The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-05-06
CONTINUED
CHAPTER ".

| RI I'll long AFTER IT'S nau seen anO
~ admired the cluster of stars
which old time navigators used
TO regard with awe. When shafts OF
white light began to taper pennon-like
in the eastern sky the girl went back to
her cabin. Contrary to Hozier's eXpec-
tation, Coke did not attempt to draw
from him any account Of their CONVEX
sation prior to the inexplicable mishap
to the wheel. He examined couple
of charts. made slight alteration in
the course and at o'clock took charge
Of the bridge.
Just ave look around now while
things is quiet" he said, nodding to
Hozier confidentially. III tell you
wot fancy. A rat dragged bit of
bone into gear box. If the plankin'
is badly worn anywhere, get the car
penter to see to it. / do 'ate to ave a
feelin' that the wheel can let you
down. S'pose we was maxim Bahia
on the homeward run an that 'appen-
ed. 1t 'ud be the end of the pore ole
ship, an oo'd credit it? Not a soul.
They'd all say, Jimmie threw 'er
awayp"
Hozier found a gnawed piece of ham
bone lying in the exact position antici-
pated by Coke.
The carpenter busted himself with
saving and hammering during the
whole of, the next two days, for the
Andromeda revealed many gaps in her
woodwork, but the escapade of an en-
rant ham bone was utterly eclipsed by
new sensation. At daybreak one
morning every drop of water in the
vessels tanks suddenly assumed
rich blood red tint This unnerving
discovery was made by the cook, who
was Mortified to see a ruby stream
pouring into the earliest kettle. Think
ing that an iron pipe had become oXi-
died with startling rapidity, he tried
another tap. Finally there could be no
blinking the fact that by some I'M
canny means the whole of the fresh
if not the taste of thin burgundy.
Coke was summoned hastily. No
blesse oblige. being captain. he val
iantly essayed the task of sampling
this strange beverage.
1T amt p'ison." he announced. gaz-
ing suspiciously at the little group of
anxious faced men who awaited his
verdict. 1T sartinly amt p'ison. but
it's wuss nor any teetotal brew I've
tackled in all me born days. Ere.
Watts. you know the tang of every
kind o. likker-'ave q sup"
Not me-" said Watts. 81 don't like
the look Of it. First time I've ever
seen red ink on tap. For the rest of
this trip / stick to bottled beer or
something with label"
1T smells like an infusion of per-
manganate Of potash" volunteered Ho-
zier
Does it?" growled Coke, who SEEM
ed to be greatly annoyed. "Wot a pity
1t amt an infusion of whisky an pot
ash!' and he glared vindictively at
Watts. "Some ijjit as bin playin' q
trick on us. that's wot it is-some
blank soaker 90 don't give a hooraw
In hades for tea an coffee an cocoa,
but wants tonic. Stooardw
Yes, SIR" said the mess room attend
ant.
Portion out al the soda water in
the lockers an whack II on the table
every meal till it gives out. See that
nobody puts away more'n is proper
allowance too. I'm not goin' to cry
hush baby wen the Andromeda gets
this sort Of kids dodge worked off on
err"
IF you're allcodin' to me-" put In
the incensed "chief," whose temper
rose on this direct provocation, 81 want
to tell you now
Does the cap ftp? sneered Coke.
mo. it doesn't. l never card of that
kind Of potash in me life. Dye take
me for a chemists shopp
Never card CT itv' cried the incens-
ed skipper. who had obviously made
up his mind as to the person RESPONSE
BILE for the outrage. There's arf q
dozen cases of it in the after hold-or
there was wen we put the 'atches on"
Even if some of the cases were bro
ken. sir, the contents could not reach
the tanks said Hozier. But the COM
mander's wrath