Evening journal., 1905-05-15
MY o NE
FAC ULTy

tdIeeI WIS toou enough lOf Nunccs
The captain took fancy TO me and
tried to teach me navigation, but there
were so many siies. coslnes, arcs and
fungles about II to bewiider me that he
soon gave II up in despair SO It seemed
that I must continue to wait ON the
ships company, clean the cabin win
dows and at mealtimes assist the cook
In the galley.
One morning when was washing
the breakfast dishes noticed that the
ship had been brought up to the wind.
which was tapping in the sails. Soon
after, having occasion to go to the after
cabin, I saw the captain aud the FIRST
mate standing looking at the rudder
post Though the tiller was lashed fast,
the rudder swayed with the ayaves.
This was because the rudderpost was
defective. AS the rudder moved the
post would twist, opening and closing
huge cracks. OF course the ship was
without steerage- The captain. looked
anxious.
Captain 1 said, "when the cracks
open I'LL them with wedges, and your
post will hold firm"
The captain turned and looked at me,
astonlshed that a cabin boy should dare
TO advise him. Then he grufiy ordered
the mate to go and get the wedges.
They were driven in the cracks, iron
bands were put around the post, and It
held good til we reached port
1t had become evident that possess
ed ingenuity.
The captain considered that by my
suggestion / had saved the ship and
on reaching home told the owners, who
placed a thousand dollars in bank TO
be given me on my coming OF age. My
father was much perplexed at the sto-
ry and. thinking that perhaps my teach.
ers had been at fault, wished me to re-
main at home and try school again.
But l hated books and took kindly 10 a
rowing life on the ocean. So my father,
deciding that there must be some mis-
take about my ingenious suggestion,
relapsed into the belief that I was still
Ounce and the position Of cabin boy
quite good enough for me. But he was
again doomed to revise his opinion
when ! returned from the next voyage
We We're in the China sea not far
from the Malay peninsula. having
aboard a cargo of oil There Is no part
Of the globe where piracy has been and
is today more common. One evening
! just before sunset l went on deck and
saw the captain and both mates ex
amining with glasses n small vessel tc
the leeward, which was towing a good
sized bark Suddenly the smaller yes
sci drew away from the other and sail
ed toward u.s. Though she showed M
flag, our captain knew her TO be a pi
rate with prize in tow, and, since W.
had nothing with which TO defend our
selves except small arms, he had NJ
doubt that as soon as the craft coulC
reach us we would walk the plank
Captain" / said get up barrel oi
oil and pour II over the decks, except
the poop Then get the men up there
with the arms, hoist the white Gag and
let them come aboard"
The captain stared at me for a mo
ment, the color gradually coming t
his cheeks with hope, then ordered no
one barrel but a dozen brought up anC
stove at different parts OF the deck. Th'
ratlines. the bulwarks, every bit OF sur
face was shining with oil. Then th'
men were gathered with the small arms
on the poop" BY this time the "skul
and crossbones" were raised on the
pirate, and in a few minutes more sh'
was within hailing distance. Since
there was no appearance Of resistance
she sent out the boats, loaded will
copper colored villains, leaving only {
small crew aboard There was consid
erable sNl on. and we were rolling heav
n lily. One boat made for the bow, th'
other for the waist, and the crew
climbed up on to the deck The frs
man TO reach it slid on to it from tn
oiled gunwale. His feet shot out from
under him, and he coasted into th'
scuppers. In a few moments SOM
twenty men We're sliding about as Tia
ship rolled. while we, taking out on
guns. which we had concealed unde
our jackets, opened fire. Before th'
pirates could get their legs we haC
peppered every one of them excep
those who had not left the boats. They
seeing the disaster, pulled for theii
vessel, but we picked them or as the,
rowed The men on the pirate, terro
stricken at what they could not under
stand, put their ship before the winC
and sailed away.
We found some shoemaker's wal
aboard, with which we covered The
soles of our shoes. Then when he haC
heaved overheard the dead and wound
ed pirates we made sail for the shil
they had left She proved a Fat prize
and we took her in tow. When we go
home the captain and crew, after col
lecting the prize money were so crate
ful to me for the suggestion that haC
saved their lives that they rellnquishet
every dollar to nae. When the none,
was deposited in bank, together witt
a handsome sum from the owner ol
our own ship. had a fortune such a!
my father had never come near attain
ing
1t was suggested that become al
inventor, but / never could think Of an!
ingenious expedient unless stimulated
by some special happening. some grea
necessity. The consequence is / hav'
lived on the interest of my prize money
I 4.