Gilpin observer., 1910-03-10

=EXM
Part Owners
By w. B. HAYWARD


the rail and mumbling to himself. like
man out of his Senses"
''Toppin's fool" said Snyder. de-
cidedly.
Whats that?" asked sleepy voice
from a bunk.
"Topplns a fool" repeated Snyder.
"an idiot. I'd like to see myself
growing thin over a girl"
"Toppin said tonight" remarked
Mac. putting the lamp back into it's
place, that Miss Mary had refused
him again. She said that as she's
the owner of the Rocket and Toppin
is only the sailing master, 1t wouldn't
be right for her to marry him. Them
was her words. | think she don't want
to share the profits the Rocket makes
with Toppin. It's cheaper to hire him
at $25 month-that's the real reason.
They be two FOOLS" observed Mac.
sagely. land they'll end by marrying.
l think"
The opening of the foc'sle door cut
short Macs discourse.
Boys" said Toppin's voice from the
deck. Miss Mary says we must get
under way by daybreak"
Early next morning the two masted
schooner Rocket, in ballast, crossed
the bar with fair wind on her voy
age down the coast in search of a
cargo. The crew, though busy on
deck, had time enough to glance aft
occasionally. Toppin was at the wheel.
and Miss Mary sat near the companion
way. silently watching the foaming
wake of the little craft. For an hour
she remained quite motionless. with
troubled look upon her features.
Toppin's eyes moved slyly from the
compass to the cross-trees, and thence
to the girl. These stolen glances she
appeared not to notice. although once
or twice Toppin saw the color come
to her cheeks and her hands clasp and
unclasp. The sailing master wanted
to speak. but all his thoughts seemed
to have fed. At last he blurted out:
of paint forward"
Does she?" she replied. without
raising her eyes. Then I'll tell Mac
to have it DONE"
why don't you tell me?" asked
Toppin.
"You," she responded, Tim going
to discharge you when your month is
up"
Her tones cut deep into Toppin.
Discharge me?"
Yes, I'm dissatisfied with you. Not
with the way you run the ship. but
the way you treat the owner. You've
got no business to make love to me.
Haven't often told you that would
Tho 10
home and everything else to me. Isn't
that enough?"
1t wasn't a question. as Mac thought,
of sharing the profits made by the
Rocket with another; that idea had
never entered her head. Toppin was
kind, considerate. straightforward. and
not fortune hunter, as she we'll knew,
but ToppiE was also masterful. In
spite of her self-reliance, Mary's act
caused her some misgivings. and as
she again turned the matter over in
her mind 1t was rather with a spirit
of remorse. Had Toppin spoken then.
her decision would have been re-
voked, and she almost wished he
would speak. The silent. grave face
at the wheel first provoked her SYM
pathy, and then angered her. because
the eyes seemed to notice everything
on the schooner except the owner.
A light rain which then began to
fall added discomfort to her anger. and
Mary went below. When she came on
deck some hours later Mac was steer
ing. The wind had fallen to breath.
and the sails tapped idly when the
Rocket rolled and pitched with the
gentle swell.
Toppin went aft and took the
wheel.
Mae" he said. III we don't get a
breeze we'll be in trouble. The tides
carrying us inshore fast"
Toppin felt nervous and dispirited
The lead had given him no sign of
bottom, yet he knew instinctively that
the schooner was not far from shore
She'll have n better excuse to fire
me II run the Rocket aground" he
thought, watching the cloaked figure
that sat on water tank few PAGES
away.
The stiffness of the fog emphasized
the constant drip OF moisture from
rope and spar, and gave double sig
nificance to each sound aboard the
schooner. Eight bells had barely
struck when n cry of Bottom" came
from Snyder.
Mac. said Toppin. as the seaman
came running aft, I've done 1t. and III
sure be fred now" -... ...
Then he told the story Of how Miss
Mary said she could do without his
services. .I.
Morning found the schooner in se-
rious, though not dangerous position.
The tide had receded. leaving the
stern sunk in the sand and but few
inches of water beneath. the bows. A
bright sun cleared the fog away and