The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-01-11
O esessssesssseesss


told me-" warned Captain Barnabas
Fish as he skillfully mended a net on
the silver sands Of Ounce harbor;
therefore, ma'am, I'm not responsible
for its veracity."
"Neyer mind" assured him eagerly.
"Of course | know they can't be true
Nevertheless they are interesting II one
can separate the truth from the nc
ton"
"Miss Telham." said the captain.
turning his twinkling eye upon me-
"6ction amt no word to use In connec-
ton with my old messmate Ananias
Slime. He's Just plain and simple
liar, but every once In awhile. ike
most liars. he swings the pendulum SO
far to leeward that back she comes
and runs afoul of the truth. AT sucn
times Ananias gets into heaps OF trou-
BILE.
"Now, the story have In mind is
about the time Ananias got into trou
bile with the rajah Of Raddabah, out
In India. You wouldn't think the mate
of n peaceful trading ship like the old
Indus was would be mixing In such
high society as Indian princes, but
when Ananias got started on an ad'
venture there was no knowing where
he'd stop-not at princes anyway
Likely It would have to be kings OF
queens or big bugs of some extra high
standing.
"Well. we had left Calcutta and was
running along down the coast with the
Jaipur hills In the background when
Ananias came aft and told me that the
water butts had sprung a leak and
that we would have to put ashore and
get another supply Of water.
81 won't go into the details OF no"
this happened, ma'am, for it was al
most unseamanlike. and 1t had never
happened to me before. Our ships
carpenter repaired the damages, and
all we had to do was to tie up at the
right place and try and find some pure
water. and In India, ma'am, that's NJ
easy matter.
"At last we came to a fair sized vii
lage where the natives didn't seem any
more than naturally curious at sight
of us. and Ananias went ashore with
some men to have powwow with the
headman.
".How could you talk to that head
man. AnaniasY | asked him. i didn't
know you could speak Hindustani.'
~ don't wear all my accomplish
ments on my sleeves. skipper he says
excitedly.
"'S'pose you talk q little Hindustanl
to me- baited him.
Then Ananias ratified or a lot OF
queer gibberish that sounded as II he
had swallowed all his teeth and was
laughing about 1t. You saveeT he
ended up Just like Chinee laundry
man.
AZ understand says to him grim
ly. Il understand from what you say
Ananias Slime. that you're throwing
me game of bluff about talking to the
headman. He looks too intelligent to
converse in any langwitch like that
Whatever he told you about the water
you 20 and do 1t. can stand anything
except water from the Ganges. II
you're going through the jungle you
better take guns
"Ananias didn't say a word, but he
and the men he picked out hustled
around and got the water casks and
provisions and some guns and ammu
milton, and away they went In the bull
lock cart. with the headman OF the vii
lage flashing long whip and yelling
at the bullocks In langwitch tina,
didn't sound like the one Ananias made
up.
at was the next morning before
Ananias and his party came back. and
they were hurrying some. mann. | car
tell you. Ananias was In the. lead
running for bis life. and behind him
came his four seamen. and back OF
them were three Of the tallest. longes
legged Hindus ever set eyes upon
and I've seen a sight Of 'em in my
day.
II had a boat at the jetty to NEE
'em. but I declare II the three Hindu:
didn't get there at the same time, and
all tumbled In with our men. and 81
they were all brought aboard anf
came before me.
".What's all thlsr demanded o.
Ananias.
|
am explain. skipper, If you'll sent
my men below for bite to eat and {
little rest he says slyly. And 80
sent the four seamen below. and tina
left Ananias standing there. looking
scared and mad at the same time
while the three Hindus stood just be
hind him. staring sadly at me.
Explain. them l snapped out.
"Ananias took a chew Of tobacco AND
folded his arms. 1T happened THU
way, skipper he began. And tl,en h
launched out in a wonderful tale o.
how they had reached the shore Of thu
lake where the rajah's palace was sit
uated when the rajah was taking hil
pleasure In boat on the lake.
EFT seems he. didn't understand thu
dialect that Ananias used. OF cours'
Ananias told me be had a personal in
terview with the big man, and he or
dered Ananias to be brought befor
him the next morning for examination
So that night the men from the Indu
camped on the shore Of the lake. ant