The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-01-05

and his eyes and ears on the PLAYER
Il gave the boy piece of what
thought was my mind 1t was as mas
ty tongue-lashing as you'd want to
forget. At the end of it told him
| couldn't thrash him because he was
a British seaman. Then | sent the
men hopping. and went back to bed
Next Sunday Jack didn't come aft
Like a fool, I didn't send for him
So We made the round trip without
another word between us. I'll fix
him when We get ashore used to
say to myself
We'll. Jack got paid off with the
rest OF the crew. and that's the last
| have seen Of him. | hear he is on
the Banks, fishing with the Glouces-
ter feet now. About a year ago his
mother received a letter from him.
with a Boston postmark on the en-
velope"
Halyard stood up and pulled on
his oilskins.
That's the story, Mr. Burke" he
said. quietly Please don't tell me
what you think Of it. I'm going on
deck. You had better turn in
Just then a seaman knocked on tn
door and opened it crack.
'Tickenin' up. sir" he said DO
SIN wants to know if he'll get out de
fog -horns."
YES" said the skipper. He pulled
biC en-, u,oIl dawn nm hi-
tied the strings under his chin. and
followed the sailor l fastened to
my berth off the outer cabin. and.
like the skipper. attired myself in
rough-weather clothes.
When ! reached .the high deck of
the poop the fog lay over us and
round us. cold and damp. One horn
was being worked on the focastle-
head and another on the poop. The
noise was appalling
That's too much. Make it once
in two minutes and alternately"
shouted the skipper to the boat
swain.
AYE, aye. sir" replied the boat
swain. briskly.
Then. aside to me. What do he
mean by dat?" he asked.
'One at time-turn and tlrn
about" I whispered
Halyard and / stood side by side.
with our hands on the windward rail
and the fog smoking round us. The
old bark pitched to the gray valleys
and climbed again up the gray. un.
stable hills.
mo need OF the lead to tell us
we're in soundings," remarked.
We're on the Banks-just on the
edge of them" replied the skipper.
Queer we don't hear a horn or
two in answer to the row we're max
ing" I said. leaning over the iron
rail OF the poop and straining my
eyes against the thickening fog.
"Hark!" said the skipper, with
hand on my shoulder. I turned an
attentive ear to the wind.
Don't you catch that?" he asked.
His voice was low and eager.
shook my head. could hear
nothing in the lull between the bel
lowings Of our horns except the
tumbling of the seas and the COM
planning passage of the ship.
There! Dead to windward!" ex-
claimed Halyard, after minutes ST.
lence.
This time l caught something
hardly more than suggestion of
a faint strain of music.
Then the horns gave tongue again,
like q pack Of unearthly hounds hunt
ing in the fog.
When their clamor was done, the
skipper glanced at me shyly.
Wasn't 1t mlsic?" he asked.
II am not sure that l heard any
thing" I replied.
He had nothing to say to that.
Presently heard the noise again,
loud enough to be sure of 1t.
Its an accordion" said.
See here. Mr.. Burke" said Hal
yard, what's a man about, playing
an accordion of there in the fog?
Is he just amusing himself? Or is
it a signal? Or is he trying to keep
up the hearts of himself and his dory
mates?'
The last two reasons seem likely
SIR l replied. THE playing
sounds pretty weak. too"
Take the port life-boat, MIR. Burke.
and men from your own watch. Wen
lay to-"
l nodded. and started down the lad
der to the main-deck.
The port life-boat was soon swung
out and lowered My four men of
Harbor Grace pulled her up to wind
ward with every ounce of muscle,