The wageworker., 1908-11-07


orders took the cards and pitched em
over the side.
1T was a mystery to all of us, and
il got worse and worse as time went
on. Bill didn't dare to call is soul is
own, although Joe only hit i'm once
the whole time, and then not very
hard, and he excused is cowardice by
telling us of man Joe lad killed in
fight down in one o. them West End
clubs.
"Wot with Joe's Sunday school ways
and Bill backing 'em up, we was all
pretty glad by the time we got to
Melbourne.
"Arter we'd been there two or three
days we began to feel Almost sorry for
Bill. Night arter night. when we was
ashore, Joe would take i'm OF and
look arter i'm, and at last, partly for
lis sake, but more to see the fun, Tom
Baker managed to think O. something
to put things straight.
"'There1l be an end O that bully
ing joe, ses Tom, taking Bill by the
arm. We've arranged to give i'm a,
lesson as'll lay i'm up for a time
"'Oh.' ses Bill, looking ard at a
boat wOt was passing.
We've got Dodgy Pete coming to
see us tonight ses Tom, in a whis-
per; 'therell only be the second officer
aboard, and he'll likely be asleep.
Dodgy's one O. the best light-weights
in Australia, and if e don't fix. up Mis-
ter Joe, it'll be pity
AT about ha'-past six Dodgy comes
aboard, and the fun begins to COM
mence.
HE was a nasty. low-looking little
chap, was Dodgy, very fy-looking and
very conceited. l didn't like the look
of i'm at all, and unbearable as Joe
was, 1t didn't seem to be quite the
sort O thing to get a chap aboard to
'ammer a shipmate you couldn't am
mer yourself.
"'An' what's that in that bunk over
there? ses Dodgy. pointing with is
cigar at Joe.
" "'Hush, be careful ses Tom, with
a wink; that's prize fighter
"'Oh, ses Dodgy, grinning.v1 thought
it was monkey
Bill, who is that 'andsome, gentle
manipulating young feller over there
smoking a half-crown cigar?' ses Joe.
| "'That's a young gent wot's come
| down to ave q look round ses Tom,
| as Dodgy takes is cigar out of lis
| mouth and looks round, puzzled.
"'Take that lovely little gentleman
and kick i'm up the focs'le ladder,
ses Joe to Bill, taking up lis jacket
agin; and don't make too much noise
| over it. cos I've got bit of 'eadache,
| else I'd do it myselff
"'Wot's the game?' ses Dodgy,
staring.
I'm obeying ORDERS ses Bill. Last
time l was in London, Joe ere half
killed me one time, and e made me
promise to do as e told me for six
months. I'm very sorry, mate, but
I've got to kick you up that ladder
"'You kick me up?' ses Dodgy, with
nasty little laugh. H.
"I can try, mate, can't II ses Bill.
folding is things up very neat and put.
ting 'em on a locker.
THE fust blow Bill missed, and the
next moment e got tap on the jaw
that nearly broke it, and that was fol
lowed up by one in the eye that sent
i'm staggering up agin the side, and
when e was there Dodgy's fists were
rafting all round i'm.
81 believe it was that that brought
Bill round, and the next moment
Dodgy was on is back with blow
that nearly knocked his 'ead off
Charlie grabbed at Toms watch and
began to count, and after little bit
called out Time 1t was q silly thing
to do, as it would ave stopped the
| frh hon ,od
for Toms presence of mind, saying
it was two minutes slow. That gave
Dodgy a chance, and he got up agar
and walked round Bill very careful
swearing ard at the small size of the
fo'c's'le.
He got in three or four at Bill afore
you could wink Almost, and when Bill
1T back e wasn't there. ~
"Cahrlie called Time again, and w
let 'em ave five minutes.
IN five minutes more, though, II
was all over. Dcdgy not being able tt
see plain-except to get out o. Bills
way-and hitting wild. He seemed t.
think the whole fo'c's'le was full o
! Bills sitting on locker and waiting tt
be punched, and the end OF it was ,
knock out bow from the real Bill
which left i'm on the floor without ,
soul offering to pick i'm up.
| bill 'elped i'm up at last and shool
} hands with i'm, and they rinsed thei
faces in the same bucket, and began tt
praise each other up. They sat ther
purring like couple o cats, until a
last we card smothered voice com
ing from Joe Simmins' bunk.
lis 1t all over?' he asks.
Yes ses somebody.
How ia Bin? ses Joe's voice again
5 "'Look for yourself ses Tom.
"Joe sat up in is bunk then an
looked out, and he no sooner say
n Bills face than he gave loud cry an
L foil ha1 auin nd trlao I'm si1