The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-06-27

I snap: his fists slid to his jacket pockets
and gripped there. SSg7e
You painted Dutchmani' The words
came snarled through clinched teeth.
4 The crew rustled uneasily.
do live TO hear set OF dogs like
| you debating to me? Does any man
here think he's going to have an inch
| OF his own way aboard of meG"
Come, catpain Kettle" said the
| quartermaster who had talked before,
| don't be unreasonable. The Dutch
| man means we'll, though he didn't put
| Ii 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 were too many for
you. even il Mr.. Cambel does stand in
Ton your side"
Kettles face lit UP with Joy Of bat
tie. Are you, by James? he snapped.
Well see about that. I'd handle twice
your number to my own cheek and
day. I've done ii before on a dashed
sight uglier lot than you and came out
topside and I'm going TO do 1t again
now. Mr.. Cambel's with me, too, this
time, and we've got 20 bullets among
us that'll 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 nasal
voice on the outskirts of the crowd. Il
guess you're out there, mister. I'm
heeled for one"
"Crack!" &
The man shrieked and fell in a limp
heap on the deck. His weapon clat-
tered down beside him. Kettle kept his
smoking pistol muzzla raised steady as
an iron wrist could hold IL.
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 II his eyes instinc-
lively sough. the bridge. Cambel had
his revolver sighted over the crook OF
ali elbow, Kettle his at arms length.
Both were covering him.
Fling 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 tinkling splash.
Nov, stand forward. the two fools
who have been your spokesman"
The crowd stood like men petrifled.
Quick. or I'll make practice into the
brown of your
Jacket stepped out of his own accord,
unde1ant now and white. The German
was hustled to his side.
Have you got a coin, quartermas-
ter?" 7-... - G5
mo, sir" ...
Have you--sausa
"Yes. herr E4...- 3 g.. @.
Then spin II out, and do 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
you where you stand and settle it that
way" .'
The German put something between
his dished palms and shook 1t violently,
then clinched one hand and thrust it
out into the full blaze OF the lamp light.
The quartermaster cried heads The
other unwrapped his grimy fingers with
slow jerks and showed The coin was
q halfpenny. Britannia uppermost. The
eyes lost their stare and glinted un-,
quartermaster buttoned his cardigan
Jacket and drew llimslef up to face
the upper bridge.
Hold up your hand!" g.. ga.
1t shot up to the full lenght, fingers
splayed out. Then, crack, and bullet
ripped through the middle OF the palm.
The fellow let out short yelp of sur
prise and 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 !nuzzle.
Then he crammed both weapons into
his Jacket pockets again and gave or
ders sharply and with crispness
''WatCE below, get forward and turn
in. Watch on duty, go to your posts.
Quartermaster of the watch, tumble up
here. Southwest and by SOU"
A quartermaster ran briskly UP the
bridge ladder. ..... ~.
piled. 1t was the only comment any
one of the crew made to Captain Kettle
on his method
Continued Next Week.)
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