The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1907-02-13

obey orders, and don't ask questions"
He went on deck Immediately and,
after a moment, Bradley followed him.
The rebuff was so unexpected and so
undeserved. the circumstances CON
sidered, that It hurt the young man
keenly. His pride was touched, and
he made UP his mind that Captain Tit
comb should have no further cause for
complaint so far as Interference by his
second officer was concerned. As for
the captain. he kept to himself and said
little to any one during the afternoon.
The new first mate came on board
that evening. He was a thick set.
heavy man, who talked great deal.
swore profusely and laughed loudly at
his own jokes. He seemed to know his
business and, as the captain would
have said, caught hold" at once.
They sailed the next morning, and,
by the time the tug left them, Bradley
fancied that he noticed a difference In
the state of affairs aboard the schooner.
The usual rigid discipline seemed to be
lacking. There was no rebellion or
SIKH VI Iuullnlt UuA AlNANAg a 6ChCA a.
shlftlessness that Mr.. Burke did not
seem to notice. Strange to say, Captain
Titcomb did not notice 1t either, or, II
he did, said nothing. Bradley did not
interfere. He had not forgotten the
advice to "obey orders and ask no
questions"
There was a good wind and a smooth
sea, and the captain drove the Thomas
Doane for all she was worth. BY the
afternoon of the following day they
were in Vineyard sound. Bradley's
suspicious had by this time come to be
almost certainties. For two or three
sailors to show signs Of drunkenness
on the first morning out Of port was
nothing strange, but to have those
symptoms more pronounced the even
ing of the second day was proof that
there were bottles in the focastle. But
Captain Tltcomb. usually the first to
scent the presence of these abomina-
lions and to punish their owners, now,
apparently. was unaware Of their pres
ence. And the first mate, too, either
did not see or did not care.
Bradley was standing by the fo'castle
just at dusk that evening when a sailor
bumped violently into him in passing.
The second mate spoke sharply to the
offender, and the answer he received
was impudent and surly.
Here you" exclaimed Bradley, seiz-
ing the man by the shoulder and whirl-
ing him violently around, "do you know
who you're talking to? Speak to me
again like that and I'll break you in
two
The mamie was a new hand-mum-
bled a reply to the effect that he
hadn't meant to say nOthin'."
We'll. don't say it again. Stand up.
You're drunk. Now. where did you get
your llquor:"
"Ain't got none. sir"
You're liar. Stand up or you'll lie
down for a good while. Anybody with
a nose could smell rum if you passed
mile to windard. Where did you get
it,"
The sailor began further protesta-
ton. but Bradley choked it Off and
shook him Savagely The first mate.
hearing the scuflle, came hurrylng up.
Whats the row, Mr.. NickersonY he
asked.
This mans drunk, and l want to
know where the rum came from"
Mr.. Burke scowled fiercely. Look
here" he shouted, lis that so: Are you
drunk
NO. sir"
You're mighty close to it. Why
and here the first mate sworc steadily
for full minute. do you know what
I'd do to man that brought rum
aboard a vessel Of mine? I'd use his
blanlety -bankcd hide for a spare
topS'l and feed the rest of his carcass
to the dogiish. Cit out of here. and re
member I'm watchin' you sharp"
He gave the fellow a kick that sent
him flying, and. turning to Bradley,
said i'm confidential whisper: Amt it
queer how Il shore drunk'll stick to a
man? I've seen 'em come aboard so
full that they stayed so for week
afterward."
Il think they We got the liquor down
fOr'ard here"
Il guess not If | thought so, I'd kill
the whole"-half dozen descriptive ad-
jectives-"lot. They can't play with
me, blank, blank en-.
But in spite of Mr.. Burke's fierce
ness Bradley wasn't satisfied. He be-
lieved that if the first mate had let
him alone lie would have found the
liquor. However, he thought if nei-
Their the skipper nor Mr.. Burke cared
it was none of his business. But he
was uneasy nevertheless.
BY o'clock the signs of drunken
ness were 50 plain that even the first
mate had to admit the fact. Only a
very few of the men were strictly so
Der. one of these was the big Swede.
Swensen. oddly enough, this man had
stuck TO Captain Titcombs schooner
every voyage since one trip on which
the skipper had knocked the fight out
of him. The novelty of a good sound
thrashing was, apparently, just what