Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-15
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/ riggers coming on board to start unbend-
/ ing sail at once. | have to thank you
| in the name of the merchants and of my
self for your plucky conduct, and you,
! too. sir, as we'll as these men,
So the voyage was accomplished, and
Grace recognized the fact that the time
had arrived for him to withdraw his eight
| bluejackets. Their strange duties were
at an end, and one more little tale of
! bravery had been added to the great roll.
He gave the word to his men and went
! below to get together his few belongings.
As first officer he had navigated the ship,
and for some minutes he leaned over the
plain deal table in his diminutive state
room, with his elbows upon the out
! stretched chart.
| Across the great spread of ocean was a
| dotted line, but in the marks there was
difference, for three navigators had
worked out the one voyage. As his eyes
| followed the line, day by day, hour by
! hour, in vivid retrospection back to the
still, hot regions near the equator, the
! young fellow realized that the wage had
| been something more than a mere incl
| dent in his life. The restless days and
| seepless nights had been very pleasant in
their sense of satisfactory toll the very
contrast of having too much to do in
stead of too little was pleasurable But
| above all, there was the companionship
and friendship of a man who interested
him more than any he had yet come in
| contact with.
| Looking back over the days and nights
| they had passed through together, he re-
| 81; lo;- 10
for mere conversation. In the working
Of the ship. in the attempt to enable ten
men to do the work of twenty, there had
been sufficient TO keep them fully engag-
! ed without leaving time for personal mat
ters. But it is in such life as this,
lived together, that men really learn to
know each other, and not in mere inter
change of thought. or give and take of
question and answer.
Lieut.. Grace was in his small way a
student of human nature. Men who watch
the sea and sky, to gather from their
changes the deeper secrets of wind and
weather, acquire a habit of watching lips
and eyes, gathering therefrom little hints,
small revelations, tiny evidences which,
when pieced together, make that strange
| incongruous muddle called Man. Of the
human being Claud Tyars he knew a good
| deal-of the gentleman, the university
athlete, the travelled sportsman, he knew
absolutely nothing. Beyond the bare fact
that Trinity College had left its inefface-
able mark upon him, the past history of
this sailor was a blank to Grace.
When he went on deck a little later
leaving his baggage to be brought up by
one of the bluejackets, this thought was
still uppermost in his mind. He found
Tyars and Mr.. Lowell walking together
on the after deck; the former talking
earnestly, while the owner of the ship
listened with panied eyes. They came to.
ward Grace together, and he told them OF
his intention to take his men up to Lon
don by train at once in order to report
themselves at the Admiralty.
There were boats alongside-the Triggers
were on board, indeed, they were already
ut work aloft, and there was no cause fol
further delay. He turned away with Wis
ible reluctance, and went forward to cal
his men together. Mr.. Lowell followed
and shook hands gratefully, after which
he went aft to speak TO the pilot. Thus
Grace and Tyars were left alone amid
ships, for the men were busy THROWN,
their effects into the attendant boats.
Il nope" said Tyars, that you will
not get into a row for coming straigh
home without calling at Madeira on tn
chance of picking up more men,"
Il don't anticipate any difficulty wa
the reply; my uncle has the pulling o
few of the strings, you know"
Tyars nodded his head. There wa
nothing more to be said. The two mel
were already clambering down the ship
side, eager to get ashore.
"Good-by," said Grace, holding out hi
hand. 'I-eh-Tm glad we got he
home"
, "Good-by"
They shook hands, and Tyars stood sti
upon the deck he had trodden so bravely
while the little officer moved away tc
ward the gangway. Somehow there was
sense of insutficiency on both sides. Their
! was something left unsaid. and yet neitf
cr could think of anything to say. Grac
: had not gone many yards when he stoI
2 ped, hesitated, and finally returned.
!. Il say, Tyars," he said, hurredly, 81
= this going to be the end of it all?
r mean, are we going to lose sight of eac
other now? We have been thrown togetE
+ er in rather a singular way, and, unde
e peculiar circumstances, we have got o
: very we'll together haven't we"
o Tyars changed color beneath his SUI
f burn.
/. Yes" he replied, with the awkwar
: Seniality of a man accustomed to I'll
; exercise of an iron reserve over any emf
l. ton. Yes, we have got on very we'll"
0 Il don't think we ought to lose sigt
: of each other" suggested Grace.
NO; l don't think we ought"
: Then will you come up and see us
v town? The guv'nor would like to mai
Q your acquaintance. Come and dine t.
i morrow evening. No. 105 Brook stree
" Grosvenor Square. You won't forget Il
I address,"
e Thanks; shall be most happy. VIII:
u time do you dine?''
; Well, don't know. have been ava
' from home four years; but come
seven"
a a Seven o'clock; No. 100 Brook stree
u Thanks
10 They had reached the gangway. ar
n Grace now turned with a little nod
% acknowledgment, and began making
v way down the unsteady steps into Il
> boat awaiting him. Tyars stood on Il
Ic grating, with one hand resting on the ra
# of the ship, the other in his jacket poke
4 by the way" called out Grace, as Il
* boatman showed off, bring Muggins.'
Is That sage dog, standing between h
IT masters legs, wagged the white stun
le that served him for a tail and drops
his pointed ears in quick acknowledges
t. of the mention of his name in .w5
q which he knew to be friendly.
20 lie is not accustomed to the habi
n of polite society" remarked Tyars in
lg shout, because the stream had carried Il
lie boat astern already. He has got out
H. the way of it,"
:. 'Muggins is gentleman" shout
n Grace. who knows how to behave hil
te self in all societies and all circumstance
r. You must bring him ~
n All right" laughed Tyars; and
It. smiled down at the upturned eager fac
u the quivering ears and twitching tail
ls the dog-for Muggins knew we'll enoui
r. that he was under discussion, and wa