The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-12
: "A .I2SS,

 A/ corted her to her door. Then he said: T
 will send you your letters and gifts tomor- row, Mabel Goodby"
 There was relentng in her manner. She an- swered the goodby and went in.
 Howard dismissed his machine for the night and walked down the street in frame of mind he had never known before; to ease it he stopped at the first cafe He felt better after few moments and at the next cafe the relief still apparent but shorter-lived While here he scanned himself full length in a mirror Effeminate she had judged him? Was he? He was an athlete and he six feet or good LOOKS and muscular development His eyes blue, his hair fair and curly, his skin pink a girls Did these attributes constitute efeminacy?
 "Efeminate! be hanged" he mentally stormed. 'Im man, if I'm anything" He went on with her indictment. Weak, lazy, selfish, heartless. He not so fortunate in rebuttal He had never worked because he had never needed to. Weak and lazy? Perhaps. Things had to him without effort. He had not tried very hard to win her regard. What he had received of it had come easily. Selfish and heartless? He had not considered himself. No had so judged him. This a woman's verdict. Was she right? He took another drink but this being the third, it brought relief only aggravation of his mood
 He strolled into Broadway, boarded a trolley car, and here found jolly party of summers pound for Chinatown. He knew them and went along, with enly his Dutch courage to keep him in spirit This left him before plate of chop suey, and, unable to get liquor in the place. quit the party to find it. He wandered east, stopping at dingy dive after
 
 terly7 irresponsible. The e'ast place he remembered in Cherry Street where his evening clothes made little sensation among the loungers and his next remembrance was of waking in narrow apartment lined with hunks, in of which he lying and listening to the profane shouts of men without He aboard ship
 He rolled out with an involuntary groan, for at the first movement his head ached He dressed he learned, but in tarry, greasy rags. And in the bunk was a canvas bag of other rags, and cap which he appropriated. Stepping out deck he found the vessel-a 1arge square-rigged craft-at anchor, with men aloft bending the canvas. Near the windlass, looking upward and chiding the work CTS after the gentle manner of the sea- tall, truculent individual with red beard, who noticed Howard as he approached.
 Well" he remarked quietly, "you bilious-looking counter-jumper! Have you turned out? Get up aloft there and help bend that topsa."
 "Why should F" answered Howard Indignantly. "What am doing here anyhow"
 What you doing?" queried the mate-for Howard learned his status. You're doing noth- ing at present, but by Gawd, you'll do something pretty soon. Lay aloft, you dog"
 He bounced upon Howard, but suddenly shot back by the impulse of Towards fist. Arising from the deck with furious imprecation, he plunged his hand into his pocket and withdrew it brass shod; then the combat renewed. Howard fought cooy, intelgently, and with all the skill quired in his athletic training but skill and ntelli- gence of little avail against brass knuckles. An accidental slip the smooth deck gave the mate an opening and he laid open Towards cheek bone. Then, dazed and whirling he received another blow which made a two-inch gash in his forehead, and went down with darkening senses; but with the last ckeringt consciousness heard the words of his queror, standing over him:
 Thought you man, didn't you? We'll. you're not, curse yOu.''
 When Howard came to he again in his bunk. with his head tied up in cloths and flock ing into the forecastle. He rolled out and sat upon chest, put immediately asked to vacate it by the owner, and there were no other empty chests or seats in the place, he craWled back into the bunk to pull himself together.
 ."You put up good, stiff fight, matey,' said the chest owner, he reached for his dinner from the beef kid on the floor. "But what's the use? They'll do you in the end.'
 Howard felt of his aching wounds through the bandages.
 Brass knuckles. That's what you got. You'll know better next time."
 Perhaps. I'm not used to that kind of scrapping. What vessel is this, and where's she going? Any one know how got here? I don't"
 '"Ths craft" said the sailor, between mouthfuls, 's the ship Quickstep, of Bath bound for Hongkong and back to an American port of discharge. As for you, you very likely shanghaied to take the place of some fellow that jumped You're no sailor man, can see that. No sailorman slugs a bucko mate unless he's drunk. And you're dead sober"
 Sober now. Kidnapped, suppose you mean. Whats the chance of getting ashore?"
 "None. We'll tow out when the tug comes. We've got the canvas nearly bent" Can't go back in the tug?"
 "Yes. if the skippern let you. Try that on, just once, if you like.'
 @s"Where is he-aft?"
 a Better wait till he's had his dinner, and you've 9had yours. Then maybe you'll think better of it, Muster up here and get your whack, before it's zone"
 |. Howard went out deck and mounted the top gallant forecastle for look around. E Lounging in the alley on the high poop deck was a man whom Howard thought might be the captain and he decided to interview him. He went aft and the man met him at the steps.
 ,c3pfh hio O you want?"
 ( '1 want to see the captain. Are you the cap- tain?"
 P "rm the second mate. Say sir to me when you cross my hawse, or I'll give you worse than the mate did"
 sal What's the matter here, MT. Be1lew?" asked a stern voice behind them, and Howard turned to be- hold six foot six, if inch, with pair of shoulders like two coffee sacks, and arms big as Towards legs. He gripped him by the collar and held him rnn,s enpth uhi he fha