The Detroit times., 1912-11-09
CHAPTER ~.
The Charity Of the Seas,

CHAPTER ~.
The Charity Of the Seas.
Cobalt sky above, and the deep
blue of the Sargasso Sea patched
with islets OF orange-yellow weed. On
II black steamer, high-bowed and
stump-masted, surging along with q
bone in her teeth toward the south
and west. Also white ships life
boat, rugged with widowed lug-sail
and jib, and manned by a crew Of
gaunt scarecrows. The lifeboat Is ly-
ing-to across the steamers track, and
the steamer wears her standard COM
pass on the top Of tenzfoot mast
painted bananagreen. That Is the
picture to carry in mind.
Mr.. Kettle, the mate, after regard
ing the truculent look OF his red tor
pedo beard at many angles In the
back OF his watchcase, finally approx
ed, dived In his pocket, and produced
three green-stained pennies which he
presented to his barber
Hope to have the continuance o.
yo' custom, sar," said that artist, dust
ing the debris of the operation from
his patron with professional sibila-
ton.
I'll recommend you to the ward
ers." said the mate dryly, when /
call on visiting-days. Hands, take In
I 5aff. --te~efaway- smartly now. Up
ship that mast. Out oars; We mustn't
keep that fellow waiting. He seems
III hurry. A Dutchman, too, to
judge by that sawn-off smoke-stack.
Give way"
| Up till now the steamer had been
bearing directly down upon them.
But as she drew nearer she seemed
to be steering out OF her course a
tribe to the northward. There was
a long heavy ocean swell running
and she waved a good deal in her
steering, and ii was hard to make out
exactly where she was aiming for;
but Mr.. Kettle, with an Englishman's
contempt for the German mariner.
set this down To the inefficiency- of
her wheel quartermaster and to the
watch-officer who oversaw him.
! The vessel was close aboard OF
| them by this time and they could
read her name, Rhein, in dull brass
letters on the haring curve OF her
ibrows. She had high upper bridge.
with three square-shouldered officers
on 1t who swayed rigidly to the roll
| One, a big fellow, with fair spade
shaped beard and much uniform, was
obviously the captain. He wore spec
tacles. He stared at the boat point.
eddy. but neither waved nor made
other signs; and Mr.. Kettle, to whom
IL was a point OF honor not to make
! first advances, sat rigidly by his tiller
and sent out no sign either.
J The Rhein surged up, drew level.
and passed. On the sterns of the
boats that hung in her davits they
read that her port was Hamburg, and
probably every soul In the boat had
hot thoughts about that city, but for
ilong enough not word was uttered.
The black man was the first TO give
tongue
"Sar. sar. he hammered after tho
dwindling stern, while the life-boat
rocked in the cream OF the wake
"Mistah Captain, for de love o. Gawd
don't leave us. | tell you for true
ives starvin'.. oh. sar, stop yo
steamah' Hi. you son-of-a-dog-o ola
| Dutchman, we's gwine for TO do j.
/ you don stop'n pick us up"
Then his boat mate, the German,
chimed in. cursing the Rhein and all
she carried in a tongue that ought 10
have appealed TO her. And TO him
we're added all the boats complement
with one exception, as chorus. But
Mr.. Kettle the mate, sat by the tiller
without a word. and without change
of countenance.
AS she drew out Of earshot, a white.
faced man with an infiamed nose ran
ait along the steamers desks, aud
stood on her taffrail holding on by
J the ensign staff He howled out sen
fences which they could not catch,
and waved g1my nand. Then a
woman came and joined him. her
skirts blowing out shrewdly in the
wind OF the steamers passage She
a1s0-Wgved her hand and shouted,
and though the tones of her shriller
make out the words And every In.
more distant
The crew OF the life-boat still shout.
On and sobbed and danced, but pres.
emily the grim little mate pulled them
NJ sharply enough with a curt com.
mand for silence in the boat"
II you've all quite finished giving
"A free variety show for that painted
Dutchman, perhaps you'll re-step that
mast, and let's be getting under way
again. We've no more time 20
WASTE u
: Baldhead Hoped TO a heap on tine
floor boards What's the good he
muttered We're as good as dead
now"
You may be. snapped the mate.
TIN not I've got TO live for lot OF
things: among others to pay my com
pliments 10 that glass-eyed skipper
with the tow beard. and TO skin that
pirate with the incandescent nose
who Knocked at me from the poop
lgtaf. BY James, II you swiyeLkneed
lblighters are going to weaken now
lard let those skunks live unpublished
I'm not I'm going to teach them sea
manners n go 10 Berlin and set fire
to their blessed emperor's palace TO