Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-06-07


nautical: he was most probably a cap
tain. from certain air OF determine
ton and command that lurked be-
meath his free-and-easy manner.
Therefore, having summed the
stranger up in glance. And when
| did We get in. captain?" inquired
| O'Rourke
The man jumped with surprise and
shot frightened-at least ques-
tioning glance at O'Rourke Then.
/ seeing that be was smiling In a friend
ly fashion. Gained and continued to
cool his face and heat his blood by
tanning himself vigorously with a
straw hat
"'Ow the dooce do you know I'm
captain?" he demanded. with slight
ly aggrieved manner
1T shouldn't take man an hour to
guess that. captain-any more than
it would to pick We out for an Eng
lishman."
The captain stared. gray eyes wild
ening. An perhaps you'll tell me my
nyme next?" he suggested rather
truculently
"Divvle bit 'Tis no clairvoyant
am" laughed O'Rourke But can
tell We me own. Ills O'Rourke. and
tbs delighted l am to meet a white
man in this heather country. Sir. your
hand!"
He put his own across the table and
gripped the captains heartily.
Mines Ole" the latter Informed
him
"ole?" querled o'Rourke. "ole
what?"
Not Ole nothing" said the cap
tain with some pardonable asperity.
Il didn't sly ole. | sgd ole"
"Of course" O'Rourke assented
graveiy. I'm stupid, Captain Hole.
and bit deaf in me off ear" This.
however, was a polite lie
THAT explyns it, agreed the mc!a-
fed man. Its ole. plyn Willm Ole.
master of the Pelican. fryghter. just
in from Malta"
A light of interest kindled in
ORourkes eyes. He reviewed the man
with more respect. as due to one who
might prove useful And bound-?"
he insinuated craftily.
Alexandria. just dropped
in for d'y or two to pick up a bit
of cargo from chap down at Piraeus.
It's devlish 'ot and | thought as 'ow
I'd tyke a run up and see the city
--aving a bit of time free, yknow."
Surely" sighed ORourke. far.
away look in his eyes. For Alexan-
dria. Ell? Faith. I'd like to be sailing
with ye"
Again the captain eyed O'Rourke
askance "Wot for?" he demanded
directly. The Pelican's a slow old
tramp. You can pick up swifter pas
sage on arf-a-dozen boats a day"
lis meself that knows that sure
assented the Irishman. "Tis but a
trifiing difficulty about ready money
that detains me-" he pursued boldly.
with a confidential jerk of his head
There's bit of stuff7-no matter
what-that don't want to pass
through the Custom House at Alex
andria. I'm not saying word, cap
tai. but II | could smuggle it into
Egypt. the profit would be great
enough to pay me passage.money a
/ dozen times over. I'm saying this TO
ye In strict confidence. for, being an
/ Englishman, We won't let on
Never fear" Hole asserted stout
| iy. "Umm. Er--I don't mind
telling you. Mr.. O'Rourke. | some
times do little in that line myself
Being casual tramp and sometimes
| lyd by for weeks at a stretch for want
of consignment"
mot another word. captain. | un-
derstand perfectly. Will We be having
bit of drink, now?"
Captain Hole would 1T won't 'urt
to talk this over" he remarked. Per
APPS we might myke some sort of a
dicker"
Faith. it's meself that's agreeable"
laughed the Irishman lightly
And when. at midnight that night.
he parted from a moist ard senti-
mental sailor-man, whose capacity for
liouor-even including the indescrib
able native retsinato and masticha-
had proved enormous. the arrangement
had been arrived at. signed, sealed
and delivered by clasping of hands
And L was O'Rourke was the happy
man.
TITS Danny who'll be giving me
the welcome" he assured himself, sit
ting on the edge of his bed AID star
ing thoughtfully into TIE disheveled
depths of the battered steel kit.box
mat housed everything he owned in
the world-for he was packing to join
the Pelican at noon.
II hope to hiven be has five
pounds" announced o'Rourke later.
/ Irowning obviously.
1 Five pounds happened to be the
sum he had agreed 10 pay Captain
hole for the accommodation It being
mrther conditioned that the latter
,r,arr h. rIr.......--