Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-11-28
TN MARRIAGE OF
2CAPLAINKETTlE@
II Rl477aDceMMe SCI
N CU1cu7YE HYN
CHAPTER I (Continued) .

CHAPTER (ContinuedD.
IT don't like to send for him, but
suppose I'd better hear what he has
to say. Could you--er-just get him
into the chart house here, Mr.. ket'
ltle?"
Eyes, sir, understand. Quite in.
formally. Better not send message
I'll 60 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 briskly out, and
made for the two white-faced juniors
who were standing at the engine-room
door.
1.-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 confidently
"The old mans quite competent to at
tend to 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 engine-room below, and at this
moment the man himself appeared
He was stark naked, his face drawn
and white, his body thin as an Indian
fakir's He had a cooks broad meat
AK in his hand, and his lips We're
drawn back from his teeth like those
of snarling dog. ...
The mate delivered his message as
though such get-up was the most
ordinary uniform of shipboard life.
Captain Farnish sends his compli'
ments, sir, and would be glad to 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
we'll 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 quick.
ness of man who had been used all
his life to rough and tumble fighting,
he jumped for the engineer and tried
to trip him to the deck. But he could
get no hold. Mr.. Little had rubbed
himself from head to foot with oil till
00 was DIS SllppSly do oA CIVIL g."
moreover, he had all of mailman
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 U.S."
What do you mean? Has he put
dynamite in your coffee-mill down
there or something? Here you, both
Of you, If there's anything wrong with
the engines, get below at once and put
it straight"
But the engineers did not move.
"It's worse than that" said the
spokesman gloomily "He's done US in
the eye over the coal. He made us be-
lieve there were two more bunkcrs
full, easily enough for the run home
to Liverpool, and like ID fools we
believed him. You see, We only Joined
at Vera Cruz. He'd run all his en-
gineers and stoke.hold crew out OF the
ship, because-well because
ooh, get move on YOU
well, there isn't half ton Of coal
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 lis
off. My God look at that
hubby yellow weed over the side
there"