The Detroit times., 1912-11-13

tnon the alternative OF pTOIesslond
ruin for either Captain Parrish OF
himself. and what his superior ofiicei
expected OF him was clear enough.
a. :. II you want to slip ashore
before We dock, thatil be al
right.
II was frankly selfish, OF course. bu
then, after all, self-preservation 10 the
first law of mercantile marine OIL
GERS las II is OF nature). especially II
the officers are married and have fam
lilies and no means. AS a clenchins
argument. Mrs. Farpish's last words
TO Mr.. Kettle as he left the homo
where he had been brought up, leapec
back to his memory:
owen, boy. you'll look after my
old man"
man. Once professional ruin over
took him, he was quite OF opinion tina,
his little romance with her would
come to an undignified end. She was
certainly very much In love with him
at that period, and though he tried Ia
persuade himself that he was In love
with her, do not think that his feel
ing ever amounted to that. He was
q good deal dazzled by her charm. and
he was certainly battered by her pref,
erence, and Tin his turn imagined
that she was attracted by his rapid
rise in his own profession, and the
prospect that he would, with luck, be
presently standing on the upper
bridge OF steamer as full-nedged
shipmaster. Mr.. Kettle. the mate. had
a full idea OF the Importance OF the
Captain Kettle that was to be in the
future.
So, IL he made himself scapegoat, II
must be an understood thing that all
his pretensions to the hand of Miss
| Violet Chesterman must vanish al
once. And all (his demon suggested
to him. for the sake Of an Injunction
laid on him by that uninteresting Old
woman, Mrs. Saturday Parrish. Mr.
Kettle laughed grimly to himself:
THE old dear has II easilv. OF course.
Thereafter he made rapid prepare
tons. His clothes, and the poor con
tents OF his room, he packed into a
tin trunk and an antique portmanteau
and addressed care OF Mrs. 8. Farnish
at an questionable terrace In Birk.
enhead. He strapped on a money belt
and In II slowed the bulk OF his cap
ital. namely, three pound ten in gold.
distributing what remained OF sixteen
and twopence In his waistcoat peck.
cts; he slipped the German captain 3
revolver-that spolia oplma-into a
hack pocket, where IL nestled very
kindly--and. after an effort In arith,
metic, he Enclosed nine and sixpence
in an envelope addressed TO the chief
| steward in payment OF his beer and
| tobacco account for the voyage.
His method OF getting into shore
boat was mastery In its simplicity.
He went into the wheel engine-house,
waited his opportunity, and then
clapped a heavy spanner In between
the helical cogs OF the drive. The
sturdy little engines hiccoughed and
stopped, and the helm (Which was
hard over at the time) caused the
Norman Towers to make a most
alarming sheer across the fairway.
On the upper bridge the Point Lyn-
az pilot In panic rang his main en-
gines TO "full speed astern," and the
Norman Towers shivered and lurched
herself to q sudden standstill in the
middle OF lakslet Of muddy foam.
To her shot up a small open boat.
under lug-sail and lib, attracted by an
arm wave from the mate. The two
shabby men In her looked up keenly.
Mr.. Kettle, the mate. with a rope
in his hand, clapped his feet against
the ships side, and ran down It nimbly
to the boat. jumping on To her gum
vale exactly as she rounded up along
side.
You're nippy." said the shabby
man at the tiller as he shot the boat
into the wind
Il am. Now, away with you ashore,
my lad, and drop me at the nearest
telegraph Office"
I Got the price OF your passage on
your"
/ "You can put IT down TO the firm.
II guess it's for their benefit | hailed
YOU"
Seems to me there's trouble OH
board. The old junk don't steer.
There's the old man on the top deck
laying down the time o. day to the
pilot, and that bit OF skirt on the
poop's holdin' out beseechin' arms to
some one In this boat that ! don't
thinks me. Mister, by your leave,
I'm going to run alongside again to
see II the firm ashore will really -.
K. your bus fare TO that telegraph
once, or II there's some one who'll
give bit more to have you put back
ron board. Hi, mister, put that down. :
Mr.. Kettle, armed with stretcher.
was standing up In the boat. Said
he; IF either Of you two ducks don't
carry out my orders exactly as they're
given, I'll knock one or both OF you
overheard, and sail your rotten old
tub myself. Dye hear me?'
II suppose | do"
Say, sir when you're speaking to
an officer Dye know your course, or
! shall | set II for you?"
The GIBBS making pretty hard
stfTl, but It'll be slack water before
we're across humble - humble
$50 I'd better take you on to Foston.
sir"
why there II isn't the nearest =
Mr. Kettle noted that the man in
the bows looked surprised.
Its quickest, sir, with this wind
and tide. Isn't IL. Alfred?"
| And Alfred, from the bows. glibiy
perjured himself, and said they'd be
in at Foston telegraph ONCE an hour
earlier than they could reach any
other
Mr-Ksttic did not believe them but
| he let il rest at that. After all. his
| telegram which waR merely mes