The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-01-27

| sue uldu ye u tlluh lDe tuuHueT was
a-rollin'. When / see one O. them
storms a-comin' I've Earned TO take in
all sail, batten down the 'atches and
let the storm blow itself out. Then
there's 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 a tracliless ocean
dismasted was one thing-there 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 a 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
mutined and took the ship. l don't
see that there is anything for us to do
but mutiny agin the new master and
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 We goin' to do with
her? Haln't she still in command?
That's my experience"
This was a poser, especially as the
crew. nearly all of whom were single
men, had great respect for Tom Bill
lings' opinion on anything concerning
the opposite sex.
at seems TO me, mates" continued
Billings. that yere up agin want
O. knowledge o nIvigatin' 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 ye try yell sure
come to grief. But 1 knows there
hain't no use o. talkin' to you. You're
bound to run this here business yer
own way. so We can count me out"
With that he went on deck
The next day the mutiny plan was
carried out. The men, except Slough
ton, who was not consulted, marched
aft in body and demanded the per-
SOD of the "'ooman as has took this
ship" The captain made a pretense
of resistance, combining himself to
words instead of acts, then told them
that, being powerless in face of
united crew, they could do what they
liked with the woman.
A round robin of four men was ap-
pointed to take Mrs. Stoughton down
into the hold and turn her adrift,
where she would have plenty of room
to walk back and forth like Gagged
lioness. They put bedding down with
her, and it was understood that her
meals should be let down to her regu-
larly.
'Did ye obsarve the look on her face
mates?" remarked Billings after the
woman had been safely put away.
"When they looks that way it means
the weather glass is a-goin' down like
lead"
Three days passed without any trou-
BILE so far as the prisoner was con
cerned. From the moment she was
put below the accustomed cheerfulness
came back to the crew, enhanced by
contrast with their late condition. But
on the fourth day when the captain
was standing on the poop deck and
large sea rolled under the vessel he
noticed that she didn't rise with her
accustomed buoyancy. Billings was
standing by at the time.
whats the matter with her?"
growled the captain to himself.
'It's my opinion, sir" said Billings
putting his knuckles to his cap, that
there's somepin in the cargo as don't
belong there"
what do you nean?' asked the
captain anxiously.
"The 'ooman."
"Well?"
"When she was put in the hold |
was wonderin' what she'd do, so I've
kept my blinkers open. The ships
drawin' more water, sir, than she did
three days ago"
You mean
"She scuttlcd."
The captain made a dive for the
companionway, calling on Billings to
follow. Entering the hold, they found
four feet of water. The point of leak
age was covered so that they could not
see it, but they found some of the
carpenters tools of which Mrs.
Stoughton had possessed herself All
hands were called to man the pumps.
and when the water had been removed
large auger hole was discovered
few feet above the keel
The hole having been plugged, the
captain ordered Mrs. Stoughton locked
In her own cabin, then called the crew
aft and asked for suggestions as to
what to do with her. Every man jack
Of them looked at Billings, so the cap
tain asked for his advice.
"There's just two ways o. managin
'oomen, sir" said the old salt "The
first is to git away from 'em, the Sec
ond to let 'em have their own way. l
can only judge by my own experience
After ] was married / observed that to
keep the family peace I'd got to knuc-
kle under. There is husbands as is
'ead o. the 'ouse, but this is where the
'ooman 'asnt the usual female grit