Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-23
The Argus Daily Short Story
Tanning a Shrew-By Evan D. Baldwin.
Copyrighted. 1910. ry Associated Literary Prsss

no. one of whom dared TO give him the
least back talk. should have been driv-
en- from the after cabin and up on to
the poop deck by a woman. The day
this occurred and it had been discov-
cred that Mrs Stoughton was virtually
in command of the ship each one Of
the crew went about his duties as II
something momentous had happened.
They had most of them been at sea
for years, they had encountered hurri-
canes, some had lived for days on
raft without food or water, some had
been cast upon desert lands, but none
of them had ever passed through an
experience like this. Their captain.
whom they respected and feared, had
been downed. They were as much
taken aback as If their rudder had
been put ont Of commission.
The captain had become a different
man. He walked the deck with
hangdog look. he gave his orders In
a humble tone, as If he would be much
obliged II the men should obey them.
and the men themselves did their du-
ties languidly, as If some misfortune
hung over the ship. Only one man.
JdCA EotOuShlOl- SttIlSh " nave OCCh
improved by the incident. Before 1T
occurred he had the demeanor Of
whipped cur; now he went about as II
he felt himself as good a man as any
aboard.
The crew. sympathiZing> with their
captain and one another in the pres
ence of strange misfortune, between
watches consulted as TO means of re-
lief.
whats the matter with We, ye lub-
bers?" said Tom Billings. a married
man. There's 'usbands as lives their
whole lives with squalls 'angin' over
en- all the time. and yet you buffers
is knocked out by one CONAN to a hull
ship. stoughton 'asn't got used to it
yet, but he will. 1 got used to It long
ago. My old DOMAINS u corker. When
she's mad ye'd think the thunder was
a-rollin'. When l see one O. them
storms a-comin' I've Parned to take In
all sail, batten down the 'atches and
let the Storm blow itself out Then
there's a dead calm for a spell, and a
fair breeze follers."
Billings. an experienced man, talked
to those without any experience what
ever. To be out on trackleSs ocean
dismasted was one thing-thers was
still discipline-but to be there with
the captain and all hands subdued by
one who had never studied navigation
and couldn't make an observation was
another The first would be in the
line Of q sailors life; the second there
was no precedent for. Something
must be done. One proposition after
another was made. discussed and dis
carded. Finally Dick smalls. one Of
the younger members of the crew,
spoke up:
'It's plain that Mrs. Stoughton has
mutinisd and took the ship. ] don't
see that there II anything for US 10 do
but mutiny agin the new master ana
take the ship ourselves"
That's all very well, mates" put
In Tom Billings, "perwidin' you can
get rid o. the CONAN. But after ye
got the ship what ye goin' TO do with
herr Hain't she still in commandf
That's my experience"
This was a poser. especially as the
crew, nearly all Of whom were single
men, had great respect for Tom BIZ
iings' opinion on anything concerning
the opposite sex
1T seems to me, mates" continued
Billings, that ye're up agin want
o. knowledge o. navigatin' the female
craft All We got to do Is TO put 'em
afore the wind and let 'em scud. Ye
can't steer 'em, and If We try yen sure
come TO grief. But / knows there
hAin't No use O. taikih' to you. YOU'RE