Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-19
CHAPTER VII-Continued.


II Mr.. Gates, whose curiosity-together
with that of the rest Of the crew-had
been reused, as Hughie meant it to be, by
the latter's reference to Mr.. Noddy Kina-
hans share in the present situation,
moved forward to his task with less alac-
rity than usual, and paused readily
enough when Hughie continued:
IF you'll put back, captain, and land
me anywhere within a hundred miles OF
New York. I'll give you double what
Kinahan is paying you for this job"
You look like man with money. l
must say" replied Kingdom. Nov then.
Mr.. Gates!'
TITS to be no deal, them" said Hughie.
composedly. Very well. The next ques-
ton is. If am coming with you, how am
I going to be treated? Cabin or steer
'1'll show you,'' roared the incensed
skipper. KNOCK him silly, Mr.. Gates!"
Mr.. Gates came on with rush. But
Hughie. who all this time had been TAX
ing his bearings. leapt back lightly in his
bare feet and snatched a capstan bar
from the rack behind him.
keep your distance for moment, Mr..
Gates he commanded. If you don't want
your head cracked. I haven't finished in
terviewing this captain of yours yet
you care to specify
"'Nother Percy" commented Mr. Din
gle, dejectedly, cxpectorating over the
side. He was plain man was Mr.. Din
gle, and loved straight hitting and words
of one syllable.
! Mr.. Gates paused. and Hughie leaning
back against the bulwarks and toying
with the capstan bar. continued to ad-
dress the Illuminating mariner on the
bridge.
NOW, captain. I'm going to be brief
with you-brief and businesslike. You've
been paid by Kinahan to shanghai me
good. I'm not kicking. I wanted to get
to Europe, anyhow, and rather like long
sea voyages. especially before the mast.
In fact. I'd rather sail before the mast on
board this ship than in the cuddy. Keep
still, Mr.. Gateso AS I'm here, I've no
particular objection to working my pas
sage, always reserving to myself the right
to make things hot for your employer
when 1 get ashore. I'll work as an ABB.
or deck hand. If you like, though. person
ally. l would rather do something in the
engine room. I'm pretty we'll qualified
in that direction. But l must be decenty
treated. and there must be no more sand
baSging or knOckabOut-variety business.
Is it a deal?
Capt. Kingdom surveyed the sinewy
stowaway before him thoughtfully. He
saw that until Hughie gave up the cap
stan bar Mr.. Gates would have little
temporize.
II can give you job in the engine
ROOM" he said. in what he Imagined was
a more conctliatory tone. Second en-
| gineer'S down with something this morn
ing. You can take his watch. Drop that
capstan bar Of yours and go and see Mr..
! Angus. the chief"
THAT should suit me-" replied Hughie.
But as a guarantee of good faith. and
to avoid disappointing the assembled COM
pany, I'm quite willing to stand up and
have a turn with Mr.. Gates here, or that
gentleman over by the funnel stay. or any
one else You may appoint. But should
prefer Mr.. Gates he added, almost af-
fectionately. I'm not in f1rst-class form
at present, as my head has got a dent in
it behind. but I'll do my best. Are you
game, Mr. Gates?"
"Go on. Mr.. Gates. learn him. conf
rnanded the highly sratified skipper.
Drop that bar shouted the genial
Mr.. Gates. land I'll kill you!''
Half a minute. please said IIughie,
as unruffled as If he were putting on the
nasium. I'm not going to fight man
in sea boots in my bare feet Can any
gentleman oblige me with Thank you.
sir! You are white man.
A pair Of oily canvas tennis shoes, with
list soles, battered down on the deck be-
side him. Their donor. the white man"
"a coal-black individual. attired chiefly
in cotton waste-was smiling affably from
. the eng1ne-rOOm hdtCnWay.
They'll dae We fine he observed, I'M
expectedly, and disappeared below.
In a moment Hughie had slipped on the
shoes. Then. casting away the bar, he
hurled himself straight at the head of
Mr. Gates.
In the brief but exhilarating exhibition
which followed Mr.. Gates realized that a
first mate on the defensive is a very diff
ferent being from first mate on the
rampage. He had become accustomed
| RI hroa in nd
bemussed foreigners, taking his own time
and using his boots where necessary, that
a high-presSure combat with man who
seemed to be everywhere except at the end
of his fst--to his honor he never once
thought of employing his foot-was an
entire novelty to him. He fought sui
lenly but ponderously, wasting his enor-
nous strength on murderous blows which
never reached their mark, and stolidly en-
during a storm Of smacks, bangs and
punches that would have knocked a man
of less-enduring material into pulp. But
there is one blow which no member of
the human family can stand up to. glut-
ton for punishment though he be. Hughie
made a sudden feint with his left at his
opponents body, just below the heart.
Gates dropped his guard. momentarily
throwing forward his head as he did SO.
Instantaneously terrific upper cut from
Hughes right took him squarely under
the chin. Mr.. Gates described a graceful
parabola and landed heavily on his back
on deck Str1Klng his hedO against ring
bolt as he fell The whole fight had lasted
less than four minutes.
Hughe was about to assist his fallen
opponent to rise when he heard a warn
Ing cry from half dozen voices. He
swung round, to find the captain making
for him, open mouthed. with the capstan
bar He sprang lightly aside-a further
blessing on those list shoes,-and his OPP
ponent charged past him. bringing down
. the bar with a faiIlike sweep upon the
drum of steam windlass. Next moment
Hughie grasping the foremost shrouds.
leaped on the bulwarks and pulled him
self up to the level of the bridge, which
: was unoccupied save by the man at the
, wheel, who had been an enthusiastic
spectator of the scene below.
Having climbed upon the bridge, and so
secured the upper ground in case Of any
further attack, Hushie leaned over the
| rails and parleyed. In his hand he held
| a pair Of heavy binoculars, which he had
taken out of a box clamped to the back
OF the wind screen.
, THE first man who attempts to follow
me up here" he announced when he had
got his breath back. will get this pair
t of glasses in the eye. Captain. I don't
think you are a great success as an en-
| ployer of labor. You haven't got the
knack Of conciliating your men. Can't
we come to terms? Mine are very sim
Pile. / want some clothes-my own, for
choice If you haven't got them, any,