The Detroit times., 1912-11-07

/ / Il NJ + s: / II u X > ID A
then while The words were being ~
tered
let me see Did | have my
morning."
Yes. sir"
HIM. perhaps better not have a
second before dinner. wish that In
fernal chief engineer would get an eA'
pert TO wrestle with his soul ashore.
instead OF bringing such useless dun
mage as an out-o'repair soul TO sea-
the blooming crazy nuisance. ! ought
20 have sent him TO hospital az Vera
Cruz, bur IL would have meant lot
OF letter-writing. and cabling. and
signing a stack OF consular papers. !
hate signing papers; You never know
what they let YOU in for. Besides
you know what the firm is; II I'd got
rid OF Little as likely as not they'd
have saddled me with one of those
newfangled chiefs who'd want TO 80
shares in my legitimate profits. You
take IL from me Mr. Kettle. me man.
they're swlne-these new technical
school engineers.
Yes, sir
"a don't like TO send for him, but
| suppose Id better hear what he has
10 say. Could you-er-just get him
into the chart house here, Mr. ket-
tle?"
Yes. sir | understand quite In
formally Better not send message
III 20 for him myself"
That's the idea. Mr.. Kettle. me
man, and bring him back yourself
and then stand by while We talk
Aye. aye sir.
the mate walked bTtskty OUT amt
made for the two white-faced juniors
who were standing at the engne-room
door.
The chiefs in his room. said one
OF them
My God. Kettle, he means death
for every man on board" said the
other.
oh, don't worry your small heads
about that said the mate confident
ly. The old mans quite competent
TO attend 10 Mr., Little and the ship,
too"
The chief engineers room was just
inside the door, and stood at the head
OF the ladder which led to the depths
OF the engineroom below. and at this
moment the man himself appeared
He was stark naked, his face drawn
and white. his body thin as an lnuian
fakirs, He had a cooks broad meat
ak IN his hand. and his lips w>~
drawn back from his teeth like thosc
of a snarling dog
The mate delivered his message a.
though such a get-up was the most
ordinary uniform OF shipboard life.
Captain Farnish sends his compl-
ments. sir, and would be glad 10 see
you in the chart house"
Stand out OF my path
AT once, sir, he said"
Stand aside"
Perhaps, If you're not feeling very
well this morning, sir, you would al
low me take your arm"
The mailman rushed and made a
vicious slash with his ak Kettle
lodged, and the blow skinned his
sleeve. Then, with the lightning
quickness OF a man who had been
used all his life 10 rough and tumble
lighting, he jumped for the engineer
and tried 70 trip A4Hl TO the deck But
he could get no hold. Mr. Little had
rubbed himself from head to foot with
oil till he was as slippery as an eel,
and. moreover he had all OF a mad
mans strength. Kettle found himself
slimed from top to toe. and flung
violently against the iron side OF the
house, and Little raced away forward,
ak In hand.
For Gods sake let him CO. said
the second engineer. and let's hope
he jumps overheard. He's as good
as murdered the whole lot OF US
What do you mean? Has he put
dynamite in your coffee-mill down.
there or something? Here you. both
OF you, II there's anything wrong with
the engines, get below at once and
put it straight"
But the engineers did not move
ITS worse than that" said the
spokesman gloomily Hes done us
In the eye over the coal He made Us
believe there were two more bunkers
full, easily enough for the run home
TO Liverpool and like id fools we
believed him You see. We only join
ed at Vera Cruz. He'd run all his
engineers and stoke-hold crew out OF
the ship, because--well because"
"Oh, get a move on you"
We'll. there isn't half a ton OF coai
left on the boat and we're in the
loneliest part OF all the lonely seas.
and here guess we'll stay till we rot
There isn't one chance in ten thou
sand OF any steamer turning up that
could tow us into port or even take us
on. Ny God look at tha.
hubby yellow weed over the side
there"