The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-04-07
odd Ben Bolt"
By MYRA NORTHcLIFr.
Copyrighted, 1909, by Associated
Literary Press.

His name wasn't "Old Ben Bolt" but
everybody called him that, and stran-
gers accepted 1t on the spot as singu-
larry appropriate. for Captain Jim
Staybolts honest, kind blue eyes, his
brown face and closely curling hair
and his masterful yet good natured
mouth made him indeed seem the en-
bodiment of the famous "Ben Bolt Of
the salt sea gale"
He wasn't old Mt all, though he
thought himself aged and beyond all
the dreams Of youth because he had
Just turned thirty-flve. But then he
had always had an abnormal modesty
about his own masculine charms.
His head, albeit of pepper and salt,
was filled with practical good sense
that had brought him up from fisher
man to superintendent and part owner
OF the Grautson company's big fleet OF
smaeks.
He had his office In the cubby of a
water stilted shanty at the end of the
pier, and Its window looked directly
named Kate. dealing out candy, or
anges and cheap cigars to the rolling
crews of the boats.
There was standing joke among
the boys how the smoking habit took
hold OF everybody after he saw Kate
1t never got to her ears, though, for
Notwithstanding the candy and cigars,
there was u fine little line of reticenee
about the girl over which no one ever
stepped. not even Hank Raynor, the
valnest and most impudent fellow that
ever trod sehooner's deck But her
pretty bushes and shining eyes gave
the clew to her preference. and Ray
tire walt buying cigar, could not
have been snid to discourage the I'M
preston.
1t Is true the boys joked, but the ma
jorIty of them swore as well, for the
handsome Raynor bore no immaculate
reputation among them.
"Cuss it," said Dick Pearsall, mate
of the Osprey schooner. savagely one
night. "Why is 1t woman can never
see an inch from her nose when she's
daffy on MANI"
Margin takes that out of 'em,
though" laughed old Captain Brown.
who was on honorable drydock after
fifty years of cod and halibut.
"Marryin'i" sneered the mate of the
dandy Burgess built smack Lucinda v.
"Marryin'! Raynor looks like mar
ryin man, don't he? amt no masher
myself. but tell you that smarty Is
| Just tryin' to show Off before us fel-
| lows. Marry her! Even II he wanted
| to he Amt fit to wipe her old shoes
| on
| Nobody dissented. There were
tongues in the fishing port that did not
hesitate 10 declare that Raynor's skill
as fisherman was far inferior to the
| art with which he could wreck coast
ers for II living when the owners got
tired Of paying insurance and decided
that II was time to collect some In
| stead.
IAN the same, he told me 1t was
fixed up between EN-" insisted Cap
tain Brown. That's tellin', l spose,
but lie didn't say as there was any
thing private about It,"
Unnoticed by the men, Captain Jim
Saybolt had come up In time to catch
the last words. He stopped moment
In the shadow of n column. When he
moved on his face looked gray and
drawn In the uncertain light.
nj Iu 20 faB t,a n,.A
the Lucinda out next tide" he said
evenly wen have 'em unloaded in
three hours more and ready for sea
again."
He went back, and the group broke
up. Pearsall as he turned, caught
glimpse of his superior's face and won
dered vaguely If 1.-The boss" were I'll.
with fine sense of honor, Captain
Jim himself had refrained from Il look
or word that might compromise Kate,
but the memory OF a chance touch of
her fingers once when she passed back
his change still sent thrill over him.
Since that day she had grown under
his eyes 10 be the one desirable thing
Of his life
He knew enough Of Raynor to de-
splse the man. Time and again he
had all but prayed he might get actual
tering OF the dream seemed less his
blunder than crime.
A week afterward Hates old father
was struck by falling block and laid
on his bed, helpless for life. Her
mother fell Ill of typhoid. The super
intendent saw the bloom fade from the
| girls cheeks, to return only when
Raynor appeared. and that In nerv-
GUS flush. He grew hot and cold alter
nately at the air of careless proprietor
| ship the latter had lately assumed.
| Then suddenly the man announced
that he was going away.
Hank has got ship" Captain Jim
heard Kate confide to another girl.
ITS schooner running out of South
Amboy for Norfolk, and the owners
have promised him a raise In a few
months, and then, II father and mother
are able to be moyed"-
Captain Jim lost the rest. but sharp
thrust went through him, whether of
anguish or relief he could not have
told. month later came news Of a
shipwreck on the New Jersey coast.
The dispatches said openly that there
were suspicious circumstances about
the wreck, but as the captain, Hank
Raynor, was announced as among those
drowned 1t was impossible to do much
investigating.
On that very day Kate failed to APP
pear at the pier.
Day by day for blank wretcheti