Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-25
THE MYSTERY
ey STEWART EDWARD HOPKINS
b. 4


mask with its bristle of long whiskers
took the gall and dragged the carcass into
the surf where 1t was devoured by fish, At
first the men. pleased by the novelty strip
ped the skins. The blubber. often two or
three inches in thickness. had then to be
cut away from the pelt, cube by cube. It
was long, an oily and odortferous job.
We stunk nightly Of seal oil: our gar
ments were shiny with it. the very pores Of
our skins seemed to ooze II. And even after
the pelt was fairly well cleared. it had still
to be tanned. Percy DarrOw suggested the
method. but the process was long and gen.
orally unsatisfactory. With the acquisition
OF the fifth greasy, heavy and ill-smelling
piece OF fur the mems interest In peltries
waned. They confined themselves in all
strictness to the trimmings"
Percy barrow showed US how to clean the
whiskers. The process was evil. The
masks were, quite simply to be advanced
bristles would part readily from their sock
cts. The first batch the men hung out on
line. few moments later we heard
mighty squawking, and rushed out to find
the island ravens making Off with the en-
tire catch. Protection of netting had to be
rugged We caught seals for month or SO.
There was novelty in It and it satisfied the
lust for killing. AS time went on the bulls
grew warier. Then we made expeditions to
outlying locks.
Later Handy Solomon approached me on
another diplomatic errand.
THE seals is getting shy, sir" said he.
''They are" said I.
THE only way to do is to shoot Them
said he.
quite like" agreed.
A pause ensued.
We've got no cartridges" he insinuated.
"And you've taken charge of my rife"
pointed out
''Oh. not bit. SIR" he cried 'Thrackles,
he just took it to clean it-you can have it
whenever you want it, sir"
II nave no cartridges-as you have OBJ
There's plenty aboard" he suggested.
said I.
He ruminated a moment, polishing the
steel of his hook against the other arm Of
his shirt. Suddenly he looked up at me
with a humorous twinkle.
You're afraid of us!' he accused
I was silent, not knowing just how to
meet so direct an attack.
mo need to be-" he continued.
said nothing.
He looked at me shrewdly; then stood of
on another tack.
well. sir. 1 didn't mean just that.
didn't me Al. you was really scared of us.
But we're gettin' to know each other. Twin
here on this old island, brothers-like. There
amt no officers and men ashore-is there,
now, sir? When we gets back to the old
Laughing Lass. then we drops back into
our dooty again all right and proper. You
can kiss the Book on that. Old Scrubs. he
knows that. He don't want no shore in his.
He knows enough to stay aboard. where
we'd all rather be-"
He stopped abruptly, spat and looked at
me. / wondered whittier this devious diplo-
macy led us.
''Still. in one way, an officers an officer.
and a seaman's a seaman. thinks you. and
discipline must be held up among mates
ashore or afioat. thinks you. Quite proper,
Sir. And can see you think that the arms
is for the afterguars except in case Of
trouble. Quite proper. YJv can do the shoot
ing, and you can keep e rtridges always
by you. Just for disciI Nm, sir
The mans boidness n so fully arming me
was astonishing AMI his carelessness in al
Low ing me aboard with Capt. Selover aston
ished me still more. Nevertheless I prom
ised to go for the desired cartridges. fully
resolved to make an appeal.
A further consideration of the elements of
the game convinced me, however, Of the
fellows shrewdness. It was no more dan
gerous to allow me q rihe-under direct sur
veillance-for the purposes of hunting than