The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-01-05


On Bill didn't dare to call Is soul IL
own. although Joe only hit I'm once
the whole time. and then not very
hard. and he excused is cowardice BY
telling us OF a man Joe 'ad killed in 4
fight down in ore o them West End
clubs
Wot with Joe's Sunday school Ways
and Bill backing EN- up. We was ali
Pretty glad by the time we got to
Melbourne
AFTER we'd been there two or three
days We began to feel Almost sorry for
Bill Night arter night. when We was
ashore, Joe would take i'm on and
look arter i'm. and at last. partly for
is sake. but more to see the fun, Tom
Baker managed 10 think o. something
TO put things straight
There'll be an end o. that bully
ing Joe ses Tom. taking Bill by the
arm We've arranged TO give i'm .
lessen ASH lay i'm up for time
Oh ses Bill. looking ard At =
boat wot was passing
We've got Dodgy Pete coming to
see US tonight, ses Tom. in . vhis-
Per; -thereTl only be the second onicer
aboard, and he'll likely be asleep
Dodgy's one O the best iight-weighta
in Australia. and if e don't fix up Mis-
ter Joe. it'll be a pity
At about ha'-past six Dodgy comes
aboard. and the fun begins to com
mence
He was a nasty. low-looking little
chap. was Dodgy. very ny-Iooking and
very conceited- / didn't like the look
Of i'm at all, and unbearable AZ Joe
was. it didn't seem to be quite the
sort O. thing to get chap aboard to
'ammer shipmate you couldn't am
ner yourself
An what's that in tina: bunk over
| there ses Dodgy. pointing With il
cigar al Joe
Hush, be careful, ses Tom. With
wink; that's prize fighter
oh ses DOGGY. grinnIng. I thought
it was a monkey
Bill who is that 'andsome. gentle
manipulating young Teller over there
smoking half-croxn cigar ses Jos
That's a young gent wot's coma
down TO ave look round ses Tom.
as Dodgy takes is cigar out OF il
mouth and looks round. puzzled i.
Take that lovely little gentleman
and kick i'm up the fo'c'sle ladder
ses Joe 10 Bill, taking up jacket
agin: and don't make too much noise
{ over il cos I've got bit OF a 'eadachc,
else I'd DO it myself
Wor's the game9 ses Dodgy,
staring
I'm obeying orders ses Bill Last
time I was in London Joe ere half
killed NE one time and e made ne
promise 10 do as e told me for six
months I'm very sorry. mate but
I've got 10 kick you up that ladder
You kick me up ses Dodgy. with
a NASTY little laugh
/ can try. mate. can't II ses Bill
folding is things I'D very neat and put
ting EN- on a locker
The fust blow Bill missed. and the
next moment e got a tap on the jaw
that nearly broke it and that was fol-
lowed up by one in the eye that sent
i'm staggering up agin the side. and
when e was there Dodgy's fsts were
rafting all round i'm
L believe it was that that brought
Bill round. and the next moment
Dodgy was on lis back with a blow
that nearly knocked his cad OF.
Charlie grabbed at Toms watch and
began 10 count. and after a little bit
callej out Time II was a silly thing
TO do, as it would ave stopped the
fight then and there If il admit been
for Toms presence of mind. saying
/ ii was two minutes slow That gave
Dodgy a chance, and he go, up again
and walked round Bill very careful.
swearing ard at the small size of the
fo'c's-Ie
He got in three or four al Bill afore
you could wink almost and when Bill
ii back e wasn't there
-Cahrlie called Time again. and re
let EN- ave five minutes
In five minutes more, though. il
was all over, Dodgy not being able to
see plain-except 10 get out o Bills
way-andf hitting wild He seemed 10
think the whole foc'sle was full o.
Bills sitting on locker and waiting to
be punched. and the end Of il was a
Z hlpSA-Cll u4OW trCfl the lc1A fslSl
which left i'm on the floor without a
soul offering 10 pick i'm up
Bill 'elped i'm up At last and shook
hands with i'm. and they rinSei their
faces in the same bucket and began to
praise each other up. They sat there
purring like s couple O. cats. until at
last we card smothered voice COM
ing from Joe Simmins' bunk.
Is il all overr he asks
Yes. ses somebody
How is Bills ses Joe's voice sgain
Look for yourself. ses Tom.
"Ioe sat up in is bunk then and
looked out. and he no sooner saw
Bills face than he gave loud cry and
iell back agin. and. as true as I'm sit
ting here. tainted clean away. We
was struck all of cap, and then Bill
picked up the bucket and threw some
water over i'm. and by and by he
comes round agin and in a dazed sort