Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-11-06

1t was q mystery to all OF ua, and
It 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 a man Joe 'ad killed In a
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 off and
look arter i'm, and at last, partly for
is sake, but more to see the fun, Tom
Baker managed to think o. something
to put things straight.
"There'll 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 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 whis-
per; 'therell only be the second officer
aboard, and he'll likely be asleep.
Dodgy's one o. the best light-weiKhts
in Australia, and IL 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 nasty, fow-lool1ing little
chap, was Dodgy, very fy-looking and
very conceited. 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 chap aboard to
'ammer a shipmate you couldn't am
mer yourself.
can what's that in that bunk over
there?' ses Dodgy, pointing with is
cigar at Joe.
Hush, be careful ses Tom, with
wink; that's prize fighter
"'Oh,' ses Dodgy, grinning, I thought
1t was monkey
"'Bill, who is that 'andsome, gentle
manipulating young feller over there
smoking half-crown cigar?' ses Joe.
"'That's young gent wot's come
down to ave a look round ses Tom,
as Dodgy takes is cigar out Of is
mouth and looks round, puzzled.
"'Take that lovely little gentleman
and kick i'm up the foc's'le ladder,
ses Joe to Bill, taking up is jacket
agin; and don't make too much noise
over it, cos I've got bit of 'eadache,
else I'd do it myself
"'Wot's the game?' ses Dodsy,
staring.
I'm obeying ORDERS ses Bill. Last
| time / 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.
"T can try, mate, can't ~ ses Bill
folding lis things up very neat and put
ting 'em on 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 SEM
i'm staggering up agin the side, ane
when e was there Dodgy's fists were
rafting all round i'm.
81 believe 1t was that that brought
Bill round, and the next moment
Dodgy was on is back with blow
that nearly knocked his cad of
Charlie grabbed at Toms watch and
began to count, and after a little BIZ
called out Time 1t was a silly thing
to do, as it would ave stopped the
fight then and there If it 'adn't beer
for Toms presence of mind, saying
1t was two minutes slow. That gav'
Dodgy a chance, and he got up agaiI
and walked round Bill very careful
swearing ard at the small size of the
fo'c's'le
He got in three or four az Bill afor,
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, 1
was all over, Dodgy not being able Il
see plain-except to get out O. Bill''
way-and hitting wild. He seemed tt
think the whole fo'c's'le was full O
Bills sitting on locker and waiting t,
be punched and the end of it was ;
knockout blow 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 t
praise each other up. They sat ther
purring like a couple O. cats, until a
last we card a smothered voice CON
ing from Joe Simmins' bunk.
"Is it all over?' he asks.
eyes ses somebody.
"'How is Bill?' ses Joe's voice AGAR
"Look for yourself ses Tom.
"Joe sat up in is bunk then an
looked out, and he no sooner sa'
Bills face than he gave loud cry an