The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-14
CHAPTER vi.
tCOntinuedD

Again, my old son, you underyalue
). my skill Permit me to remind you
that once In my shady past | was a
doctor Tor 10 be more precise, an un.
qualified medical student), that being,
OF course. In the days before you and
| met as comedians Gas | think we
called ourselvesl on the music-hall
stage, which was before the period
when we found II convenient to go
foreign In a stoke-hold, which again
), was before We started picking up a
livelihood In this present boat on the
Mersey estuary"
"Oh, do get on. and don't drivel."
"As a relic OF one of my earlier
professions I invariably carry a hypo-
dermic syringe. and small but care
fully selected collection of drugs
] wo tubes In the waistcoat pocket
ycontain all the lot. II always jars my
nerves to read the rot that ignorant
nOvellsts churn out about doping an
unwilling hand by putting laudanum
In his beer, when probably the beg
gar has a distaste for beer, and
wouldn't drink II at your hands, any
way. Now a little jab from hypo-
dermic needle, and your patient gets
! mis- dose whether he likes II or not;
thinks probably that you have lurch-
ed up against him by accident, and
scratched him with a pin In your
wGistcoat; and, according to how that
little dose Is made up. he promptly
proceeds to go on TO sleep for n given
period. or, II you so regulate 1t. he
sleeps on TO the end of time. It's
neat. It's scientific, and II leaves no
laundering traces for the fools OF po-
Ice to read from the outside, or fok
an interfering analyst to deduce from
the contents OF the gentleman's tum-
my"
You are a devil"
"I'll admit II you like, old son, that
I'm a distinct danger to society at
present. But IL society would COM
bine together to provide me with
thousand a year-and see didn't
overspend it-why, I'd be an ornament
10 the British Isles. an unobtrusive,
club-attending, well-dressed ornament,
with strong views about the criminal
breeding prize fox terriers. Don't try
and splice that halyard. Knot II. and
turn II end for end"
The shabby man in the bows lifted
the PROSTATE Mr.. Kettle 70 an easier
position. Hes as limp as a bit OF
chewed string believe you've killed
him. Oh, lord. Arthur, what shall we
do next"
Make sure our passenger doesn't
come to life again with unpleasant
sEddenness He's a bit too limp for
M taste. Here, I'll just give him
pinch Of soothing syrup.
Ha. told you So Catch hold OF him
from behind. Hit him over the head
with the boat-hook. Well, hold him
like that II you like, then. till / get
this quieter jammed into bis thigh,
Phew, Alfred. old son, that
was a close call The mans all steel
springs with brass ends 70 them.
He'd got me nearly strangled before
bad him quieted on There'll be
nice quiet stoke-hold somewhere
while this little mans being taught
TO shovel coal"
Where are you going to put in
shore? II he's to be shipped, sup
pose LiverpooPs best
Il don't think. Liverpool, say you,
and by your own showing you're a
nervous man? There are more
toughs in Liverpool than in any other
seaport In the British Isles, and in
consequence every Liverpool bobby
has both eyes sticking about foot
out OF his head looking for them. No,
Alfred, I don't escort gentleman
with dropping head, who has temper
erlly lost the use Of his lower limbs
down Liverpool streets at something
pact midnight, although he is got up
In a uniform that hints he's sea-
faring man. Which reminds me the
aforesaid uniform is a heap too smart
for the poor chap to wake up In and
hnd himself In stinkin' stokers'
.o'c'sle. We must find him something
more suitable Can we draw on your
wardrobe. old SOM
IL wish you'd stop your rotting.
"Of course. I'd forgotten. You've
only the clothes you at present sit,
or. to be more accurate, sprawl In.
And I'm in the same box. or course
we did agree, come to think OF II,
thst The troup should travel light
this tour. Bit of a dandy, isn't he,
our friend. the juggins? I'd like to
change buds with him. but I'm afraid
his are bit too smart TO dress my
present part in; they'd call too much
attention from the eyes OF beauty,
and so on; and as further argument
they're about half a mile too small
for me-"
We'll, we can't invent clothes. We
shall have TO tear and dirty these he's
' wearing"
Not on your life. They. represent
meals for a week, or perhaps drink
for a night Old son, you mustn't get
into this way OF talking as III you
were millionaire. We shall be
ashore in another ten minutes now.
We'll leave his nibs here as boat
, keeper when we've tied her to the
wall. and II he's covered up with the
lugsail he'll lie snug and not attract
attention. and then we'll loot on TO
the Mason's Arms, have just one
Scotch apiece TO wet the luck-they
give you a big one for fourpence-