The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-03-20

When the first mate appeared he did
not speak to any one, but jumped to
the wharf and hurried away. A doctor
| was sent for and Captain Titcomb's
wound was dressed The physician said
the injury was not serious. There was
no conclusion of the brain, and the pa
| tent would be all right in a couple of
days.
Bradley didn't sleep much that night.
Next morning the captain sent for him.
| When the second mate entered the
stateroom he found the skipper sitting
on the edge of the berth with a big
bandage on his head, but looking very
bright and like himself
| He seemed oddly embarrassed when
Bradley came in For moment OF
two he did not speak. The second mate.
who had expected scorching rebuke
and was prepared to meet it, was sur
prised at the mildness of the first re-
mark.
Now, then, Brad said Captain Tit
comb, set down. What's this about
| you and the mate? Tell the whole
yarn, HrSC ana last.
So Bradley told it just as it happen
ed-the crews behavior, his suspicious,
the sighting of the light and what fol-
| lowed
"Humph!' Captain Ezra nodded.
"Yup, that's about what Burke said
Now, Brad, l s'pose you knew that
Mr.. Burke was your surS,'ior officer
and that what he said wasvIw for you,
didn't your
"Yes, sir; but
"Never mind the butts now. Taking
command by force is serious-mighty
serious"
Il did what l thought was right.
Cap'n Ezra-what b'lieved you'd
think was right The schooner would
have been aground in ten minutes If
hadn't
We'll, s'pose she would. There'd
have been no lives lost. Plenty of
boats and a smooth sea-
But Mr.. Burke knew she was headed
for the shoals. He must have known
it. The owners would have
What do you know about the own
erS and their affairs?''
But the schooner
She's a hulk, that's all-and in
sured."
The reply was an odd one, but the
tone in which it was made was odder
still. Strange things had happened
during the past week; Captain Tit
combs silent Ill humor, the interview
the day before leaving New York, the
sudden change Of mates, the skipper's
studied Indifference to the demoraliza-
ton among the crew, Burke's frantic
determination to keep on the course set
by him even after the proximity to the
shoals had been proved beyond a doubt
all these were fingers pointing in one
direction. Bradley, however, had not
looked in that direction. But now the
last wjsp of fog blew away and he
saw clearly.
"Cap'n En-" he gasped. ''Cap'n Ez!
Were you going to wreck her ON pur-
pose?"
The captain shifted in his seat, but
did not look at his companion.
Orders are orders" he said. Mr..
burke was your skipper-with me out
of the way-and you ought to have
minded him. just as | should my own
ers.'
Wreck vessel for her insurance.
groaned Bradley. Il didn't think you'd
do it, Cap'n Ez. l didn't think you'd
do itr'
The dismay, the grieved disappoint-
ment and horror in his friends tone,
seemed to hurt Captain Titcomb sore
ly. He glanced at Bradley and then
looked away again.
i've heard all sorts of yarns about
you in Orham," went ca Bradley.
"They say you're too sm4et and that
you'll bear watching and all that. I've
called those that said it liars, and I've
stood by you through thick and thin.
But now What do you think they'd
say if they knew of this? What do You
think Miss Prissy and Miss Tempy
would say? Why, they blieve you're
the best
The captain broke in testify. Never
mind all that" he said. Gas for 'Squeal-
err Wixon and Jabe Bailey's talk, l
don't care snap. And the old maids
amt exactly up to date in this worlds
way of lookin' at things. S'pose the old
Doane was booked for thunderation by
the shoal route-what of it? Mind, /
only say s'pose. Better to go that way
on a smooth night, with all hands saw
ed, than to bust up in squat and
drown us all, as was likely to happen
any minute. Nobody loses but the in
surance folks, and they'd lose quick
enough anyhow. Why, it's done hun
dred times a year all along this coast.
Member when the Bay Queen piled up
on the beach off Setuckit last summer?
Everybody was as sartin as could be
that twas done a-purpose, but you
couldn't prove nothin'. So with the
Rhoda Horton and the Banner and any
quantity more. Spose-mind, I'm only
sposin that you'd got orders from