The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-04-07

now running one Of the hosting en-.
gines, labor with which he was more
or less familiar. although he considered,
IL beneath him and sh rked whenever
he could.
This Sinking irritated Captain lit.
comb.
"Consarn him! he growled. "T.et
him either fish or cut bait. one or
tother. If he's too good for the lob.
why. then, the jobs too good for him,
III had my way we'd come to q set.
tlement in about haf shake"
The majority of the men hired nv
the partners were intensely loyal ant
thoroughly optimistic They knew the
circumstances under which the coli
tract had been taken and would not
consider the possibility of failure for
moment. But Hammond was the head
OF q little coterie OF pessmists. among
whom We're Henry Simmons and few
others from Orham and Lon Clark and
Ike Bodkin from Harniss. These croak-
ers sneere1 at Captain Ezra when his
back was turned and pretended to pity
Bradley. When the pay enyelopes
were distributed they congratulated
themselves loudly and wondered If this
time was the last.
Bradley was aware of all this, be-
cause Barney told him, but he would
not permit his partner to call Ham.
mond to account. Sam should not have
the opportunity Of telling Gus that he
was the Victim of persecution by an
unsuccessful rival-not If Bradley could
help it, he shouldn't. Captain Titcomb
understood, and so Sam was not re-
proved and grew more and more In.
tolerable.
All day long the Freedoms deck was
a whlrl Of industry. The captain and
Bradley were always in the thick of il
and were dog tired when 6 o'clock
came. Then the cable was frightened
and checked, the watch was set and
most or the crews were transferred In
relays to the beach to eat supper in the
shanty and shout sing: and play cards
until bedtime, The partners, with
Hammond, Bearse and a few others.
went up to Orham in The Diving Belle.
The cid maids had been very solemn
OF late. When Bradley first told them
that his firm had secured the biggest
wrecking contract ever handled by Or
ham men they were jubilant. But then
came Miss Busteed, brimming over
like sort Of living 'extra'-with ex-
aggerated reports Of village opinion
concerning that contract, and the sis.
ters began to worry. Other callers,
whose views were more weighty than
Melissa's. came also, and now even
Miss Prissy was nervously anxious.
Bradley went to bed early nowadays.
On the night following the conversa-
tion with Peleg he took his lamp from
the shelf soon after supper was cleared
away. Captain Titcomb called, but re-
NAMED only little while. 4
AS the young man rose from his chair
Miss Prissy. who had been watching
him over her glasses while pretending
to mend some stockings, dropped the
work In her lap and asked, Bradley,
how are you gettin' on down at the
POint?"
"Tiptop," was the reply
Yes, you always say that, but are
you gainin' as fast as you ought to?
You don't think there's any--any
chance OF your not bein' able to git
that vessel off, do you? Folks seem
to think
Bradley laughed. HAS Melissa been
here today?" he interrupted.
"No, she hasn't, but Mr.. Langworthy
has. Oh, Bradley, we hear such dread
ful things! Mr.. Langworthy came here
almost on purpose to try to git us to
coax you to give it up fore it's too
late. He says the whole town thinks
you can't carry 1t through. Men that
know all about wreckln' say
"Who says. the jeremiah clubY
The jeremiah club was Captain Tit
combs name for the daily gathering
about the stove In Weeks store.
NO, indeed! Men like Cap'n Jona-
dab Wlxon and Mr.. Wingate and lots
more They say that you've mort
gagged your vessel and that IL you fail
you'll be ruined-absolutely ruined
They lay 1t all to Cap'n Ezra. OF
course Teinpy and me stand up for you
and the cap'n and pretend we ain't q
mite anxious; but oh. Bradley, II any
such awful thing should happen to
you. to our boy. 'twould break our
hearts,
Bradley felt a pang of reproach.
Miss Prissy's eyes were wet, and the
tears were running down Miss Tempy's
cheeks. He was very grave as he an
swered.
Miss Prissy." he said. please don't
worry. know how people are talk
Ing; but. honestly and truly, think
we shall succeed. If we do, 1t means
everything to us. II we don't-well.
whatever happens. II God let's me live,
you and Miss Tempy shall never suf-
fer. l owe everything In the world to