Evening star., 1912-07-14
UR Host the Skipper cranked 'er again.

UR Host the Skipper cranked 'er again
IN 1t was the seven hundred and thirty
=yAXE seventh time he had cranked 'er
G3X%~0 We had kept tab. Keeping tab of
o1I@NM1[u the number of times he fruitlessly
TASS6AN cranked 'er, and asking him at fire.
IR2S&A quent intervals what was the matter,
SWI76S&NN was our sole contribution to the pro-
MSGM ceedings. We considered that that
W9GfW much was expected of u.s. and we did
WADW it. We lounged on the motorboats
NV soft leather cushions, far away
~ DI<1 O. from him could, so as not to
~ - give him the slightest ground for the
suspicion that interfering
Q19 with him while he smeared his hands
and face and his nice white panta-
looms with grease; and watching him vaguely, aOoy
we smoked with keen, rumnative enjoyment.
And so he cranked er for the seven hundred and
thirty-seventh time Nothing happened, except that
the motor remarked "Er-oof" in dry siblant, weary
sort of way and then resumed its nap.
Our Host the Skipper stood up as straight as he
could after having been bending the crankng er
up wheel for three-quarters of an hour. We noticed
that he creaked quite noticeably as he to the
nearly upright position. There was woe, and other
things in his broodng gaze He wiped his oily hands
pnstpe in it, and glanced desparngy far the
lake at the boahouse of his camp, nesting snugy but
remotely at the foot of the timbered hill.
But he carefully avoided looking at any of u.s. His
manifest purpose convey the impression that he
didn't know alive much less board his
motorboat at his express urgent invitation Seeing
which, natural impulse was to feel hurt or some
thing. And clearing our hroats in unison we asked
him with one voice:
"Whats the mattero'
He turned pair of cloudy wounded-doe eyes upon
"Aw shut-tupp! he broke out hoarsely peevlshy,
rudely, just like that
1t shocking. We almost panied. He
our host too, you know-don't forget that. And
hadn't been eager to ride in his old motorboat Git
really new motorboat: but they all act old) He
had begged to ride in it. he had in fact, made ride
in it. And here he forgetting the social amenities,
treating in that rough, contumellous manner just
because when he cranked er up the hundred and
thirtyseventh time the motor merely whispered "Er-
oof!' and then turned and went to sleep again.
1t intoerabe thus to be treated by Host and
Skipper. And so, after smoking for little while in
silence exhibited resentment by inquirng of him
in unison:
"But what is the matter?'
This is Sunday magazine Therefore, shall not
set down his reply. | wouldn't set it down in
weekday publication But it had to do with burning
marls. None of remembered ever having any
burning nlarS. But he couldn't fool we knew,
general kind of way, what burning marls meant We
glad out in the middle of lake. The mid
die of lake. considered, just about the place
for that kind of talk.
And so, by mutual tacit impulse, decided to ig-
him until he should return to realizing of
his double responsibilities Host and Skipper We
proceeded to with another olng there
the soft cushions, he had not been present at all;
taking pains whatever, however, to btanisSrno
tones that he couldn't hear what said On
the contrary, think employed the fOrtsSim0 with
the deliberate purpose of making him hear what
said.
"D'y'ever notice that these New Workers are all
crazy the Western Man inquired of (Our Host
and Skipper New Yorker) They're so nutty
that the squirrels chase EN- They're SO dippy in the
dome that it's wonder they don't fall in and demolish
'emseveS every time they try to put hat. Dyou
notice thato'
@Ahm constrained tub reply observed the Southern