Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-10

"As for the ship" he replied at
length, II don't mind saying. You're
my first officer, and on you depend if
It comes towel, the small arms be-
low. If the ships little under the
Ehade, why, so are you. She's by way
vt being called manner of hard
names by some people. | do not see it
myself. 1t is a matter of conscience
If you would ask some interested,
they would call her a smuggler, a
thief, a wrecker and all the other evil
titles in the catalogue. She has taken
In Chinks by way of Santa Cruz is
land, if that is smuggling. The coun-
sides, it paid $40 head for the land
ing. She has carried in a cargo Or so
Of junk. It was lying on the bench
where fool master had piled it, and
/ took what l found. l couldn't keep
track of the underwriters intentions"
But the room forward broke in.
"Well, you see, last season we were
pearl fishing"
But you needed only your diver
and your crew." l objected.
"There was the matter of Japanese
gunboat> Or So" he explained.
"Poacning!' cried.
$50 some cali it. The shells are
there, The islands are not inhabited.
do not see how men claim property
beyond the tidewater. | have heard it
argued"
Hold onr | cried. There was a
trouble last year in the IsErsaki Jima
islands, where Il poacher beat off the
Cyarna. 1t was 4 desperate fight"
Captain Seloyer's eye lit up.
"I've commanded black brigantine,
Eaine of the Petrol" he admitted SIM
ply 'She was brigantine aloft, but
allow she had much the same lines as
the Laughing Lass" He whirled on
his heel TO roll to one of the covered
yachts cannon. Looks like a harm
less little toy to burn black powder,
don't she?" he remarked. He stripped
off the tarpaulin and the false brass
muZzle to display as pretty a little
Maxim as you would care to see
snow you know all about it, he said,
.Look here, Captain Selover," l de.
manded, don't you know that colSd
blow your whole shooting match high
er than Gilderoy's kite? How do you
know l won't do it when l get back?
How do you know l won't inform the
doctor at once what kind of an outfit
he has tied to-"
He planted far apart his thick legs in
their soiled blue trousers, pushed back
his greasy linen boating hat and stared
at me with some amusement.
'How do you know I won't blow on
Lieutenant or Ensign Ralph Slade, U.
S. N, when get back?" he demanded.
] blessed that Illusion anyway. BE
sides, I know my man. You won't do
anything of the sort" He walked to
the rail and spat carefully over the
side.
"As for the DOCTOR" he went on. "he
knows all about 1t. He told me all
about myself and everything l had
ever done from the time I'd licked
Buck Jones until last seasons little
diversion. Then he told me that was
why he wanted me to ship for this
cruise" The captain eyed me quiz
ideally.
I threw out my hand in comic ges-
ture of surrender.
"Well, where are we bound, any
way
The dirty, unkempt, disheveled figure
stiffened.
Mr. Eagen." its falsetto shrilled,
''you are mate of this vessel. Your
duty is to see that my orders as to
sailing are carried out. Beyond that
you do not go. As TO navigation and
latitude and longitude and where we
are, that is outside your line of duty.
As to where we are bound. you ere
getting double wages not TO get too
curious. Remember 10 earn your
wages. Mr.. Eagen."
He turned away TO the pinnacle. In
spite of his personal filth. in spite of
the lawless, almost piratical character
of the man. in that moment I could not
but admire him. If Percy barrow was
ignorant of the purposes Of this expedi.
tion. how much more SO Captain Sci.
over. Yet he accepted his trust blind
ly, and as far as could then see In
tended to fulfill It faithfully. liked
him none the worse for snubbing me
1t indicated a streak in his moral IA.
fure akin to and quite as curious as
his excessive neatness regarding his
immediate surroundings.