The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-08-16

knew the place like a book. hurried to a
shop and purchased two second hand
sailor suits. The obl!ging proprietor cheer
lullS permitted the two men to change
their civilian clothing for the uniforms
and agreed to hold the discarded suits
subject TO their orders.
The s!ght of the chief In a jaunty sailor
cap filled Clancy with mirth. Barnes was
toolmuch filled with the Importance Of his
mission to see the humor of the situation.
and. ignoring Clancy's Mysteries. promptly
returned to the water front. A big, black
hulled steamer lay out in the stream. 1t
was the Golden Rod. great clouds of dark
vapor pouring out of its smoke stack. The
chief and his assistant strolled onto the
pier. a Hhabb!ly dressed. stocklly built
man WAS there talking to a lumber of sea-
men who sat waiting In a lifeboat. The
moment he espied the two men he shouted
peevishly:
Hey, there. were you two fellows en-
gagged to go on the Golden Rod?"
AYE, aye. sir" promptly responded the
mendacious Barnes, touching the fore
finger of his right hand to his cap in true
nautical style.
well jump in then" growled the nate
for 1t was John Polk to whom the mysteri-
Gus letter had been addressed. You're not
very punctual."
Barnes and Clancy climbed down the
side of the wharf and seated themselves
| III lliS po"l. liz d ctlo W GU, dllu lodA
Of the men selling the oars. rowed rapidly
in the direction OF the steamer. During
the ride the chief had an opportunity of
scrutinizing the men in the boat. There
were eight of them. and they looked fit for
any sort of enterprise. The mate stood up
: in the stern OF the raft and directed the
movements of the oarsmen They worked
with such a vim hat they We're soon be-
meath the shadow OF the tramp steamer.
, In a few minutes they were all on the
5 deck of the Golden Rod and the lifeboat
e had been hauled up and fastened in its
e place. The mate, addressing the men col
t iectively, asked:
i "Where's the captain?"
!, At this a loud voice broke out from the
a companionway near the bow of the steam
CT. Barnes looked in that direction, and
> presently a great big head. damned down
between a pair OF powerful shoulders,
emerged from the opening. The stocky
Q bull neck. which creased In layers of fat
{ In the back. was dchantly free of collar or
tie. The sleepy eyes We're half closed by
n heavily furrowed lids, while Il stubby nose
{ sat nAockingly over firmly Shut lips, which
n in turn drew a straight cynical line above
; a strong chin. The onlsGsign of weakness
;. in that brutally mascdtine countenance
was in the short, closely cropped side
n whiskers. which emphasized the dispro-
- porttonatc and ridiculously small ears on
y each side of the mans face. Age and vice
had combined remorselessly to trace hun
drcds of tiny wrinkles which crossed and
recrossed the weather beaten skin until 1t
resembled a network of delicate springs.
% He raised his arm and pulled off his siouch
~ hat In awkward fashion,, displaying a
round skull covered with short cut gray
hair. The thumb Of the right hand was
missing, and the hairy wrist gave him an
inhunan-a goril,a-like appearance.
g II was Captain Levi Cross, master of the
'd Golden Rod.
Barnes was no coward. but this tnstan-
: taneous mental photograph sent a chill
quivering down his spinal column. Inc
captains body followed his head until he
stood on the deck facing the mate and his
:. eight recruits. The full length picture die
- not improve the autocrat of the Colder
~ Rod. Nature. which sometimes loves te
pile on the agony, had given him a lont
> body and short legs. He turned to tho
mate shortly:
It's not late exoostulated Polk, pull
y, ing out an open faced watch the size of
" pancake. It's not 6 o'clock yet"
The master ignored the reply. He wavet
y the thumbless hand in the direction of tn
=. forecastle.
St send those fellows below. We're goin,
:, to get up Steam and pull out of here in
"a jiffy."
Down they piled. like convicts going int
g. cells. Barnes paused on the first step o
the steep stairway and cast an anXlou
ne glance across the horizon. His counte
-, nance fell. The Albatross was not II
sight. He proceeded to the forward hol
Wy of the vessel. and the first objects tina
y. greeted his eyes were the 100 casks o
ny mixed pickles. They were carefully stowe
~. awa< in the extreme corner of the bow.
% dirty PANIED lantern hung from the ceilin
and cast q dim light about the apartment
ei The men We're told to sleep in pairs, an
US Clancy, who had ingenuity when occa
~ sion required it. contrived that he shou!
r. occupy the bunk with Barnes.
he 1t was a long night. but by the time tn
ny first hint of daylight streaked the horizo
~ the chief and his assistant knew that tn
" men on the Golden Rod were fighters c
., fortune about to Join the Cuban insul
=. gents-for consideration. The sorry looF
Is ing recruits were scattered into group
rs, Some talked in muffied undertones: other
~ pulled out packs of greasy cards and be
GU gan to gamble. Barnes longed for a snl
of fresh air. He crawled cautiously up
~ the deck. His first look was foe the Alba
'eA tross. He strained his eyes. To his d.
light. he beheld a tiny column Of whit
oh smoke in the far distance. He locke
again, and family detected the whit
graceful body Of the revenue cutter. Ella
ny ed, he hurried downstairs to announce tt
DIS good news to Clancy.
In the darkness he could scarcely Sc
'en AS his eyes became accustomed to tt
light he hnaily discovered Clancy LYLE
as down In his bunk in the extreme corner
the hold. 1t made the chief angry, and /
was about to break into reproaches whe
ne. the Irishman turned and raised a caution
MS ing finger. He beckoned Barnes to al
.tie proach.
X. Don't let those other fellows get on
YOU" he whispered. but there's som'
thing doing here"
for What is it?"
gly Crawl up in the bunk. lay low ar
the you'll soon find out"
18th He crawled up. The first thing he NJ
ties ticed was a little ray of light. which pr
ties ceeded from a knot hole in the frail pa
DIV, tition which separated the forecastle fro
a an adjoining cabin. He glued his eyes
The this, ara what he saw put him in a vel
serious frame Of mind. Levi Cross ar
The Polk, the master and the mate, were
the the room. A cask was on the f1oor-ol
nee of the hundred casks Of mixed ptckl
hat which figured in the papers of the Gold'
3 it Rod. But the thing that made Barn
stare until his dancing eyes nearly Jump
the through the knot hole was the utter a