The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-10
CHAPTER vi.

II" HE Thomas Doane. seen from
i the wharf In the faint light
f45zENI of the street lamp, was a
mere shape of blackness
with masts like charcoal marks against
the sky and a tangle OF ropes running
up to meet them. The windows of the
after deckhouse were Illuminated.
however. and as Bradley and the cap
tain stepped from the wharf to the
rail and from that to the deck a man
came up the companionway from the
cabin and touched his hat.
"Howdy, cap'nY' he said. "Glad to
see you back. Everything runnin'
smooth down homer
"fup,' answered the skipper;
smooth as a smelt. How's 1t hereY'
"Shipshape," was the reply.
Brad" he said, this Is Mr.. Bailey.
the first mate. He'll be your boss,
next to me, after tomorrer. Mr.. Bailey.
this Is a new band. He hasn't exact
~ shipped yet, SO you needn't break
him In tonight unless your conscience
troubles you too much"
The mate held out hand like q ham
covered with red sole leather, and
Bradley shook 1t fearfully.
That night Bradley slept In the Sec
ond mates room off the cabin, but It
was understood that hereafter he was
to bunk forward with the crew. The
next morning the captain took him up
to store on Commercial street, where
sailors bag was purchased, for. so
the skipper said. nobody but a land
lubber took trunk to sea. It must be
either a chest or a bag, and the chest
would come later ON. Bradley trans
ferred such OF his belongings as the
captain deemed necessary from the
trunk to the bag. and the trunk itself
was stored In the wharflngers Office
until Its owner should call for 1t some
time In the future.
The second mate. thin young man.
with hair and face both a flaming red.
came on board in the morning, and the
crew were already there. Then q tug
took the Thomas Doane In tow and
pulled her out of the dock and around
to another wharf, where she was to
receive her cargo Of lumber. And
from the moment when the tugs haw-
ser was attached Bradley began to
realized what Captain Titcomb had
meant by some advice which he gave
the previous night.
1t was Here, boy. stand Ly to take
hand with that rope" or "You, boy
what's your name-git a bucket and
swab up that mess on the deck. Live
ly! D'you hear?" The cook was q
little Portuguese. and he delighted to
haze his new assistant, so when, at 0
o'clock or so. Bradley tumbled into his
bunk In the smoke reeking fo'castle
he was tired enough to drop asleep
even In the midst Of yarns and pro-
family.
The lumber. In the hold and on the
decks, was at last on board. and one
morning the schooner. with all sail
set, passed Minot's light. bound for
New York, The afternoon of that day
was a dismal experience for Bradley.
The Thomas Doane was heavily load.
ed, and she swashed and wallowed
through the good sized waves with q
motion 80 entirely different from that
OF the catboats which the boy had been
used to that he was most heartily and
miserably seasick.
But seasickness and Inconsistencies
were forgotten OH the day of the won
derful sail through Long Island sound.
They passed schooners OF all shapes
and sizes. loaded till the decks were
scarcely above water or running light
and high III ballast. Sharp nosed
schOOners, with lines like those of a
yacht, and clumsy old tubs, with dirty
sails. with patches varying from new
white to q dingy gray plastered all
over them.
Night. and they were fast to big
wharf, with lights all about them;
lights piled, row after row, up to meet
the stars; lights fringing the river or
moving up and down and across It:
lights In the arching curve of the
bridge that Bradley had seen so often
In pictures; whistles sounding, bells
ringing, distant shoutings and the new
er ceasing undercurrent of hum and
roar that Is New York, breathing stead
lily and regularly
On the following morning Captain
Titcomb left the schooner and after an
hour or two returned with a sharp
eyed man. who smoked continuously,
although the wharf signs shouted In
six inch letters that no smoking was
allowed. and who said little. but look
ed a great deal. Bradley learned from
the cook. who had been along the wa
ter front and, having fallen In with
some friends, was mellow and inclin-
ed to be confidential. that the sharp