Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-06-28
fists slid to his jacket pockets

snap; his fists slid to his jacket pockets
and gripped there.
You painted Dutchman!" The words
came snarled through clinched teeth.
The crew rustled uneasily.
do / live to near a set of dogs like
you debating to me? Does any man
here think he's going to have an inch
of his W way aboard of me?'
Come, Captain Kettle" said the
quartermaster who had talked before,
don't be. unreasonable. The Dutch
man means well, though he didn't put
it 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. tn be a deal
comfortable for all hands, and besides
it's got to be done anyway. We're all
determined, and we're too many for
YOU, even if Mr.. Cambel does stand in
on your side"
Kettles face lit up with joy of bat
tie. AR you, by James" - he snapped.
! Wen see about that. I'd handle twice
your number TO my cheek ana
| day. I've done it before on a dashed
sight uglier lot than you and came out
| topside and I'm going 10 do 1T again
now. Mr.. Gamblers with me, too, this
time, and we've got 20 bullets among
US that'll all so 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 a 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 muzzle raised steady as
a n tr,pr, wrist pnIIlI hold II
The others instinctively drew at first
away from the fallen man, but one
ordinary seaman, younger and more
pluCky thar the rest, darted forward
to regain the fallen revolver. AS his
fingers closed over it his eyes instinc-
lively sought the bridge. Cambel had
his revolver sighted over the crook OF
al elbow. Kettle his at arms length.
Both were covering him.
Filing 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 petrified.
quick, or I'll make practice into the
brown of you"
The quartermaster in the cardigan
jacket stepped out of his WI accord.
unGeiant now ana white. The German
was hustled to his side.
Have you got a coin, quartermas-
ter?"
NO, sir"
Have you-sausage?"
Yes. herr"
Then spin it 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
y1rAla-r ~ Nh, tNryN S,f- alnfn,tNl
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 it violently,
then clinched one HAND and thrust it
out into the full blaze Of the lamp light.
The Quartarmaster cried heads. The
other unwrapped his grimy fingers with
slow jerks and showed. The coin was
a halfpenny, Britannia uppermost. The
eyes lost their stare and glinted I'M
quartermaster buttoned his cardigan
Jacket and drew himslef up to face
the upper bridge.
Hole up your hand!"
1t shot up to the full lenght, fingers
splayed out. Then, crack, and a bullet
ripped through the middle of the palm.
The fellow let out a 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 muzzle.
Then he Crammed both weapons into
his jacket pockets again and gave Or
ders sharply and with ~crispness.
Watch below, get forward and turn
in. Watch on duty, go TO your posts.
Quartermaster of the watch, tumble up
here. Southwest INC by SOU"
4 una ri prnoa CT or RON hriclyTr ~ 49,
bridge ladder.
w and SOU, it is, sir" h re-
piled. 1t was the only any
one of the crew made to Captain Kettle
on his method.
Continued Next Weekly