Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-26
CHAPTER XIV (Continued).

hooded pinnacle and the other rowing
through the blackness ahead. and
without mental inconvenience, did
sums each minute as to direction and
distance run as Is the habit Of sailor
men, and incidentally kept an at
tentive ear for the talk and laughter in
the saloon below to make sure that his
owner Miss Chesterman, and the
saint were still merrily engaged In
their occupation of killing time. And
when ne reckoned he was within
hundred yards of the kherbs. and had
called to Mr. McTodd to ''whack her
up all he knew" he was conscious Of
an elaborate head and pair of come
ly shoulders protruding above the
head of the upper bridge ladder be-
hind him.
Captain" came voice, cts dark
and no one will see May I come up on
top here? know what's going on, and
don't feel as If | could stay below,
anyhow"
For the lords sake miss, go back
there! 'Tisn't safe for you up here
''It would be no worse for me than
1t will be for you. And it's miserable
down there in the dark, and alone.
Miserable"
But they may begin shooting and
all sorts Of things presently"
"Tt would be no worse for me than
it will be for you Miss Dubbs had
come up on the bridge by this, and
he heard her voice behind and slight
ly above him. The position was
desperate and one can hardly blame
him for what he did.
Go aft bit, and to starboard. No
the other-the starboard side; yes,
there. Now, see that boat on the
checks? Yes, that's it. Now. II you
want to stay on this deck you're to get
inside that. and keep your head under
the gunwale. and the Lord grant the
boats skin keeps out their gas-pipe
bullets, though I don't think it will"
The kherbs had heard the steam
er's coming by this time. as the re-
newed phosphorescence from their
oars showed very plainly. But they
strung out into line and gave them
selves over as her prey She had
worked up by this time to the full
eight knots of her speed, and Kettle
steered her into the rearmost kherb.
and drove over it, and then held on
for the next ahead. Those of the
lighters crew who were wise struck
out straightway for the shore. Those
who had more talent for fighting
leaped for the Wangroos low rail as
they stamped the wreck Of their own
craft under water, and hauled them
selves up, and we're met by frenzied
white men failing at them with iron
clubs, Whack, crash. crunch went the
y,jpc opA trrlo bo1iovora fell
back into paradise or the lagoon.
The Kangaroo scraped over the
ruins Of the first kherb, crunched
through the second, and Of her own
accord put in her celebrated sheer to
starboard and bagged the third. But
she was a slow little tub when all
was said and done, and, anyway, she
was not built for ram, and the I'M
pacts had shaken her a good deal, and
knocked off her pace and upset her
steering, and kherb number four. fur.
iously rowed, managed to beach Itself
and emit it's crew intact.
But still don't call that bad" said
a quiet voice from behind. and Captain
Kettle rang of his engines and turned
round to gaze on lighted cigar and
the face of Sidi Mohammed Bergash.
Get down off my bridget"
The little sailor yapped out the
words with venomous precision, and
| then turned to the two other figures
behind. "As to you, sir. you may be
my owner, but of your own free WILL
Iheard you offer to serve under my
command, and I'm ashamed OF your
lack of discipline. As to your place,
miss, I make no suggestion, but II
you've heard all the language that's
been flying about on this bridge during
the last ten minutes, and liked 1t, I'm
sorry for your taste, that's all
II apologize, skipper" said Sill
George.
Every good, sir. Make it SO. Take
that native gentleman with the Eng
lish accent down below, and keep him
there till I come. And If he doesn't
! want to 20. tell the bo's'n to put him
| in irons. BY James, I'm going to
have discipline on this ship, or III
know the reason why!'
| When these had left the upper deck
out of sheer delight in his own skill
in seamanship Q'm afraid also through
knowledge that. Miss Dubbs was q
spectator in the life boat behind him)
| Kettle swung the steamer round and
plotting a course through the unre
lieved dark. made back for the spot
whence he had started.
He returned as he had come, full
| steam ahead, and only slowed up to
bring the steamers forefoot to stand
still on the anchor bouy. .....
: "Well, of all the beastly gallery
tricks I ever saw" sneered Mr.. Treth.
ewy the mate, on the forecastle head
as he oversaw the picking up Of the
buoy. ~a .t... ;.
| "But don't you wish you could do II
Yourself. my SON." hiccoughed Mr.
McTodd from under the break of the
forecastle. painting deck houses IL
about all you're good at. don't trust
/ Won to make fast a mooring rope I'M
less I oversee it myself aftcrward to
make sure you haven't slippery
hitch My young friend, I tell We that
1.-THE officers and crew Of this packet
are a great source of anxiety to the
old man and myself, and II anybody
| dislikes that statement I'm free to