Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-12

downs and the strange huts we had
built out of departed magnificence.
and that was all. That constituted
our world.
In the evening sometimes we lit a
big bonfire, sailor fashion, just at the
edge of the beach. There we sat at
ease and smoked our pipes in silence,
too tired to talk. Even Handy Solo
mons song was still Outside the cir
Gle of light were mysterious things
strange wavings of white hands, bend
ings of figures. callings of voices, rus
Ting of feet. We knew them for the
surf and the wind in the grasses, but
they were not the less mysterious for
that.
Logically Captain Selover and l
should have passed most Of our even
ings together. AS matter of fact we
so spent very few. Early in the dusk
the captain invariably rowed himself
out to his beloved schooner. What he
did there l do not know. We could
see his light now in one part of her,
now in the other The men claimed
he was scrubbing her teeth. "Old
Scrubs" they called him to his back,
never Captain Selover. .-. ... .--..
He has to clean up after his own
feet, he's so dirty" sagely proffered
Handy Solomon. And this was true.
The seamans prophecy held good.
Seven weeks held us at that internal
job-seven weeks of solid, grinding
work. The worst of it was that we
were kept at it so breathlessly, as
though our very existence We're TO de-
pend on the headlong rush of our la
Dor. And then we had fully half the
stores to put away again and the 9TH
err half to transport painfully over the
neck of land from the cove to the
beach.
So accustomed had l become to the
routine in which we were involved, so
habituated to anticipating the coming
day as exactly like the day that had
gone. that the completion of our job
caught me quite by surprise. l had
thrown myself down by the fire pre-
pared for the same old half hour of
drowsy nicotine, TO be followed by
the accustomed heavy sleep and the
usual early rising to toll. The evening
was warm. half closed my eyes.
Handy Solomon was coming in last.
Instead of dropping to his place he
straddled the fire. stretching his arms
over his head. He let them fall with
a sharp exhalation:
LAY aloft. lay aloft.' the jolly bo's'n
cried.
Blow high. blow low. what care we!
Look ahead. look astern, look a-wind-
ward. look a-lee.'
Down on the coast of the high Bar
bare-e-e."
The effect was electrical. We all
sprang to our feet and fell to talking
at once.
by God, we're through cried Pulz.
I'D clean forgot it,
The niger piled on more wood.
We drew closer about the fire. All the
interests in life. so long held in the
leaped forward. eager for
We spoke of trivIalities
almost for the first time since our land
ing. fused into a temporary but com
plete good fellowship by the relief.
Wonder how the old doctor is get
ting onT' ventured Thrackles after
awhile.
The DEVILS a preacher! l wonderT
cried Handy Solomon.
Let's make 'em n call" suggested
Pull
Don't believe they'd appreciate the
I laughed. Better let
them make first call They're the
longer established This was lost on
them. Of course. But we all felt kindly
to one another that evening.
I carried the glow Of IT with me over
until the next morning and was there
fore somewhat dashed to meet Captain
SeIover with clouded brows and an I'M
certain manner. He quite ignored my
greeting
~Eagen.- be squeaked. can you
think 81 anything more to be dOneT
/ Strengthened my hack and laughed
Haven't yUI worked Us hard
enough I inquired Unless you
gid the cabins I d0n't see what else
here can bs TO do
Captain Selover stared me- over.
and yau a naval man. he marvel
ID Dodt you see that the only
hing thstkkeePs this crew from get
tin restIesA is keeping F5sm busyl
IRE sweet Ao-s vita mr. brain thar
ron have viii yogr hack thinking up
ihinS 70 do / can't see anything