Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-01-28

| YET Dut uc Will. 4 got ubcu 10 IL iOnt
ago. My old DOMAINS corker. When
she's mad ye'd think the thunder was
a-rollln'. When l 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 a dead calm for spell. and q
fair breeze follers."
Billings, an experienced man, talked
to those without any experience what
ever. To BIO out on trackless 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:
'Tts plain that Mrs. Stoughton has
mutinled 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 "perwidln' you can
get rid o. the CONAN But after We
got the ship what We goin' to do with
her? Hain't she still in commando
That's my experience"
This was a poser, especially as the
Iu nj Nf xxthA ofr oil
men, had great respect for Tom Bill
lings' opinion on anything concerning
the opposite sex.
ut seems to me, mates" continued
Billings. chat ye're up agin a 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
haln't no use o. tallSin' to you. You're
bound to run this here business yer
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-
son of the "'ooman as has took this
ship" The captain made 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 APP
pointed to take Mrs. Stoughton down
G..Na kIA al ax.1 A....x I,.tf
where she would have plenty Of room
to walk back and forth like Gagged
lioness. They put bedding down with
her, and 1t was understood that her
meals should be let down to her regu-
larly.
did We obsarve the look on her face.
matesT 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
with their late condition. But
on the fourth day when the captain
was standing on the poop deck and a
large sea rolled under the vessel he
noticed that she didn't rise with her
buoyancy. Billings was
by at the time.
whats the matter with herr
growled the captain to himself.
ITS my opinion. SIR" said Billings,
LII I,x1. Ii
here's somepin In the cargo as don't
belong there"
"What do you mean?" asked the
captain anxiously.
"The CONAN"
"Well?"
when she was put in the hold l |
was wonderin' what she'd do, so I've |
Iept my blinkers open. The ships |
lrawin' more water, sir, than she did
hree days ago.
"You mean
"She scuttled."
The captain made a dive for the
calling on Billings to
ollow. Entering the hold, they found
our feet of water. The point of Leak
zee was covered so that they could not
zee 1t, but they found some of the
arpenter's tools of which Mrs.
'toughton had possessed herself. All
lands were called to man the pumps,
nd when the water had been removed
large auger hole was discovered a
ew feet above the keel
The hole having been plugged, the
aptain ordered Mrs Stoughton locked
4 her own cabin, then called the crew
TT and asked for suggestions as to
vhat to do with her. Every man Jack
( them looked at Billings, so the cap
ain asked for his advice.
There's just two ways o. managin'
)omen. sir" said the old salt. 1.-THE
rst is to git away from 'em, the Sec
nd to let 'em have their own way.
an only judge by my own experience
tier was married observed that to
eep the family peace I'd got to knuc-
le under There is husbands as is
'ad o. the 'ouse, but this is where the
'oman 'asn't the usual female grit.
hem as let's their wives command the
imbly ship gifts on just as well as
ny of 'em. Some un's got to be boss,
nd IL the CONAN has the dominatin'
iculty III her why not?"
The captain decided that Mrs.