Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-06

II COulu De called. CdpIuln
~ Selover at first failed to recog-
nize me. Then he burst into his shrill
cackle.
Didn't know you" he trebled. But
you look shipshape. Come, I'll show
you your quarters"
Immediately 1 discovered what 1
had suspected before-that on so small
a schooner the mate took rank with
the men rather than the afterguard.
Cabin accommodations were Of course
very limited. Ny own lurked i'll the
waist of the ship-a tiny little airless
hole.
Here's where Johnson stayed" prof
fered Selover. you can bunk here or
you can go in the foc'sle with the men.
They's more room there. Wen get
under way with the turn Of the tide"
He left me. l examined the cabin.
1t was Just triae larger than its sin
gle berth, and the berth was just Il
trifle larger than myself. My chest
would have to be left outside. l
strongly suspected that my lungs
would have to be left outside also.
For the life of me l could not see where
the air was to come from. With a men
tai reservation in favor of investigat-
ing the forecastle l went on deck.
The Laughing Lass was one of the
prettiest little schooners II ever saw.
Were it not for the lines of her bilgeS
and the internal arrangement Of her
hold 1t might be imagined she had
been built originally as pleasure
yacht. Even the rake of her mastS, a
little forward of plumb, bore out this
impression, which comparatively new
suit of canvas, well stopped down,
brass StanchiOns forward and two lit
tie guns under tarpaulins almost CON
firmed. Her complement of boats was
ample enough. She had two surfboats,
a dingey and n dOry slung to the
davits. In addition another dory-the
one you picked me up in-was dashed
to the top of the deckhouse.
They'd mighty near have a boat
apiece" thought and went forward.
Just outside the fOrecastle hatch
paused Some one below was singing
in a voice singularly rich in quality
The words and the quaintness of the
minor air struck me immensely and
have chung to my memory like Il bur
ever since:
"'Are you man-o-war or a prIvateer.
said he
Blow high. blow low, what care we!
oh. I am jolly pirate, and I'm sailing
for my fee
Down on the coast of the high Bar
bare-e-e."
! stepped to the companion. The
voice at once ceased. l descended.
A glimmer of late afternoon strug
gled through the headlights. l found
myself in really commoGous space
extending far back of where the for
ward bulkheads are usually placed
accommodating rows and rows OF
bunks-eighteen of them, in fact. The
Unlighted lamp cast its shadow or
wood stained black by much use, bu
polished like ebony from the continued
friction of mems garments. l wish
could convey to you the uncanny eff
feet this-of dropping from the decks
of miniature craft to the interna
arrangements of a square rugged ship
1t was as though entering a cottag'
door you were to discover yourself OF
the floor of Madison Square Garden
a fresh sweet breeze of evening suck
ed down the hatch. 1 Immediately de
cided on the forecastle Already 1
was being borne in on me that wa!
little more than glorifed bo's'n'!
mate. The situation suited me, how
ever. 1t enabled me to watch tht
course of events more safely, less ex
posed to the danger of recognition.
1 stood for moment at the foot OF
the companion accustoming my eyes
to the gloom. After a moment, with
a shock of surprise, l made out q
shining pair of bead points gazing al
me unblinkingly from the shadow un