The Columbus journal., 1910-03-16

on re bridge so not see very much.
but Bill. he tell me how it was. He
say futile sneak up benin you twice.
like he would hit you in re back. Once.
wen you was right by re rail. Bill. he
sung out to you. SO as to make you
look round. Maybe you will remem-
Der Eat. monsieur"
1 nodded. beginning now to grasp
the full gravity of these revelations.
Bill he not got mooch use for you.
Mons. Stephens" the speaker went on,
smiling grimly, AN won't have vile
his head ache. but he was no dam
fool. He know wat 1t mean il you
was knock out. BY gar. 1t be hell! II
futile was off his nut. you was re only
navigator IN re ship. an it not do for
us lose bose. Eat was wy Bill he
care: he not want to die In zis sea:
by gar. non! Well, after vile you
60 below, an zen re first officer did ze
damnedest sing ever I saw on re ship.
He busted into ze foc'stle. monsieur.
wizout any invite from any man Jack
o EN-. an pumped down on his knees
by Snyder's bunk. an begun to pray.
Mon Dieu. Wonder zey not murder
him. Larsen come out, an beg Bill
an me to take him out, but he pray
all ze time till we dump him in his
own cabin. He not fight. he JUS pray.
Sainte Marie! it make me sick; an
re men zey talk. an ask question"
He paused. passing one hand across
his eyes. But Eat not re worst, mon
sieur-sacre. non! he see re ghost"
DE Nova" 1 said, quietly. you
have said l was an educated man.
Well l have some reason to believe
you are. also, and first of all I should
like to know why you pretend other
wise? Why do you endeavor to talk
like a fo'c'stle hand?"
He hung in the wind. surprised both
by my direct question and the sudden
change of topic. Then the old smile
came back to his lips.
Maybe it was habit, monsieur. from
IL year passed in Eat sort of COM
pany."
Il was correct then in believing you
have received more than an ordinary
eGucation?"
Il took re classical course in ze col
lege at Martinique. an zen two year
of re train for re priesthood. Out.
monsieur" His eyes wandered out
over the empty waters. Zen re sea
call me. an maybe re devil also. Eat
was re whole of it,
Yet you believe in ghosts?"
The creole crossed himself.
"Sacre, / know not wat believe.
But 1t make re blood chill to hear Tut
tie tell wat he see down care in re
cabin. Re question not wat I believe.
it wat we do wiz him."
l struck the rail- with my fist. vexed
at my own inability to take the initia-
tive.
Yes. that's the issue, De Nova"
returned quickly. but I'm not the one
to decide it. I've known what would
do from the first, II l had the power.
Tuttle's insanity was not necessary to
make me act-his brutality to those
women below. his shanghaiing me into
THIS fool scheme, were enough. l am
for taking possession of the vessel.
even If We have to lash him to his
BERTH"
Eat was not to be done. monsieur"
And Why not? Must we sail with
q mailman? This Is no regular voy.
age: not a man aboard has signed pa
pers- futile is no better than a
pirate. and to overthrow him and as
sumo control of the yacht would not
be mutiny. We might sail straight |
back to Valparaiso and not q thing
could be done with US"
The mate shuffied from one foot to |
the other. his black eyes hardening.
Now. see here, Mons. Stephens" he |
burst out. ''zat was only ze ha.f Of 1t. |
Sure We not res'iar crew. but we part
ners. Eat was &c way il is. We take
re big chance for Re lroit Zose sail