Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-05-26

Andromeda goes for wot she'll fetch"
Another pause. Then Coke broachcd
"A new phase.
"Mcuniu' that ! lose the $1,000 | put
IN pr to get my BERTH" he said nus
k.y.
IN wet about me? I lose eight
times as much. Just thi -. of il! Six
teen thousand pounds would give me
fair balance to go on WI ] these
hard tines. au' your two thou would
make th" shippers job in my new ship
certainty"
Coles brick red face darkcned. lie
brcathed hard.
"Wot new ship" no demanucd.
ITS secret. Jimmie. but must
stretch a point for a pals sake. Dickey
Gulmcr's gOin' to marry my niece. an
g as pledged himself 20 double the
c?pital of The firm Sow I've let the
eat out of the bag. I'm sorry ole man
pom me soul. nm--but wen Dickpy's
name crops up on change you know rs
well rs ne 'ow many captains tickets
will he backed wi { brass"
Neither man spoke during so long n
time that the break seemed to impose
Il test OF endurance. In such Il crisis
he who has All at stake will yield
rather than BE- who only stakes Il part
"S'posc we talk painly as man to
man." said Coke thickly at last.
IL can't tail; much palmer" said
Verify.
Eyes. you can. Promise me the com
nand of your next ship. an the An.
dromeda goes on the rocks this side %
MOntcydco"
Verify Jumped as though he had been
stung by an Infatuated wasp
Coke. I'm surprised at YOU" he
grunted, not without sharp glance
around to make sure no Other was
near
NO. YOU amt not a bit surprised,
on'y you don't like to ear it In cold
English. That's wot you're drivin' at
the insurance. Wot are YOU afraid Of?
take all the risk an precious little OF
tie money. Write mo II letter.
Write. Me. Coke. you're Ioony.'
Not me. Wait till I'm through.
Write letter sayiu' you're sorry the
Andromeda must be laid Up this fall.
but prOmisin' me the next vacanc%.
'Ow does that 'urt you?"
verity's cigar had gone out He re
| lighted it with due deliberatior II
| could not be denied that his nerve ~
least was superb.
I'm willin' to do anything in rea-
SON." he said slowly. 81 don't see
whore can lay 'ands on better man
than you, Jimmie, even II you do tn!E
nonsense Mt times"
I'm call at your office In the morn
| In for the letter" said Coke. whose
red face shone like the setting sun
seen through haze.
YES. yes I'll ave it ready"
can you won't back out of them
extry stores? | must sweeten the crew
on this run
"lll supply the best Of stuff enough
TO last for the round trip. But don't
make any mistake. You must be back
afore Sept. 80. That's the date OF the
policy By the way. 'oo's the rev man
you've shipped as second: Watts is
the chief. know. but 90 is Mr.. Philip
Hozier?"
"Youngster film in sea service TO
get a ticket an qualify for the Gu
nard."
"Thorcughl~ reliable sort of chap
eh?"
THE best Just the right kind OF
second for the Andrpreda's ias'
cruise. Smart as new pin You
rould trust I'm on the hrlnge of bat
tleship. Now. watts is II good man
but tot of rum makes i'm fair daft
"Ah." pnrred Verify, "you must keel
a tight and on Watts like an nppe
tizer mcself wen Pm off dooty, so II
speak. but it's no joke to ave Il booZel
in charge of tine ship an vallyblt
freight. OF course you're responsible,
as master, but you can't be on dcCl
morniu', noon an night. Choke Watt'
Off the drink an you'll ave no trouble
Well, come along Let's lubricntc.'
The Andromeda sailed on the Tues
day afternoons tide. She would drol
the pilot OF Holyhrad. and If she 70!
lowed the beaten track on her .oni
run to the river PInte--as sailors vii
persist in nIiscalling that wondrou.
Rio de la Pata--s she might be sigma lee
from Madeira or the Cape Verde IS
lands. But shipmastcrs often prefc
to set course clear OF the land til
they pick up the coast Of South Amer
lea. If she were not spoken by some
passing steamer there was every pos
sibility that the sturdy old vesse
would not be heard Of again befor,
reaching her destination.
But David Verify heard of her mucl
sooner. and no thuuderbot that eve
rent the heavens could have startlct
him more than the manner of tina
hearing.
Resolving TO clinch matters with re
gard TO Iris and her elderly sister, Ii
!, invited "Owd Dickcy' 10 supper n,
, Sunday evening The girl endured
, the mans presence with placid dig
nifty that amazed her uncle. On til,
plea of headache she retired at al
early hour, leaving Bu!mer to s!oa
over his prospective happiness au(
priincd to the point Of denientia.
He was quite willing 10 nccompan.
Verify t. the bank next morning!
pleasant spoken manager sighed hi
relief when the visitors were gone
and he was free to look ut the itci
bills discounted" on Neritys page il
the ledger. More than that. iawye