu nllCueII, L udlcu =
love you so that I'm goin' to do
Ju reel favor, do you twig? I'm
GIN to allow you to berth aft in the
cain, long O. me an Charlie, an, be-
sldAs, you can make free Of my quarter
deck. Mebbee you amt used to the
ways of sailor men just yet, but you
can iay it to that those two are reel
concessions, savvy? I amt mush
head like NEE dear friend JIM You
amt 40 water front swine; can guess
that With one hand tied behind me-
You're swell, that's what you are,
an your lines has been laid for swells
amt askin' you no questions, but you
got brains, an 1 fgger on gettin' more
outa you by lettin' you have y'r head
bit. But mind, now, you get gay
once, sonng, or try to flimf1am me, or
forget that I'm the boss of the bath
tub, an, strike me blind, I'll cut you
open, an you can Law to that. SOD.