Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-25


up the gangpank calling out, "Cast off those shore
lines! And don't fall asleep it, either!7 The deck
force scattered to carry out his orders. The pumpman
picked up his suitcase and went to his quarters.
NEXT morning (the ship by now well down the Jer-
sey coast and the passenger on the bridge by the
Captains nvitation) again heard the carong voices
Our ship laborn' in the Gulf O Mexico.
The skipper on the quarter with eyes alot and low
Says he, My bucko boys
That far when the big mans hoarse bass interrupted
"Say you, what about that Number Seven Tank"
says he My bucko boys, it's surely goin' to
blow What about Number Seven?7 He inclined
his head hand back of his ear, and added, and
speak up, Son, SO can hear YOU"
Speak up!7 The bo'sn roared to the heavens.
Speak up Don't tell me to speak up! Did yuh clean
that tank out?'
mo, | didn't clean it out"
"Yuh didn't? And why in blank didn't yuh?"
Because don't have to- But put couple of men to
work and that they cleaned it out And it done
before you out of your warm bunk this morning"
who's that?" The passenger put the question to
the Captain
THAT S my bo'sn-and good one"
"And the other? Know anything of him?'
"The singing one? Nothin' except he's the new
pumpman. And can see right it won't be many
hours afore the DO sn II beat his head off,"
"You think he wl''
Il know he will Why, look at hinl-the size of him,
and solids rock
The passenger took another look the top of the
bridge canvas. He surely big man,; and, under
his thin, sleeveless jersey, surely solid man And the
pumpman, in his skinny, badly fitting dungarees,
though of good height did not look to be much
than half the others bulk.
"That same bosns beat up than any
shipping agency kept a record of. That's Big Bill.
And if you'd ever travelled oil tankers, you'd a
heard of him. He's whale Take another look at
him, Mr.. Moves
Noyes took another look. The bosn surely
tremendously musced man. He knobbed with
muscle. But Noyes had his opinion about the two
men, and he ventured to voice it now.
But he's a wonderfully quick moving fellow, Cap
tain. And he's surely got nerve. Look at him leap
across that open hatch If he fell short he'd get
thirty foot drop and break his neck.
"And | wish he would break his neck! And so can
kangaroo hop around; but you wouldn't pick kanga-
roo to fight bull buffalo You'll find out the differ
ence if ever he tackles my DO sn And fear my DO
won't get him. He'll get him. you see! And when they
together, III take good care there's ships Off
Ger around to interrupt"
@But why does the BIO sn hound him so? This man
aboard than he began to jump him."
aid he? And perhaps you think the bosn of an oil
tankers goin to hand typewriter letter every
time he wants to have word with him. He's good
bosn. He knows his business and he lot of
trouble"
And what the Captain did not say, but what Noyes
imagined he in his eye, was, And I'll be telling you
pretty soon to keep to yourself your opinion OF ships
matters.
XTHEN Moves went to his that night it
~ for stay of two days. More than year now
since he had been to sea- and the weather passing Hat
teras had been bad But the fourth day out
and Hatteras far astern, and the ship plung
ing easily southwark, with the white, sandy shore of
Florida abeam. fine fair day it was, with the Carb-
bean breeze pouring in through the air port The pas
senger dressed Above him he could hear the Captain
dressing down somebody. He stepped out on deck.
1t was two sailors who had complained of the grub