The Washington herald., 1911-02-25
A SPLENDID HAZARD
By HAROLD MacGRATH
tcopynsh. The BoAs sNeuiuCu unpany)
By HAROLD MacGRATH
Copyright. 1910. The BoObs-Merrin Company

they Iured the captain into spinning
yarns, and well-salted hairbreadth es-
capes they were. He understood that the
admirars guests always expected these
flights, and he was in no wise niggard.
An ordinary sailor would have been dead
these twenty years under any one of the
exploits
'Marvelous.'' said NJ. Ferraud from
the depths of his rugs. And he still
lives to tell it?'
ITS the easiest thing in the world, sir
II Y know how the captain declared
complacently. Indeed. he had recounted
these yarns so many times that he was
beginning to regard them as facts His
statement, ambiguous as it was passed
unchallenged, however, for not one had
the daring to inquire whether he referred
to the telling or the living of them. So
he believed that he was looked upon as
an apostle of truth. Only the admiral
had the temerity to look his captain
squarely in the eye and wink.
Captain. would you mind II put these
tales in a book" Fitzgerald put this
question with a seriousness which fooled
no one but the captain.
You come up L the bridge some aft
ernoon when we've got a smooth sea and
I'll give v some real ones" The cap
tain's vanity was soothed, but he was not
aware that he had put doubt upon his
own veracity
That's kind of you"
An say-'' went on the captain, drink
ing his tea, not because he liked it, but
i, because it was customary, I've got a
character forwards. I'm allus shippin
odds and ends. Got a Frenchman; hands
like a lady"
Breitmann leaned forward and NJ Fer
raud sat up.
''YeSsir." continued the captain: speaks
I-talyan an English. An if ever meets
lady with long, soft hands like his'n,
I'm for a pert talk straightway.'
What's the matter with his hands,
asked the admiral
why, commodore, they're as soft as
Miss Laura's here, an yet when tn big
Swede who handles tn baggage was
a-foolin' with him this mornin, it was
the Swede who begs off. Nary a callous,
an yet he bowls the big one round the
deck like he was liner being pierced by
a sassy tug. An what gets me is, he
knows every bolt from stem to stern, sir.
an an all-round good sailor int tn bar
gain; an it don take me more'n twelve
hours I find that out. Well. I'm off {
| tn bridge. Good day. ladies'
When he was out of earshot the admi-
raj roared. Hes the dearest old liar
since Munchausen-"
Aren't they true stories7" asked Hill
degarde.
Bless you, no! And he knows we
know it, too. But he tells them so we'll
that I've never had the courage to sheer
him off,
It's amusing" said Laura, but do
not think that it's always fair to him"
Why. Laura, you're as good a listener
as any know. Read him a tract, if you
wish
Breitmann rose presently and sauntered
forward, while NJ. Ferraud snuggled
down in his rugs again. The others en-
tered into game of deck-cricket.
But NJ. Ferraud was not so i'll that he
was unable to steal from his cabin at
half arter Q at night without even the
steward being aware of his departure. 1t
cannot be said that he roamed about the
deck for whenever he moved it was in
the shadow and always forward. BY and
by voices drifted down the wind. One he
knew and expected, Breitmann'S; of the
other he was not sure. though the French
he spoke was of classic smoothness- NJ
Ferraud was exceedingly interested. He
had been waiting for this meeting. Only
a phrase or two could be heard distinct
ly. But words were not necessary What
he desired above all things was a glimpse
of this F'renchman's face. After several
minutes Breitmann went aft NJ. Fer
raud stepped out cautiously. and luck
was with him The sailor to whom Brett
mann had spoken so earnestly was loll-
ing against the rail, in the act Of light
ing a cigarette. The light from the match
was feeble, but il suficed the keen eyes
OF the watcher He gasped little. Strong
hands indeed Here in the garb Of a
common sailor was one Of the foremost
Orleanists in France!
- ~ -o~-,,~,T-I-T, ~ ,,orpoxu