The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-09

]. he & erers
BY C. j. cUTLlFeE ANflE.


He pattered across the deck, right
hand Inside his shirt bosom, pistol
tEFiTped in that. and peered In through
ttae open door. The place was tenanted
by no fixing thing larger than flies and
cockIoaches. He drew back half scared
by h eeriness of it, and then beckon-
ang his raates headed them down the
companion ladder, treading like d stage
cnnspffator. AT the loot, two doors
opened, one in the alleyway, which was
empty, the other int the main cabin.
. on h door OF which Kettle had been
deposited by the donkeyman. But in
che eliminating spasm of his cramp the
Nttle captain had rolled away out Of
e eight under the table, and so to all APP
vearance this place was deserted also.
The men peered about them and ran
aft. poiking thein noses in pantry and
= gallery and engine room. Coming back
through the ~aileyway, they searched the
two mates rooms and found them
a and going out on the iron fore
deck found the forecastle deserted also.
Then they gathered round that gaping
rent where the forehatch had been in
curious wonder, examining The .crum-
pled plates which We're yellow with new
eeust and pointing out to one another the
twisted stanchions Ind splintered deb
MS below And at this they We're en-
gagged when the sun took its inal dive
beneath the waters of the Mexican gulf
Co westward, and the tropical darkness
snapped down upon them like the shut
Ting OF a box.
Hank" said the one eyed man, this
gets me What in hades ave they been
doing to this blame steamboat. and for
why have they gug-gug-gone off and
, left her?"
"ElcIfd's out Of my line" said Hank
oTacuiary.
oh. you blank putty head!" retorted
his friend, "th-th-ink,"
they aren't. P'raps they've gone off
and toted the Doodle to a cache. P'raps
fta left here aboard, and If it Is l guess
' NC shall find 1t when we want 1t. What
I'm on for now's grub. l hain't had a
Christian meal for three months, thanks
. and I'm about sick Of mullet and sweet
i. potatoes. But, please our buck, We'll
q their storerooms here and fix up a
regular hotel supper for tonight. That's
me- Now come along, f%ellers."
The negroes chuckled II crowed.
capering like children, and went off
With b tain M toward the galley, and
Nrtt, after al Intellectual attempt to
0peak which threw him into a paroXysm
>0f fury. presently followed them.
THE feast was sui generis. They
>Iourrd grease, baking powder and flour
OLAA Ind1S 0OuBIlllulS, lilcy uOllSo Nv
tf12 of Juaienne soup, they baked a
great mass of salt pork on a bedding of
white beans, they made a stew of pre-
served potatoes, Australian mutton and
rate 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 q lamp in one hand. a cylinder of
plates In the other and q whole armory
of knives n forks bristling from his
pockets. battered off to the main cabin
10 Jay the table.
vnd because the instinct Of the much
3unted made dis right hand slip round
fthEsa1tlfn back pocket the plates went
60 tine ground with q crash. In the
swivel chair at the head of the table
was hudd1ed q mana small man with
q Gs1aE cigar bitten tight between his
Seeth, q man so grimy with coal dust
that Hank couldn't nave sworn whether
che short peaked beard which rested on
his chest was black or red or Prussian
blue.
-soa, don't you trouble to be polite"
.xai6 the man in the chair. I'm mighty
glad to see any who can talk or use a
paIr OF hands.'' Here he lifted his
nose and snuffed the air like g. hound.
..Isathat supper you're cooking?"
reckon"
~Found anything to wash 1t down
~vith?"
Their were a dozen bottles of beer
but we wanted those between whiles
and I guess they're drunk.
"-There*should have been more, but
suppose nay lousy steward has neckec
them. However, this is a big night
and h is the first time I've seen yol
and you mates, n so ! guess cham
.pagneM be good enough for US. There:
- case In that end room ready a-pur
aposeffor this sort of celebration day
Perhaps Gynnu fetch 1t out. I'm veal
~atilL"
-tafie and brought on the viands, Il
which he Ncns assisted by Mutt and tn
yAlaeikn.
Then Captain Kettle spoke again.
-G1h. Book here. friends, I'm not goin
~tO att mt table with niggers. I a
y4hi& fsnst q blessed missionary meeting.
1t seemed as though there would b
- row. Ono Of the blacks stated his in
tenti0u OF 'takin no sass from hat p
Write trash" and another openly DIRE
q and made suggestive motion
with 1t through the air.
~Of course" said Kettle, "ff you tw
gentlemen have chuclled your colo
ard care TO feed with those ornamen,
you caui 20 it. Only I'm a white ma
and hsFve my pride"
Enht's right" said Mutt. "Picnicl
GnK aud the schooner's different. B,
AL lt Il IE tAI~14 AiOlSI "a I Adl
kins and ~tab1ecloth, and 1 guess an
thing eolored 'ud spoil the tone. Sa
8~-s-s0nnies, you mosey."
"L done coo5ed most this yer grub
whtnsd me of the razor, al lie gwine
eat wYy belly load"
well. collar What you want to e
UM you bI-s-s-s"-
Yes. but whar'll we go?"
Mutt looked at Captain Kettle. II
little ma In the swivel chair gave h
African guests full leave to go to
Eface considerably hotter than the e
CINE bold, suggesting the messroom
an afterthought II aftermath,
WHITTIER they betook themselvt
xrumhsing, and then the three whit
commenced their neal.
Rettle unwired q champagne bot
with q fork and poureu out three 10,
Aumblers OF dancing froth.
@Nine!" said Hank. "Oh, my Jen
MAJ.
-Ges-geg-got my ice?" aueried t
one eyed man.
Zee is off," replied the CAPITA
Things lay been that hot this t,
a gave up and melted"
You seem to get your maners on 4