The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1910-02-18
A Tale OF the Sea.

ton, in the bark Bardeluc. A neat
critter she was. little too broad in
the bows and a bit cranky at beating,
but weatherly, take her all in all, and
a good sea boat. l never see the skip
per till after we left Trinidad, West
Indies, and If / had, may 1 be hung
If I'd ever "a shipped with him. A
dead face and q living body. mates;
the face OF a man that had done some
dreadful decd and was follered by a
ghost he couldn't lay, nohow 1t were
awful to see him mates; an old sea
dog, tall and slim. with the breath
of the salt sea about him. but that
pale, ghastly face, and that look over
his shoulders when NO sound could
be heard. The first officer sent me
down to ask for n sextant, below
Martinique, and when l seed that
face I'd have given my chances OF
whisliey, slumgullion, beans and hard
tack for life to be out of that Barle-
due. He seed the look in my face
and snatched up hammer and made
a stroke at me.
You are like the rest, you useless
tramp!' he howled. What the deuce
do you all see in my face that you
must start when you see me. as If
you had seen n ghost? A ghost-han
He looked over his shoulder again
In that quick, startled way, and drop
ped the hammer. Something | could
not see scared him and drove the lit
tie color out of his face
Frontollet, and I'll be your friend for
life Strike at 1t; beat 1t to the
earth, and tread it under foot! See
how pale and hollow he looks. and
how CHASTITY that mark is--the mark
OF Cain, the slayer. Ha, he's gone.
NOW, Frontollet, what do YOU want?'
L told him, and got the sextant,
but made up my mind wasn't going
into that cabin again If could help
1t, l thought he had snakes, but it
turned out worse than that-a blamed
sight worse. l didn't see him again
for three days. and the first officer
seemed to sail the ship.
Going to have a dirty time soon.
Frontollet,' he said, glancing at the
sky; well have to take In our kites
before three hours
Mr.. North was a good officer, and
we respected him as such. | give him
my manncrs-I always do when an
officer uses me as a man, and | said
1T amt many could make bad wealth
cr out of that sky, Mr. North. but
you're right all the same Wen
have blowout 1T will he likely to
bring tire skipper on deck
81 Went away from him. Before
the first watch was over l heard the
first mate at the forescuttle: HI.
you, timbertoes- Rouse and shake
yourselves. Tumble up, tumble up,
there! All hands on deck, ahoy!'
Away, you sea draft roared the
mate. Lay out there, lively strap
her, strip her. my sons! She don't
want as much clothes as a South Sea
woman
we didn't need much ordering, for
We saw ,hc danger, and in few min
utoa The Harlcduc was ready for bust
ness. was standing by the rail,
holding on to line. when | heard
such cry as / never want to hear
again. and there was the skipper,
holding lantern in his hand.
Hi, there, Mr.. North, what are
you doing, you lubber? Do you dare
strip the Barlequc without asking me?"
Mr. Whitmore-captain,' replied
the mate, turning white as ghost, I
i did not like to disturb you
'Cowards! yelled the skipper,
jumping on the quarterback with his
gray hair floating in the wind Lay
her course; keep her to It. Do you
hear, there at the wheel?'
Aye, aye. sir
Keep her SOU 'soueast.'
But, captain, gasped the mate,
for the love of heaven. don't cast
away the ship.
Mutiny, by - screamed the
skipper Iia, ha, ha! here is more
work for me to do. Wait till / lay
her course, and then I'll make you
sweat blood. Aloft there, and shake
out everything that will draw.
Boys cried the mate, jumping up
on the deck, this man is mad. Sc
cure him and take your orders from
me-
Before we could stop him the
mad skipper drew pistol and fired at
the mate, who dropped on the quar-
tcr-Geck. We ran in to seize the mad
man, who was making for the wheel,
but he skipped by Ills and jumped on
the lea rail.
lIa! curse your white face.
have done it again, he cried. DO
you think | will live with two such
faces on my track? Hurrah for a
grave in the seal
He flung his lantern upon tho
water, threw up his hands and plung-
ed head first into the boiling surge.
and we were half a mile away I'm four
minutes. At the same time the mate
rose upon his elbow and stood M
staggering. SO M. North was s.dp-
per of the Barleduc, and good one.
too. He told me that the captain
struck his third mate with "a marlin
spike in the Pacific. and the man
died from the blow Brooding over il.