The San Francisco call., 1908-08-30


Outward bound Chantey.
Y noon on the third day the worn
TX men could barely keep the pumps
moving. They staggered and
their feet slid under them as
they bowed and swung over the han
dies and the water gushed from the
ports in an ever diminishing fiow. They
no longer kept tally Of the relays; each
man worked till he dropped at his
labor, and when he could stand again
he returned to it. The little knot of
them punched about the stump of the
mainmast seemed scarcely to consist
Of living men. so dumb it was, so bound
to the aching toll. The gray, storm
stained sky and the wild water; the
mastless hull Of the ship and the
urgent occasion for their labor made
a great and significant background to
them: but none saw it-none had a
faculty to spare from the gross labor
OF the pumping. The captain, moody
and restless, watched them from the
rail of the poop, and now and again
one Of the men would raise toward
him a face, clenched in effort like a
hst, and show his eyes full of weari-
ness and pain and hate.
The captain moved aft, to be out of
their hearing, and the tall mate went
with him.
They'd rush US" said the mate. He
had the face of a fighting man, harsh
and brutal They'd rush us as soon
as we laid hands on the boat"
Maybe they would" replied the cap
tain. But if they did there's six of
us-me and you and the second mate
and the bosun and the steward and
the carpenter. Six of US to eight of
them-and with guns. Let 'em
rush"
The mate glanced at the one boat
that was left to them-a small gig that
hung on pair of davits over the stern
and then back TO the men toiling al
the pumps.
They're watching us" he said
They have got a notion we mean to
leave EN-. Wen have fight for it"
The captain uttered a short laugh.
4 guess you've no objection to a fight,
he said. and anyhow. that boat won't
hold more than six. What's the sense
of drowning if you can keep alive, any
how?"
The mate stood with his hands in his
pockets. staring about him. He was a
man in whom courage was allied to no
other virtue. and he had yet to over
come a sense of repugnance to the
idea of fight
IF it got known ashore that we'd
quit and left the crew to drown we'd
be worse off than them" he answered
moodily.
The captain swore. IF we don't tell
It won't get known" he retorted. But
If you've got fancy to be a hero, yoy
stay behind. And looky here, there's
no time to lose. If the old ship keeps
afioat till tonight that's all she'll do
So you better settle pretty quick
whether you'll come or stay"
The mate spat with. movement of
sharp i'll temper.
"Oh, I'm coming" he said. Il reckon
I'm not tired of life. only-well, some
how it's not in my line to give up like
this"
The captain looked at him curiousIy.
Next time itll come easier" he said,
with sneer.
The tall mate returned his look.
Cod" he cried. ''theren be no next
time" But there was uncertainty in
his face.
He went to sound the well again,
hoping against hope for result that
would make the treacherous flight un-
necessary. The men made room for
him as he thrust among them, shrink
ing from him in a way that testified to
the brutality with which he had estab-
lished his rule over them. AS he kneIt
to drop the rod down the pipe of the
well they could see that his jacket
pocket bulged over the contour of q
revolver; they directed each others at
tention to it behind his back with sig
nifcant eyes. There was not one OF
them that did not bear some mark OF
the mates cruelty, nor one that would
have lifted a finger against him now.
They leaned in utter WEAKNESS against
the wheels till his work was done and
then fell to their labor again patiently
But as he assembled the poop ladder
and went out of hearing a murmur OF
talk sounded among them.
Cs-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s