The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-06-10

He Would Hit You in Re Back"
on re bridge so not see very much.
but Bill he tell me how It was. He
say futile sneak up benin you twice.
like he would hit you in re back. Once,
Wen you was right by re rail, Bill, he
sung out to you, so as to make you
look round. Maybe you will remem-
Der Eat. monsieur"
| nodded, beginning now to grasp
the full gravity of these revelations.
Bill he not got mooch use for you,
Mons Stephens" the speaker went on,
smiling grimly, an won't have vile
his head ache, but he was no dam
fool He know wat it mean if you
was knock out. BY gar, # be hell, If
futile was off his nut, you was re only
navigator on re ship, an it not do for
Us lose bose. Eat was wy Bill he
care; he not want to die In zis sea;
by gar, non. Well, after vile you
go below. an zen re first officer did re
damnedest sing ever l saw on re ship
He busted into re fO'c'stle, monsieur.
wizout any invite from any man Jack
o EN-, an pumped down on his knees
by Snyder's bunk. an begun to pray.
Mon Dieu. | wonder zey not murder
him. Larsen come out. an beg Bill
an me to take him out, but he pray
all ze time till we dump him in his
own cabin. He not fight, he jus pray.
Sainte Marie, It make me sick; an
ze men zey talk, an ask question"
He paused, passing one hand across
his eyes. Put Eat not ze worst, mon
sieur-sacre. non, he see re ghost"
DE Nova" l said, quietly, you
have said | was an educated man.
Well | have some reason to believe
you are, also. and first of all should
like to know why you pretend other
wise? Why do you endeavor to talk
like a focstle hand?"
He hung in the wind surprised both
by my direct question and the sudden
change of topic. Then the old smile
came back to his lips
Maybe 1t was habit, monsieur, from
II year passed in Eat sort OF com
pany."
II was correct then In believing you
have received more than an ordinary
education ,"
Il took ze classical course in re col
lege at Martinique. an zen two year
of re train for re priesthood Oui,
monsieur" His eyes wandered out
over the empty waters. Zen re sea
call me, an maybe re devil also. Eat
was re whole OF it"
Yet you believe in ghosts"
The creole crossed himself
"Sacre, know not wat believe.
But it make re blood chill to hear Tut
tie tell wat he see down zare in re
cabin. Re question not wat | believe,
monsieur; it Eat we do wiz him."
struck the rail with my fist, vexed
at my own inability to take the initia.
tive.
Yes, that's the issue, De Nova" |
returned quickly, but I'm not the one
to decide it. I've known what would
do from the first, if I had the power.
Tuttle's insanity was not necessary to
make me act-his brutality to those
women below. his shanghaiing me into
this fool scheme, were enough. | am
for taking possession of the vessel,
even If we have to lash him to his
berth"
''Zat was not to be done, monsieur"
And why not? Must we sail with
a mailman? This is no regular voy-
age; not a man aboard has signed pa
pers. futile is no better than
pirate, and to overthrow him and as.
sumo control of the yacht would not
be mutiny We might sail straight
back to Valparaiso and not a thing
could be done with US"
The mate shuffled from one foot to
the other. his black eyes hardening.
Now. see here. Mons. stephens" he
burst out, Eat was only re half of 1t.
Sure we not regular crew, but we part
ners. Eat was Re way it Is We take
re big chance for ze profit. Zose sail
or-men for ard have Messing agains zis
Tuttle ley sink he tell truth. May
be zey sink him a bit queer In re head,
maybe zey not like his praying, or his
talk of re spirits, but so long he sail
ze ship all right, zey stick wiz him.
Zat all zey kuow-how sail re ship;
dam re rest! ley believe wat he tell,
zey divide zose pesos every watch be-
low. Eats it, II we lay hand on re
mate, by gar, re lads fight for him till
zey drop. ley will do it, monsieur, an
no pretty talk you put up will make
zem sink anysing but Eat you try rob
zem OF zeir share. | know salor.men,
an in case like els. you got to go
dam slow"
You are speaking for yourself and
Anderson as well as the men, | take
it,"
Maybe so. monsieur; wy not? We
have long voyage, an now we not so
very far from Eat place we aim at.
Zen wy not take look long Eat lati-
tuds before we turn north again? Wy
not, monsieur? Sure you not blame
me for feel like zat?"
mo. De Nova. | don't blame you"