Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-07-12
CHAPTER x.
TONIGHT.


Another day and another sky. Now
9he blue gulf water was as eaden and
dense as that one looks upon in a hard
north sea gale, and the heavens over
head were as full Of lurid grays which
raced one another i'm sliding chase till
they were lost In the northern mist
drifts The steamer rolled heavily to
a steep beam sea, n when they could
be seen the iron of her lower decks for
ward inc aft cleaned as though IL had
been new coated with ocher yarnish.
But this was not often. for four min
utes out OF every five they were filled
with a ehurning. kissing pond OF green
and cotton white. which the scuppers
could only empty piecemeal.
The time was evening, twenty hours
after the queiiing OF the mutiny, and the
three tenants OF the upper bridge were
the only human beings on any or the
outer decks On the midship grating
stood a higher heeled q-uartermaster
holding on TO h spokes of the steam
wheel, browsing on plug tobacco and
keeping his eyes mechanically fixed
in the jumping compass card. Alter
hately climbing and descending athwart
ships as the bridge swung under him.
the third mate took his sea constitu-
tional in rubber thigh boots, with hands
thrust into the waist belt OF his
AA ~ 1tAA1A va N"1 H&<@sA
every time he passed the pinnacle he
faced front and took a regulation peer
round the foggy saucer lip OF horizon,
with an utter blank lack OF interest,
and "A face woode and gnarled as a
walnut shell He WAS an elderly man.,
the third mate. and the sea held no
more surprises for him. and no more
interest. and no more pleasure. IL ever
he had ambition. he had iost it years
since, His aim In life was TO hold n
position OF small responsibility and
earn a monthly wage with the smallest
possible outlay OF exertion either men
tai or physical
The remaining occupant of h bridge
sat on a campstool under the lee of the
weather dodger with his red peaked
beard ON his chest. his slippered feet
stuck out I'm front. his elbows crooked
out behind him and hands deep In his
Jacket pockets. Every time the third
mates footsteps neared him his eyes
opened and for an instant flashed round
20 the right hand angle OF their orbits.
Between whites he slept. IL was owing
TO this faculty OF literally snatching
moments of rest that Captain Kettle
at the end of his twenty hours spell on
the upper bridge was as fresh as
though ne had just got up from a clear
nights sleep. This watchfulness was
necessary. for, as the experienced skip
per was quite aware, fully half of the
hands would have gladly tossed him
overheard IL they could nave grappled
him without danger to themselves.
Presently. however, he dropped his
sdoze with a snap and slowed round to-
fac the head OF the bridge ladder, en-
tirely wakefuL A head showed itself,
b~iackhaired, with a clean shaven,
bright, determined face. The CORE
spending body followed, lean, tail.
muscular.
"Ah. MIR. CambcI. you've brought me
some proyender? Thanks. indeed.
What, sandwich and teal Couldn't be
better"
IT have whisky In by pocket"
Not for me now. Wal till we get
ashore, and Their I'll booze with any
man TO his hearts content. The game
I'm on now Is like a boat race-if "A man
wants to win. he's got to diet himself
accordingly"
The third mate. TO show to any
chance oniooker that he was not In
sympathy with the unpopular captain.
planted himself In the angle of the lee
dodger. which was the greatest distance
hat the ties Of duty would allow him
20 depart. Kettle, with an acrid grin.
drew his companion's attention to this
move.
''WhatTI that chap do tonight when
Auu DSEluSs aSkEu AdHDei.
bolt like a rat at the first alarm.
He'd show pluck If he was paid for it.
would my third mate. but not being
paid he1l take the best care possible of
his own ugly hide. He isn't a fellow
who'd ever like a tight corner for it's
own sake. There's 10 In atom OF the
sportsman about him"
tCambei laughed. You're the other
sway on. captain"
WM Lyotflasy fa~a clnraNn1 ~ tAIftu~4 sa 20 ~ -
Ehe said Times I am that way, curse
Emy cantankerous luck"
YOuT weakness In that direction
came in handily for me yesterday"
YOU'RE right, Mr.. Cambel. right all
through. BY my soul. I'd had a mind
to chip I'm with these rOgues and grab
what I could. II was a tempting nance
and IL would have been a heap more
profitable to me han what I'm IN for
now. As for the honesty of the thing,
there wasn't "A pin TO choose between
1T and this racket of yours and MIR.
SShclfs. But IL was that Dutchman's
gall tina mtt me off, II he'd held his
silly Jaw, and those other bladderheads
had let me understand / was to hold
the pistol hand gver them-weil. the
Port Edes w0nsd have coral rock spout
Ing through her bottom plates this min
ute. ana I'D been a man owning a mat
ter OF E5.90a TO $4,000. That's putting
IL straight"
So" said Cambel, II suppose I have
TO thank the said Dutchman for carry
ing n sound windpipe shis minute"
mo" replied Kettle thoughtfully. II
don't think IT. l fancy you'd have be-
haved reasonably over the new deal.
and then I'D have stood by you, espec-
gally," he added slowly, as though from
afterthoughf. especially ii those dogs
thought that you'd have been safer out
OF the way What" he asked. with
sudden fF0wns. AS though the subject
annoyed him. what raw yslu heen do
ing with yourself this ~afternoon2'
sPhYSiring q sick fireman principally.
The stokeiOfd temperature was los de-
grees and he amused himself drinking
cold condensed water by the quart to-
gethcr The somewhat natural conse-
mluence grAx crstnp I'm the stomach.
They sent kim up ny the ash lift. and
u steward dosed him with chloro-
dyne and iaudanum and tincture of
rhubarb. TIE result wasn't encourag-
sng."
ON. theirs never any knowing what
TO Go With "a sick stoker's inside. Bat
M OF These drugs ought TO have
fetched him"
Perhaps one did. but the other two
Eain't seem 10 MT his ailment."
~Wen he a them. Tor nothing. 30
4 dcn'f see what call he had 10 COM
plain I ntxfr ssw such a crew for
physIc. Tnsy have drunk that big chest
hair Twv AQ ~ ~ ard ~ I'll lot ,epn fhavsd