Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-28
(CHAPTER XvI.-(Continued.)

II should like to see that little mate
of yours moving his upper lip up and
down." said Sir George, when he
hands over the presents. hope he'll
make the proper obeisances after the
fashion of the-er-harem attendants
who came here. However, l dare say
they'll bring of the event without
hitch, as everybody seems determined
to be friendly now. Much better this
sort OF method, skipper, isn't it, than
fighting the whole country-side?"
"I'll give you my opinion, sir, when
we're away at sea again. with the Nor
man Towers steamipg in company. It's
useless to ask me, sir, to like Mr..
Bergash. can't do 1t. To my way Of
thinking he's a native, and he'll have
all a natives faults tucked away
somewhere, and the fact of his having
been at Cambridge college makes him
owner, sir, and you and Miss Chester
man have a perfect right to behave to
him as you please; but can't forget
that I'm master of this steamboat, and
as that it's my duty to look out for
dirty weather ahead. I've felt very
keenly the stiffness there's been be-
tween us since Mr.. Bergash came
aboard and If I've been driven to con-
ISOLATION, I think you'll own I've got
my excuse"
Sir George stared. What on earth
was this queer-headed little sailorman
driving at now? "Consolation, he
knew was usually translatable as
whisky" II it had been McTodd,
the construe would have fitted in per-
fectly. But Kettle was not suspect;
he was neither teetotaler nor drunk
ard; his was the easy sobriety that
never exceeds. Finally, I'm not good
at guessing riddles" Sir George said.
I'm what form Is it you take your con-
solation?"
Captain Kettle reached an arm in
side the chart house door, and pro-
duced chubby volume. JUNCTION
for a Stumbling Soul" sir is the title.
Some of the verses In that book ere
the most splendid things that have
ever been put on paper. They make
you see corn fields, and smell violets,
and hay, and hear the cows coming
home to be MIXED. For man that's
never been In the country, reading
them's like a peep through the outer
lining into heaven"
Good lord! What wonderful
book! Poetry. is 1t? You must let
me have a whack into 1t, skipper,
some day when you've a bit of time.
Sorry to have ruffled you about Ber-
cash, but if you've found such sat
isfactory antidote, you're not so bad
ly off as I thought" The big man
had keen sense of humor, and as he
ran his eye through the tawdry senti-
ment in the verses, he wanted to
shiek aloud. But he had tenderness
for Kettles feelings, and kept his face
wooden and expressionless. "A truly
wonderful book! What pity It's so
little known"
Real poetry. sir, needs poet to ap-
preciate it. But then you're poet
yourself"
"Oh, am I?'
II knew it from the first moment we
met and with respect, that's why l
like you. sir and why I made up my
mind that you should have your sal
wage if I had to root up half Africa to
get it. You see there are moments,
and they are mostly when things are
going wrong with me, or I'm in tight
places. when write poetry myself
This truculent little martinez poet!
There was a real strain behind the
woodenness Of Sir George Chester
mans expression now. He tried to
speak and could not. Emotion in fact
shook him like palsy, though he
fought against it vehemently, and if it
had not been for welcome diversion
from the shore. it is conceivable that
Captain Kettles finest feelings might
have been irretrievably shocked.
AS it was, Sir George was able to
point to the beach, and laugh with an
absolutely clear conscience. "By
CAD! skipper, talk of fuss! Look
there. You'd think from all the cere-
mony that the queen Of the east was
coming to inspect the navy of Tarsh-
ish. How about getting her majesty
on board here though? 1t won't do
for any ordinary sons Of Adam to look
at her. that's plain. And at the same
time a guard of honor is what she'll
obviously expect. The only way I can
see out of it is to line up all your
deck hands III two rows, and make
then hold their coat tails before their
eyes and let her march in state be-
tween them to the head of the COM
panionway"
The lady's start from the shore was
sufficiently striking. The cavalry Of
her escort mounted their horses, and
setting them to the gallop, wove in and
out Of one another and fired their
long barreled guns high into the air
as fast as they could load them.
Camel drivers with jellabs spread
over their faces formed double hui
man pallisade between the royal black
tent and the beach. and then and not
before did the black eunuchs unpin the
tent flap.
Three women came out profusely
yelled and unanimously clad, and
walked down somewhat clumsily on
the hot loose sand to the beach. From
his gestures those on the steamer
could see that Mr.. Trethewy was hos
pitably offering to take them off, But
majesty preferred her own craft, the
big kherb, and very possibly consider
ed that the smart gig was both
cramped and dangerous. So off she
was rowed in the ponderous lighter,
,I,a orI hnr 1,,or,op orH har h1ooL