The Columbus journal., 1910-01-19
CHAPTER tv.-Continued.

"Sacre' it has been as re devil
drove" easily. "Ze last was sandal
wood in re South seas. l care little,
so re pay be good"
Then We'll get down to facts" and
! sat back in the chair fronting the
two Of them. MIR. futile, how many
men have you enlisted for this affair.""
Twenty"
Those fellows out yonder?" and l
nodded toward the closed door. He
exhibited his yellow teeth, his eyes
narrowing
They'll be about all ye'll want to
tackle, L guess" he volunteered, with
some assumption of cheerfulness. "un-
less maybe you decide to turn this
expedition into piracy, an give 'em
half the spells. They're that sort, all
right
1 Strengthened back in my chair, my
Jaws set hard. my gaze endeavoring
rainly TO catch and hold his snifty
eye
Mr.. Tuttle,' / said, sternly, "as
understand matters | am captain this
cruise, and you're mate. Whenever l
desire your advice I'll probably ask for
it Just at present please confine
yourself to my questions. What crew
have you?"
The expression of his face was
angry enough. yet he evidently
thought best to answer civilly.
First and second officers. boatswain
and gunner, five coal-heavers, the rest
Seamen."
Nationality"
Every mongrel race under the
sky"
You have no engineer"
Couldn't pick up any; however,
there's one on board. and no doubt,
We can persuade him to stick to the
job"
The mans manner and tone re-
manned surly and insolent, but
gripDed my indignation and held back
the hot words burning my tongue. 1t
was necessary that / make the best of
it now, but after We were once safely
at sea / intended very shortly to take
the measure of this Yankee whaleman.
My eyes wandered toward the olive
tinted face OF De Nova, barely visible
through the enyeloping smoke of his
cigarette. The latter nodded cheer
fully, as though he interpreted my
thought.
oh. re men was all right. mon
sieur.' he put in, smilingly. 'Maybeo
a bit rough. but, sacre. wat would
yau?" his shoulders rising to the queS-
ton. Mr.. futile he grumble, but it
was all bark / know him. an l raZ-
yer have him SO ian hear him talk to
re spirits; wen he do Eat, it make me
sick. by gar"
You disappearing, mOngrel infidel,"
the whaleman's nasal voice rising
shrill with anger. Il don't have to
count beads in order TO lift my soul to
the other world"
There is liable to be fighting
enough before morning" l interposed,
sharply fearing. a quarrel. without
comrades falling out about their be-
lief. Leave that for lubberS ashore
to argue over. Now tell me what ar
ransements have been made for board
ing the ESmeralda?"
futile spat into the sawdust, his
gaze still on De Nova.
Two boats concealed beneath the
piling of the Mercantile Company's
coal wharf: whaleboat and a cutter"
Any arms
"A dozen rifles, six in each boat
l arose to my feet, glancing at my
watch in the dim light He had not
given me the customary sir" in any
, OF his replies, yet l ignored the omis-
sion, willing for the time being to
sink tormality for the sake of action.
VERY Well. Mr.. Tuttle. Have your
men there in an hour from now. They
had better travel in parties of two;
and see that they start out sober You
understand these orders clearly, I
hope sir-haye them there in an hour.
sober. De Nova. you must know how
10 bring sailor-men 10 their senses:
get busy with that gang. Now work
rapidly and quickly. both of you, for if l
We get caught, this is likely to be 7
hanging matter for all of u.s.
| stared at the two of them for lust
an inStant,De Nova on his feet. Tut |
o tie leaning forward in his chair-and |
stepped forth into the outer room. |
closing the door behind me. A |
drunken yell greeted my re-entrance |
into the boisterous crowd, but ignor- |
ing everything, glancing neither to
right nor left, picked my way through |
the motley gathering out into the well |
come blackness of the night