Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-10-31
OUT OF
THE FOG.

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TX By THEODORE RoBERTs. ~
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The skipper, who had been leaning
back with his shoulders against the
after bulkhead, bent forward and
squared his arms on the table. I've
often enough called myself hard
names for treatin' that boy as did,
he said. But hard names don't
split cut ropes, Mr. Burke"
] nodded. 1t was not my place to
comment freely, for at that stage OF
my varied career was filing the
humble position of mate Of the stout
bark Arctic Hare. However, had
nothing to complain of. Captain Hal
yard treated me, unofficially, as an
equal-and where is the duke or king
who can lay claim to more than that
from q master mariner aboard his
own ship?
The boy was all for the sea- and
wouldn't hear of any extra schoolin',
10 I gave him chance" continued
the skipper. "He signed on with me
for a voyage to Brazil and back as
an ordinary seaman. He bunked and
ate for'ard. That was his place.
That's where was when first went
toasea. He was in the mates watch
and told the mate to see that he
did his work.
ION Sundays called him aft and
let him read in here; but other days
treated him Just like the other men
which was fair and square, but
pretty undemonstrative i thought 1t
was all fine and noble of me, and
used to brag about 1t to the mate. He
wasn't enthusiastic though. He said
that no boy could consider his father
as nothing bat the skipper. told
him that was the right way of it, and
that the lad would thank me for it
some day, when sailing with strang-
er.
"'On work days. said l, I am the
skipper. On Sundays am his faith
er. He understands that it's for his
own good
You see was mighty sure Of my
self in those days!'
Here Captain Halyard paused, and
stared vacantly at the gay cage Of
the skylight above him.
Evidently something went wrong.
How was that, sir?" l ventured.
How was that?" he exclaimed, sit
ting up, savagely. "Ah, If could
only forget how 1t was, Mr.. Burke!"
His voice dwindled. He eyed me
appealingly, and glanced away. TT
was about his playing the accordion"
he added.
I had nothing to say to that. l
listened to the footsteps of the boat.
swain on the poop overhead. could
see that Halyard was anxious to tell
me the story. and yet was ashamed
Of it. He fingered an almanac that
lay before him, and fused about in
most exasperating manner.
WELL" he said, "to make it short,
the boy had a weakness for playing
the accordion. He played 1t we'll,
too. He kept the fo'castle gay with
his music.
But 1t Jared on me, somehow OF
other; and one night l called him
aft and told him to quit-told him
that boy who was content to pump
tunes for lot of common seamen
would never get aft of the galley
himself. He took the word quietly
standing here on this very strip OF
carpet, with his cap in his hand.
IF he'd argued, maybe it would
have been better for both of us
About week after that, late one
night, l awoke and went on deck by
way Of the after companion. / heard
the accordion playing very softly and
cautiously. The man at the wheul
had the tail of his eye on me.
II went for'aM, quiet as a thief
in my canvas slippers. 1t was a fine
night, with the moon clear and full
and the trade blowing steady. The
old girl was walking along as If a
giant had her on tow-line.
''For'ard of the mems deck-house
found Jack and the accordion. Both
watches were squatting round The
lookout had his back to his business
and his eyes and ears on the player.
II gave the boy piece of what l
thought was my mind. It was as mas
~ tongue-lashing as you'd want to
forget. At the end of 1t told him
couldn't thrash him because he was
British seaman. Then l sent the
men hopping. and went back to bed.
Next Sunday Jack didn't come aft.
Like a fool. didn't send for him.
So we made the round trip without
another word between us. I'll fix
him when we get ashore used to
say to myself.
well. Jack got paid off with the
rest OF the crew. and that's the last
have seen of him. hear he is on
the Banks. fishing with the Glouces-
ter fleet now. About year ago his
mother received letter from him,
with Boston postmark on the en-
velope"
Halyard stood up and pulled on
his oilskins.
That's the story, Mr. Burke" he
said, quietly. please don't tell me
what you think of 1t. Pm going on
deck You had better turn in"
Just then seaman knocked on the
door and opened 1t crack.
"T'ickenin' up, sir!" he said. "Bo'-
SIN wants to know if he'll get out de
fog-horns."
YES" said the skipper. He pulled
his sou'wester well down on his head,
tied the strings under his chin, and
followed the sailor. / fastened to
my berth of the outer cabin, and,
like the skipper, attired myself in
rough-weather clothes.
When ! reached the high deck Of