St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-05-01

on. Bill didn't dare to cali Is soul rs
own. although Joe only his I'm oncs
the whole time, and then not very
hard, and he excused IL cowardscs u
telling Us OF 8 man Joe 'ad killed la s
0ght down ii one D. them West Eaa
clubs.
"Wot with Joe'a Sunday school ways
and Bill backing EN- up, We vas al
pretty glad by the time we got u
Melbourne.
"Arter we'd been there two or thrse
days we began 10 feel Almost sorry for
BILL. Night arter night. when we waa
ashore, Joe would take I'm on ana
look arter i'm, and at last, partly for
Is sake. but more to zee the fun, Tom
Baker managed to think d something
70 put things straight.
'ThereH be "a end d that buiIy-
ing Joe, SEES Tom, taking Bill BY the
arm. We've arranged to give I'm 8
lesson ASH lay I'm up for d time,
oh ses Bill, locking ard at &
boat wot was passing.
We've got DOGGY Peto coming to
zee Us tonight, ses Tom, iii d Whis
per- ThereTI only Be the second ofaceE
aboard, and he'll likely be asleep.
Dodys one d the best Hght-weights
in Australia, and II % don't ar up Mia.
ter Joe, it'll be & pity
AT about ha'-past SIX DOGGY comaa
aboard, and the fun begins to cons
mence.
He was a nasty, low-Iooking littIa
chap. was Dodgy. very dy-Iooking and
very coneeited. / didn't like the look
Of I'm at all, and unbearahla as jos
was, 1t didn't seem to be quite the
sort o. thing to get q chap aboard to
'ammer q shipmats yo0 couldn't am.
mer yourself.
"tAn' what's that IN that bunk over
thereg ses Dodgy. pointing with Ii
cigar at Joe.
Hush, be careful ses Tom, with
Q wink; that's d prize lighter
"s0h.' ses Dodgy. gr;nning. z thought
IL was a monkey.
BILL Who is that 'andEome, gentle
manipulating young feller over there
smoking a halferown cigar7s ses Joe.
( That's a young gent wot's come
down to ave 3 look round, seq Tom
as Dodgy takes lis cigar ont az m
mouth and looks round, puzzled.
Take that lovely little sentlemaa
and kick I'm up the nacssia ladder
ses Joe to BILL taking mp Az Jacket
agin; and don't make soo mnch noise
over it, COS I've got q bit Of 3 'eadacha,
else I'd do It myself
"'Wot,s the gamer ses Dodgy.
staring.
I'm obeying orders. ses Bill. Lam
time I WAS fn London. Joe ere hale
killed me one time. and z made me
promise to dc az told me for Hix
months. I'm very sorry, mate, but
I've got to kick you up that ladder.
"sYou kick me up?' ses Dodgy. with
s nasty little laugh.
I can try, mate, can't II ses Bill.
folding Is things up very neat and put
ting EN- On 4 locker.
The fust blow Bin missed, and the
next moment got d tap On the Jaw
that nearly broke Il, and that was fol-
lowed up by one III the eye that sent
i'm staggering up agin the side. and
when 8 was there Dodgy's fists wars
rafting all round i'm.
II believe It was that that brought
Bill round, and the next moment
Dodgy was on il back with q blow
that nearly knocked his 'ead OF.
Charlie grabbed at Toms watch and
began to count, and after q little BIT
called out Time II Was a silly thing
to do, as It would ave stepped the
light then and there II ii 'adn't been
for Toms presence Of mind, saying
1t was two minutes slow. That gave
Dodgy a chance, and he got up again
and walked round Bill very careful,
swearing ard at the small size Of the
fo'c's'Ie.
HE got III three Of four at Bill afDre
you could wink Almost. and when Bill
1t back E wasn't there.
"CahrIIe called Time again, and We
let EN- ave nve minutes.
I'm ave minutes more, though, e
was all over, D0dgy not being able 10
see pIaln-except 70 get out a Bsll's
way-and hitting wild. He seemed to
think the whole Eo'c's1e was full q
Bills sitting on q locker aud waiting 10
Be punched, aad the end Of It was s
knockout blow from the real Bill
which left i'm on the aocF wfthegE 8
soul Offering To piek 'ina up.
sBf1 'eIped I'm up at last and shoek
hands with an. and they rtased k
faces Iii tie same bucket. and began y
praise each other up. They sat s
rurring ike 4 coupls D csSs, unN
last We card q smotheFed voice eom
sRg from jos simmtns' bunk
Is It all cver2' ne asks
Yes, ses somebody.
How is Biil7' ees Joe's voice again.
Look for yourself ses Tom.
"Joe sat up in 1s bank then and
looked out. and be no soencr sew
bins face than be gave : loud CRY and
fell back agin, and, as true @ I'm sit
ting here. tainted clean away. We
was struck all on q cap. and then Bill
picked up the bucket and threw some
water over I'm, and By and by he
comes round Rgin and ID a dazed sort
81 way puts his arm round Bills neck