Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1908-10-22

|
thin and a biscuit"
Tankerlane did not answer, but he
clung more tightly to the stays, as Il
wave broke over the port bow and
drenched him from head to foot.
You go below at once" shouted
Yardley, "or I'll have you overheard,
and l amt minded to go arter you in
this sea. Well be in open water afore
long, and twill be rough then. This
be lake to what we'll get presently.
But you say the word sir, and we'll
run back and wait till it's blown itself
out"
Tankerane looked at the speaker
with bloomy eyes. He was feeling so
i'll that the possibility of being
drowned did not alarm him. Sea-
sickness, the most unromantic and
ridiculed of all ailments, Is in reality
cruel and terrible thing to those
who suffer from it, and in its worst
form is not without danger to the suf.
feTer, Sir William Tankerlane was
sorely tempted to give in to the skip
per's suggestion, and he would have
done so if he had not remembered
what the loss of day or two might
mean to him.
No we will go on he cried feebly,
If you think the boat'll stand it,
UnconscioESly he had used the
words of diplomat. Nothing touches
the pride of sailor SO quickly as any
suggestion that his boat is unfit to go
through hard weather, and many lives
have been lost through this reckless
vanity. Bill Yardle.- was proud of his
boat, and he fred up at the imputa-
ton. He would far rather have been
accused of cowardice.
Stand it" he shouted angrily. "Ior'
bless you. there amt wind 'nuff in the
sky, nor water huff in the sea, to best
the Hope and Glory She'll stand it.
and I and my matell stand it. I was
thinkin' of you, sir.
Keep at it." cried Tankerlane. "Ill
go below
please tell young Playle to come
on deck, sir. | can't have him skulkin'
down below there"
Tankerlane crawled down the hatch
way into the warm and cosy cabin A
coke fire glowed in the stove, and the
general appearance Of warmth and
dryness formed pleasing contrast to
the wet and wind-slept deck outside.
AS he reached the foot Of the ladder,
young Joe Playle came hurriedly from
the other end of the cabin The whole
place smelt strongly OF alcohol, but
Tankerlane was far too i'll to notice
details Of this sort
You're wanted on deck" he NUT
tered, and then collapsed on the
floor, as a sudden gust of wind sent
the lee rail Of the smack under wa
ter
The young giant picked him up and
laid him on one Of the bunks
"a drop of sperrits' do you good,
sir" he said thickly.
Give it me-" groaned Tankerlane,
turning his face to the wall of the
cabin
With water, sir?'
mo, neat. Hurry up, that's good
chap"
In his misery Tankerlane had for
gotten Yardley's warning and for the
same reason he did not notice that the
man found the whisky without any
inquiries about it's hiding-place, nor
did he see that one of the bottles was
already nearly half empty.
Thanks" he said gratefully, as he
drained half tumbler of the next
spirit "Have a drop yourself
The man helped himself literally,
drank it at one gulp, and then went On
deck with a cigarette in his mouth.
What be doin' down there?" asked
Yardley as he scrutinised his part
ner's face. This amt weather for
idlin.'" He could see that Playle had
been drinking, but he had no wish to
provoke a quarrel by saying anything
about 1t. The young fellow was a
nasty customer to tackle in a brawl
and his temper was none of the
sweetest when he had a drop of liquor
inside him.
What be wantin'?'' asked Playle.
Gust take in that jib," said Yard
ley. "and put up the smallest one
we've got. And when you've done
that, brazil up the minsail. We've a
bit more canvas than we shall be able
to carry down this channel"
"'Tis wet for'ard,' said Playle. look
ing doubtfully at wave which had
flooded the fore part Of the boat with
foot and half Of green sea.
"'Twlll be wetter If you ain't
sharp"
Playle spat out forcible oath, and
made his way to the jib ballard. He
performed his task with a dexterity
that was truly remarkable under the
circumstances. In spite of the fact
that he had swallowed nearly half a
bottle Of whisky and that the boat
was plunging her nose every minute
into heavy sea, he never slipped nor
hesitated. More than once he was
up to his knees in water, and lands
man would have been swept over
board. But the young sailor seemed
as steady as rock. Yardley watched
him closely, and grunted approval. He
had sent him there to test his sobriety
and he was satisfied.
Have turn at the tiller,' he said
gruffiy. 81 want to get warm"
Half minute, mate l be wet
right to the middle I'll take my turn
when I've had change. You ain't
bin seabathin' like have
He went down into the cabin,
changed his clothes, consumed two
more stiff whiskies and returned on
deck.