The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-06-20
By j. .
SackviI1e d:
Martin ,
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not help listening to his sea yarns,
could see her eyes turning forward
toward the waist, where Hay was put
ting in his time looking at the tiger.
One afternoon the skipper was sit
ting beside Miss Sandford on the poop
deck when Hay came up the compan-
ion and made his way toward them.
There's something l want to tell
you. captain" he said. ITS getting
on my mind and making me quite un-
comfortable. That man whose bust.
ness it is to look after the tiger isn't
doing his work properly. The animal
isn't getting enough iood. 1t is devel-
oping a savage nature. And yesterday,
when | went to see the man about 1t.
found that he was intoxicated. l
really think you should interfere"
OF course, the old man should have
interfered. But he didn't like being
told his duty by the little professor,
especially when the girl was about. SO
he just sneered.
II suppose you're afraid If the beast
escaping?" he said.
II should certainly regard it as ua.
Fortunate" the little man replied. "You
see, a drunken man might be careless
about the fastenings. l must really
insist upon your speaking to him."
Hes not one of my crew." said
Hoskins. IL have enough to do to look
after them. If any of them get drunk,
they'll hear of it. But this chap is a
passenger, even if he is only q steer
age one. He can do as he likes with
his spare time If you're so blamed
frightened about the beast you'd bet
ter look to the fastenings yourself"
Excuse me-" said the professor
stiff1y, that is not my business. The
animal does not belong to me. have
done what believe TO be my duty. l
can say no more
He turned away without even
glance at the girl
THAT man." said Hoskins, looking
after him, sis frightened at his own
shadow. Let me give you bit of
father!y advice, Miss Sanford. When
you are looking for man to marry,
never marry coward. A girl like
you wants some one who will protect
you in time Of danger; some one she
can rely on and look up to-"
I'm not thinking of getting mar
ried." she said shyly. But when l do
I'll bear your advice in mind, captain"
That's it," said Hoskins. "Think
over it carefully. And as for getting
married, I'd be glad if you'd think over
that too"
She started like a frightened horse.
'Oh, captainw she said. 81 don't
understand. What do you meanT
''You do understand" he said ten
derly, drawing his chair a bit nearer
to her. Miss Sandford! Hilda!
Haven't you a word for a poor old
seaman who worships the very ground
you tread on? Think it over. None
but the brave deserve the fair, you
know"
'You mustn't speak like this" she
exclaimed, rising as though she was
distressed. "You are older than am.
And l don't know that you are a brave
man. l have only your word for it.
Please don't speak to me about this
again"
The old man saw that he had gone
little bit too far.
"Waltw lie said "dont be fright
ened. promise not to say a word
until we reach England. Before we
get there, if we have bit OF rough
weather, I'll show you the sort of man
| am. l should love a bit of danger
for your sake"
For the next few days he went
about whistling for wind, as though
he wanted to send us all to Davy
Jones' locker. believe he would have
been glad of typhoon just to show
his seamanship and his contempt for
danger. AS for his seamanship, no one
ever questioned it; and as for mis- con
tempt for danger, he was to get his
chance all right, though not quite in
the way he expected.
1t was about week after his con-
versation with the girl that it came.
Hilda was sitting on the poopdeck
reading a book. I'he old man was
marching up and dow; with n quarter
deck trot, casting glances at her think
ing how pretty she was, when sudden
| ly he let of howl that would have
frightened. an elephant and sprang into
the port mizzen rigging. / wasn't far
of him at the time, and l looked at
him, wondering whether he had gone
mad. Then | saw what he had seen,
and / went up the starboard mizzen
shrouds as quickly as he had gone up
the port ones. The girl raised her
head and looked up at Hoskins, and he
gaped down at her and tried 10 shout.
But for come time ne could only make
faces.
Look! Lookw he yelled at last.
"Come up the rigging, the tiger is
| loosev
She spran; to her fee, an!. looked
about her. Not four yards away from
her the tiger was playing with a coil
of rope 1t was paying no sort OF at
tention TO her at the moment, but she
felt that 1t might take it into its head
to spring at her at any time. AS she
stood she was cornered between the
stern of the ship and the cabin door.
There was nothing to be done but to
climb up the rigging. She tried, but
the first step was too high, and she
could not manage 1t. And when she
realized that thought she was going
to faint.
Hoskins was just going down to give
her hand, but at that moment the IL