The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-08-08
he P1underers
nv c. ). cUTLlFFE HYNE.

hand inside his shirt bosom, pistol
gripped in that. and peered In through
the open door, The place was tenanted
by no living thing larger than flies and
coclkroaches. He drew back half scared
by the eeriness of 1t, and then beckon-
Ing his mates headed them down the
ccnipanion ladder. treading like stage
cofspirator. At the foot, two doors
opened; one In the alleyway, which was
empty the other into the main cabin,
on the floor OF which Kettle had been
deposited by the. donlxeyman. But In
the eliminating spasm OF his cramp the
little captain had rolled away out OF
eight under the table, and so to all ap-
pearance this place was deserted also
The men peered about them and ran
aft, poking their noses In pantry ana
gallery and engine room. Coming back
Through the alleyway. they searched the
two mates rooms and found them
empty, 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-
pied plates which were yellow with new
rust and pointing out to one another the
twisted stanchionS and splintered deb
ris below. And at this they were en-
gagged whensthe sun took its final dive
beneath the waters Of the Mexican gulf
TO westward. and the tropical darkness
snapped down upon them like the shut
ting OF box.
Hank" said the one eyed man. this
gets me. What in hades have they been
doing to this bl~me steamboat, and for
why have they gug- -gug-gone OF and
..Euclld's out OF my line" said Hank
oraculary.
s'oh. you blank putty head!" retorted
his friend, 'th-th-ink."
You tire me. II they aren't here,
they aren't. Praps they've gone or
and toted the Doodle to a cache. P'raps
It's left here aboard and II 1t is guess
we shall find II when we want 1t. What
I'm on for now's grub. / hain't had a
Christian meal for three months, thanks
20 this new sheriff bustling after us,
and I'm about sick Of mullet and sweet
potatoes. But, please our buck, well
raid their storerooms here and fix up a
regular hotel supper for tonight. That's
tne. Now come along, fellers."
The negroes chuckled and crowed,
,capering like children, and went on
with the tall man toward the galley, and
Mutt after an Intellectual attempt to
speak which threw him into paroxysm
OF fury. presently followed them.
The feast was sui generis. They
found grease, baking powder and Hour
Ind made doughnuts, they hotted three
tins OF Julienne soup, they baked a
great mass of salt pork on bedding OF
4 white beans, they made stew of pre-
yerved potatoeg. Australian mutton and
pate de foie gr-ls, and as chef d'oeuvre
Dne OF the negroes turned out some
crisp three cornered tartletS stuffed
with strawberry jam. Then Hank,
with lamp In one hand, cylinder Of
plates In the other and whole armory
Df knives and forks bristling from his
pockets, pattered off TO the main cabin
to lay the table.
At the doorway he stopped, gaping,
and because the instinct of the much
hunted made his right hand slip round
10 a certain back pocket the plates went
20 the ground with crash. In the
Bwivel chair at the head of the table
was ifuddled a mana small man with
cold cigar bitten tight between his
4 teeth, a man so grimy with coal dust
Shat Hank couldn't have sworn whether
the short peaked beard which rested on
his chest was black or red or Prussian
blue.
"Oh, don't you trouble to be polite,"'
said 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 liSS a hound.
rs that supper you're cooking?'
II reckon"
tI7ound anything to wash it down
wlth?" ..4.
There were a dozen bottles of beer,
but we wanted those between whiles,
and I guess they're drunk" D..
"rhere should have been more, but l
suppose my lousy steward has necked
them. However. this is a big night,
and this Is the first time I've seen you
md you mates, and so ] guess cham
pagne'll be good enough for us. There's
acase In that end room ready a-pur-
pose for this sort of celebration day.
Perhaps you'll fetch it out. I'm weak
= still"
Hank obeyed, wondering, and laid the
table and brought on the viands, in
which he was assisted by Mutt and the
blacks.
Then Captain Kettle spoke again.
"Oh, look here, friends, I'm not going
10 sit at table with niggers. / take it
this isn't blessed missionary meeting"
It seemed as though there would be
row, One OF the blacks stated his In
.ention OF takin no sass from that po'
white trash" and another openly drew
razor and made suggestive motions
with 1t through the air. "N
rOf course" said Kettle, 'if you two
gentlemen have chucked your color
and care to feed witt. those ornaments
you can do II. Only I'm white man
and have my pride"
That's right" said 5'utt. "Picnick-
ting and the schooner's different. But
this Is a regular hotel dinner, with nap
kits ana laDieClOtH, 9Hu guess any
thing colored 'ud spoil the tone. Say,
b-s- sonnies, you mosey."
II done cooked most this yer grub, -
whined he of the razor. an lie gwine t
eat my belly load"
.NWell. collar what you want to eat
till you bu-s-s-sp-
''Yes, but whar'll we go?"
Mutt looked at Captain Kettle. The
little man in the swivel chair gave his
African guests full leave to go to q
place considerably hotter than the en-
gine hold, suggesting the messroom as
an afterthought and alternative
WHITTIER they betook themselves
grumbling, and then the three whites
commenced their meal '... Z
Kettle unwired a champagne bottle
with fork and poured out three long
tumblers of dancing froth.
"Wine!" said Hank "Oh, my Jemi-
mai" .--
~Geg geg got my ice?" queried the
one eyed man.
Ice is off, replied the captain
Things have been that hot this trip
IL gave up and melted"