The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-06-13
he Plunderers
BY c. J. cUTLlFFE HyNE.

+ and fancy there have been similar ciif
} nculttes trotting through the centurie
1 In pretty quick succession ever since
> Or course each man thinks his own EN-
/ ployes the most unreasonable an
grasping that have ever uttered opin
lon since the record began. That
, only natural, but might point out {,
. you that In definite results you aren'
In the worst box yet. Your chario
hasn't been upset in the Red sea so far
and 1t may be that certain operation
iI the Mexican gulf will piece up tn,
otwheeis and set IL running on triumph.
antly. Grumble IL you like, Mr. Shelf
but don't make yourself out to be ths
worst used man In history. Pharaoh
hadn't half your opportunities
| Yes, yes" said Shelf, who didn't
relish this kind OF conversation, 'but
we will come to business, IL you please
Right you are. Let's finish floating
the swindle"
Mr.. Cambel." exclaimed the other
passionately, will you never learn to
moderate your language? There are a
hundred clerks within a hundred feet
or you through that door, and some-
times even walls can listen and repeat.
Besides / object altogether to your
phraseology. We engage In no such
things as swindles In the city. Our
operations are all commercial enter
| prise" '-.
Very well," said Cambel, Struggling
his shoulders, don't let's squabble
| over IT.. You call your spade what you
like, only reserve right to slap on a
palmer brand. We're built differently,
Mr.: Shelf. prefer to be honest in my
| dishonesty. And now, as I've said, let's
| get to business. You say the charter
of this steamer Of yours, the Port Edes,
has expired and she's back on your
hands. She's 1000 tons, built under
4 md oil
She's well engined and has just been
| drydocked. She'll insure for every six
l pence OF her value without comment,
and there's nothing more natural than
to send out your specie in such q
sound bottom. Remains to pick suit
| able complement"
I've got a master waiting here now
by appointment. His names Kettle. I
kave him to certain extent under my
| thumb, and / fancy he'll prove reli-
| able man. He was once in our firms
employment #
"owen Kettle, by any chance?'
Mr. Shelf referred to a paper on his
writing table.
Captain owen Kettle--yes. He was
the man who lost the Doge OF Venice,
| and since then he's never had another
ship" y. r.
Poor wretch-yes. know. That
Doge OF Venice case was an awful
scandal. Owners filled up the board OF
trade surveyor to the teeth with
champagne, or shed never have been
passed to sea. AS IL was, she'd such
an unholy reputation that two crews
ran from her before they could get her
manned. She was as rotten as rust
and tumbled rivets could make her, and
she was sent to sea as a coffin ship
to earn her dividends out of Lloyds.
Kettle had been out Of a job for some
time. He was a desperate man, with
a family depending on him, and he went
as skipper fully conscious of what was
expected OF him. He did 1t like q man.
He let the Doge Of Venice founder in a
North sea gale, and by a marvellous
chance managed to save mis- ships COM
pany. At the inquiry, of course, he
was made scrapegoat, and he didn't
contriye to save his ticket. They sus-
pended his masters certificate for q
year. On the strength Of that he ap-
piled for maintenance, putting 1t on the
reasonable claims of service rendered.
Owners, being upright merchants and
sensible men, naturally repudiated all
knowledge or liability; said he was a
blackmailing scoundrel as well as an
unSkillful seaman and threatened him
with an action for libel. Kettle, not
having a solitary proof to show, did
the only thing left for him to do, and
that was eat dirt or subside But the
haven't tended to sweeten his temper
Latterly he's been serving as mate on
a Pacific ship, and he was just u holy
terror with his men. He simply kept
alive by carrying his fist or a revolver
butt. There wasn't a man who's SER
we'd with Red Kettle three weeks that
wouldn't have cheerfully swung for the
enjoyment of numbering him."
You appear to know good deal
about this man." .....
When II suits my purpose" returned
Cambel dryiy, Il mostly contrive to
know something about anybody. How
ever, it's no use discussing the poor
beggar any longer What's amiss with
having him in here?
Shelf touched one OF the electric
buttons which studded the edge Of his
table, and clerk appeared, who went
away again and shortly returned. With
him was q shriveled up little man of
about 40, with red head and a peaked
red beard, who made a stiff. nervous
salaam to Mr.. Theodore Shelf and then
turned to stare at Cambel with puck
cred amazement. -
Cambel nodded and laughed. Been
carrying any more pilgrims from Port
Said to the Morocco coast on iron
decks?" he said.
II never did that. snapped Captain
Kettle.
"Ah, ones memory fails at times.
dare say also you forget water famine
when the condenser broke down, ard
a trifiing affray with knuckle busters
and other toys, and dash OF cholera,
and nine dead bodies of Hadjls which |
went overheard? Perhaps, too, you
don't remember Judging a clean bill OF
health and back-sheeshing certain |
officials of his Shereefian majesty?"
mo-" said Captain Kettle sourly, II
don't remember"
I'm going to forget 1t also, IL you'll |
prove yourself a sensible man and deal
amicably with Mr.. Shelf and myself. |
I'm also going to forget that when you |
were shipping rice for Calcutta in 1882 |
you rented mats you called your own to
the consignor and made a tidy penny
out of that, and ] shall similarly let |
slip from my memory trifing squeeze |
OF $500 which you made out OF a |
stevedore in New Orleans before you |
let him touch your ship in the fall of |
1857" ..00E
You can't make anything out OF |
those" said Kettle They're the ordi-