Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-06-04

sea sbort-banded However blind the shipping
commissioner might be in other ways ne saw
to it that the shipping laws were obeyed as 10 the
number of required for types and tonnage OF
ships. A might never have seen the sea-
but if he not too drunk to say he was an
able seaman and to sign his name to the snlps
articles that settled it. He would probably be an
able seaman dead greenhorn before his ship
reached port
This official insistence on the letter of the law
sometimes caused the kings to do strange things
Toward the end of the season they were at times
hard pushed for two men to fill out
crew. Then did all men in sailortown not in the
kings special favor hunt cover and stay hid I'M
til the last ship out of sight beyond the bar
For Jack and Pete were no respecters OF persons
All men looked alike to them, and they sent to
than who he :naself too acute to
be trapped into an UNIV ,eshoyage. Welledu-
Gated well-dressed and s.sFEionable the kings
mixed with the best latr ssJst that drifted into
their realms. and once lc>S kaeir clutches no man
escaped from them exoeAptSoy the open sea.
Jimmy HurNer fal1f man and cowpuncher.
went down to the waferfront alone day,
against the ad vice of lie upper town, to the
sights He was visd to the world and had
years thirst and pay Nth him. He met the kings,
who were glad to seeThim Just more man
was needed for the square-rigger Good Hope. then
lying in the stream waiting for crew. with her
captain Black. swearing at Jack and Pete for
delaying him. The kings attended to Hunters
thirst and friendly, even confidential. No
secret made of their trade They told him
stories of shanghaied saiormen and of crews they
had stolen from one ship for another. He was
much interested Jack took him up to the ship
ping commissioners to see the of the Good
Hope shipped. He was even asked to and did
sign his name ones or twice "as witness"
friend from the upper town risked broken head
to warn him. But the Sherman boys were also
friends-at least three hours old-and. anyhow.
he could take care of himself.
At last he cRught Pete in attempt to drug
his whisky and left the kings, with laughing
comment s7ilortown ways Well outside the
deadline he shipped in quiet saloon 1t was
late and he and the lonesome bartender had a
-nightcap together When he came alive next
morning he Mas at sea in the Good Hope and
beefy English nate kicking him in the ribs
OF the nhonths that followed Hunter never
told much }E4e learned sailors work: he had to-
He picked fup from the English
mates BRASS knuckles. Also he acquired deep
desire to kill the kings of sailortown Captain
Black and the mate
At last he found himself in the consuls office
at DunkfTk. France, dressed in the clothes he had
on when he met the Sherman boys For a won
der, the bad sent them aboard with him. He
was in United States territory again, and. first
off, he would square yards with Captain Black
But-th7 consular agent was Frenchman who
would neither speak English nor understand
Hunters French unless he wanted to- Captain
Black lolled in Office chair and grinned while
Hunter told his troubles When he had finished
without a word of comment the consular agent
spread out papers, the ships articles and an
asked It was. He remembered his signing "a