The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-10-13

on re bridge so / not see very much,
but Bill, he tell me how It was. He
say Tuttle 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?"
/ 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, IAN won't have vile
his head ache, but he was no dam
fool. He know wat it mean If you
was knock out. By gar, 1t be hell! If
futile was off his nut, you was re only
navigator On 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
90 below, an zen re first officer did re
damnedest sing ever I saw on re ship.
He busted into re foc'stle, monsieur,
wizout any invite from any man Jack
o. 'em, 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 re 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" / said, quietly, you
have said was an educated man.
Well | have some reason to believe
you are, also, and first Of all l should
like to know why you pretend other
wise? Why do you endeavor to talk
like a fo'cstle 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 1t was habit, monsieur, from
12 year passed in zat sort of com
pany"
81 was correct then in believing you |
have received more than an ordinary |
education?"
Il took re classical course in re col |
lege at Martinique, an zen two year
of re train for re priesthood Oui,
monsieur" His eyes wandered out
over the empty waters. Zen ze sea
call me, an maybe re devil also, Eat
was re whole of it,"
yet you believe in ghosts?"
The creole crossed himself.
"Sacre, l know not wat believe.
But it make re blood chill to hear Tut
tie tell wat he see down zare in re
cabin. Ze question not wat | believe,
1t wat we do wiz him?"
I struck the rail with my fist, vexed
at my own inability to take the initia
tive.
Yes, that's the issue, De Nova" l
returned quickly, but I'm not the one
to decide it. I've known what | would
do from the first, if had the power.
Tuttle's insanity was not necessary to
make me act-his brutality to those
women below, his shanghaiing me into
his fool scheme were enough. 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
/ madman? This is no regular voy-
lge; not man aboard has signed pa
lers. Tuttle is no better than a
pirate, and to overthrow him and as !
'ume control Of the yacht would not
)e mutiny. We might sail straight /
)ack to Valparaiso and not a thing I
.ould be done with us"
The mate shufled from one foot to /
he other, his black eyes hardening. /
Now see here, Mons. Stephens, he /
'urst out, "zat was only ze half Of it. /
lure we not regular crew, but we part
lers. Eat was ze way it is. We take i
e big chance for re profit. zose sail