Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-08-09
The Plunderers
BY c. .cuTLIFFE HYNE.
BY c. J. cuTLIFFE HYNE.


grfpped in hat. and peered in through
the open door. The place was tenanted
by no living thing larger thar flies and
c~ockroaches. He drew back half scared
by the eeriness OF 1t. and then beckon-
ing his mates headed them down the
companion ladder, treading like a stage
conspirator. AT the foot. two doors
opened; one In the alleyway, which was
empty, the other into the main cabin
on the floor of which Kettle had been
Deposited by the donkeyman. But IN
the eliminating spasm OF his cramp the
little captain had rolled away out oi
sight under the table, and so to all APP
pearance this place was deserted also.
The men peered about them and ran
aft. poking their noses In pantry and
gallery and engine room. Coming back
through the alleyway, they searched the
tive mates rooms and found them
empty, and going out on the IRON fore
deck found the forecastle deserted also.
they gathered round that gaping
rent where the forehatch had been In
curious wonder, examining the crum-
pied plates which were yellow with new
rust n pointing out to one another the
twisted stanchionE md splintered deb
Fis below. And at this they were en-
gagged when the sun took It's f1nal dive
beneath the waters of the Mexican gulf
60 westward, and the tropical ~arkness
&tt REC1 aPOAA NA~h' ~ $3.50
ding of a box
Hank" said the one eyed man. this
gets rue. What in hades have they been
doing to this blame steamboat, and for
why have they gug-gug-gone on and
left herr"
"Esuclid's out OF my line," said Hank
-oraculary.
-'oh, you blank putty head!" retorted
his friend, "th-th-inls."
You tire me. II they aren't here.
they aren't. P'raps they've gone of
and toted the Doodle to a cache. Praps
ITS left here aboard. N IL 1t is guess
ws shall find 1t when we want IL. What
I'm on for now's grub. l hain't had a
Christian meal for three months, thanks
Go this new sheriff busting after US.
and I'm about sick of mullet and sweet
potatoes. But, please our buck, Wen
raid their storerooms here n fix up a
regular hotel supper for tonight. a
me- Now come along, fellers."
The negroes chuckled and crowed,
capering like children, and went OFT
with the tall man toward the galley, and
Mutt, after an Intellectual attempt to
speak which threw him into a paroxysm
1f fury. presently followed them.
The feast was sui generis. They
found grease, baking powder and hour
and made d~oughnuts, they hotted three
Gins of Julienne soup, they baked a
great mass of salt pork on a bedding OF
white beans, they made q stew or pre-
SERVED potatoes, Australian mutton n
pate de foie gras, and as a chef doeuvre
one OF the negroes turned out some
crisp three cornered tartlets stuffed
with strawberry jam. Then Hank.
with a lamp In one hand, a cylinder of
plates in the other and a whole armory
OF knives and forks bristling from his
pockets, battered off to the main cabin
to lay the table.
A. 4ha HNnrxxyaxy ha Sfnnnad pranfnU
and because the instinct of the much
hunted made his right hand slip round
e&o a certain back pocket the plates went
60 h ground with a crash. In the
RwiveI chair at the Tea of the table
was huddled a n small man with
81 old cigar bitten tight between his
teeth, a man so grimy with coal dust
that Han couldn't ave sworn whether
the short peaked beard which rested on
his chest was black or red or Prussian
blue.
-~Oh, don't you trouble to be polite"
-wafd the man In the chair. I'm mighty
glad 10 see n who can talk or use a
pair or hands." Here he lifted his
nose and snuffed the air like a hound
lis that supper you're cooking?'
IT reckon"
Pound anything to wash 1t down
with?"
There were a dozen bottles OF beer,
OuL VIC N1t1LCA CIV R&Al WkttdNo
and l guess they're drunk"
There shnIld have been more, but l
-auppose my lousy steward has necked
them. However, this Is a big night.
and this is the first time Tve seen you
and you mates, and so ! guess ham
apaEnell be good enough for US. There's
n case In that end room ready a-pur-
pose for THIS sort of celebration day.
Perhaps you'll fetch 1t out. I'm weak
still"
Hank obeyed, wandering, and laid the
table and brought ON the yiands, In
which he was assisted by Mutt and the
blacks
Then Captain Kettle spoke again.
-Oh, look here, friends, I'm not going
to sit at table with niggers. / tak IL
this pMs a blessed missionary meeting
II sorSicd as though there would be
IA row. One Of the blacks stated his In
fention of 'takin no sass from hat po'
white trash and another openly drew
IN razor and made suggestive motions
with Is through the air.
~Of course" said Kettle, IF you two
Eentlemen have chucked your color
ard care to feed with those ornaments
you con do II. Only I'm a white M
and have my pride
That's right" said Mutt. "Picnick-
Ina and the ~schooner'S different. But
this rs n regular hotel dinner with nap
kins and tablecloth, and | guess any
thing colored nd spoil the tone. Say.
~sE-S-sonIies, o NOSE ~"
II dose cooked most this yer grub
whined he OF the razor, AN lie gwine {
Sat my belly load"
~SHcli, collar what you want to es.f
till you bu-s-S-s"-
Yes. but whar'll we go?"
Mutt looked at Captain Kettle. The
little man in the swivel chair gave his
African guests full leave to go to a
place considerably Hotter than the en-
gine hold, suggesting the messroom an
IAN afterthought and alternative.
whittier they betook themselves,
grumhling. and then the three whites
commenced their meal.
Kettle unwired q champagne bottle
with Il fork and poured out three long
tumbiers of dancing froth.
Wina.7 said Hank. "Oh, my Jemi-
mai"
eGsg-gcg-got ny ice?' queried the
nj eyed man.
~Ics is or" replied the captain.
-Fhings have been that hot this trip
a. gave Up and melted"
You secm to get your manners on ice,
Mr. Billy Mutt" said his friend. Now
i STE a regular hotel meal in front or
me. n I'm going 10 make a pig OF
aggstif and be jolly well thankful.
lhaan4 any Use for yOur high toned Sort