The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-06-27
snap: his fists slid to his jacket POCKETS

and gripped there.
You painted Dutchman!" The words
came snarled through clinched teeth.
The crew rustled uneasily.
do / live to lear a set OF logs X
you debating to me? Does any man
here think he's going to have an inch
of his own way aboard Of me-"
Come, Captain Kettle" said the
quartermaster who had talked before,
don't be unreasonable. The Dutch
man means well. though he didn't put
1t Bristol fashion. And besides We've
made up our minds to share in that
gold, and you'd better chip In and share,
too, without a dust. It'll be a deal
comfortable for all hands, and besides
it's got to be done anyway. We're all
determined, and we're too many for
you, even il Mr.. Cambel does stand in
on your side"
Kettles face lit up with joy Of bat
tie. Are you, by James?" he snapped.
We'll see about that. I'd handle twice
your number to my own cheek n
day. I've done it before on a dashed
sight uglier lot than you n came out
noS. Nj. CambeIs with me, too, this
time, and we've got 20 bullets among
us thatll all go home in somebody's
ribs before any Of you get at hand
grips with US. Now, just play on that,
you scum. There's not a one of you got
a pistol"
"Oh, haven't we?" commented a nasal
voice on the outskirts of the crowd. IT
guess you're out there, mister. I'm
heeied for one"
Crack"
The a shrieked and fell in a limp
heap on the deck. His weapon clat-
tered down beside him. Kettle kept his
smoking pistol muzzle raised steady as
an iron wrist could hold it.
The others instinctively drew at first
away from the fallen man, but one
ordinary seaman, younger and more
plucky than the rest, darted forward
to regain the fallen revolver. AS his
fingers closed over it his eyes instinc-
lively sought the bridge. Cambel had
his revolver sighted over the crook Of
all elbow, Kettle his at arms length.
Both were covering him.
Filing that thing overheard, or you'll
be dead before you can wink!"
The crews only revolver spun
through the air and hit the water with
a ttnkling splash.
Now, stand forward. the two fools
who have been your spokesman"
The crowd stood like men petrified.
Quick. or I'll make practice into the
brown Of you'll"
The quartermaster in the cardigan
jacket stepped out of his own accord,
undefant now and white. The German
was hustled to his side.
Have you got a coin, quartermas-
ter?"
NO, sir"
Have you-sausage?"
Yes, herr"
Then spin it out, and dc you, quar-
termaster, call to him And MIND YOU
call right, because I'm going to shoot
the loser, and perhaps you're the least
useless of the two. Spin confound you.
Spin, sausage, or, by James, I'll shoot
WIN .1vhnYa 1y0,y cfo,,I .4-l = 80
way"
The German put something between
his dished palms and shook it violently,
then clinched one hand and thrust it
out into the full blaze of the lamp light.
The quartermaster cried heads. The
other u~nWrapped his grimy fingers with
slow jerks and showed. The coin was
a halfpenny, Britannia uppermost. The
eyes lost their stare and glinted un-
quarternlaster buttoned his cardigan
jacket and drew himslef up to face
the upper bridge.
Hold up YOU hand.."
1t shot up to the full Ienght. fingers
splayed out. Then. crack, and a bullet
ripped through the middle Of the palm.
The fellow let out a short yelp of sur
prise n clasped the wounded member
tightly under his armpit. The men
around him. utterly cowed. stood in
frozen silence, and Captain Owen Ket-
tie from the bridge. waved slow pat
terms over them with a revolver muzzle.
Then he cralnmed both p into
his Jacket pockets again and gave. or
ders sharply and with crispness.
Watch below, get forward and turn
in. Watch on duty, go to your posts.
Quartermaster Of the watch. tumble I'D
here. Southwest and by SOU"
A quartermaster ran briskly up the
bridge ladder.
"S'west and SOU, it is, sir" he re-
piled. 1t was the only comment anv
one Of the crew made to Captain kettle
on his method.
Continued Next Weekly