The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-11-08

| only be classed as desperate. but
can merely repor. Er Kettle as
found him.
The mates choice OF crew for the
life-boat was also TYPICAL OF the man.
Skill would be needed for the trip,
strength. endurance, and above all
Things, obedience. And yet Mr..
Kettle, knowing to the full the weak
ness OF every member OF the Norman
Towers complement. deliberately
picked as his associates the five worst
men on board. lie even Included
among them the black who only that
morning had tried to knife him.
| could never extract from Kettle
the reason for his selection, and so
can only surmise. Two theories oc.
cur to me. Perhaps he took away
those particular rapscallions with him
In the boat so that there should be
no chance OF their annoying pour
weak. old Farnish on the Norman
Towers. Perhaps he took them TO en-
joy the risk and luxury of tanning
them at close quarters. Indeed. both
considera lions must have weighed
with him. But | believe 1t was the
last that swayed him most. He was
always man with a singular taste
for what he called trouble"
When the life-boat was ready, Mr..
Kettle looked up at the row of wor-
ried faces that stared down at him
from the steamers rail- gave a curt
wave, and ordered his men to shove
off.
And now" said he, do any OF you
farmers know how to sail boat?'
Ii appeared that none OF them did.
They were steamer sailors all OF
hem, able TO drive winch, paint and
lean paint, take wheel. or rig a
derrick
Well said the mate with an un-
kind grin, "rll teach you, and when
you next step ashore If ever you get
there, you'll be smart enough fore
and-afters TO sail as deck-hands In an
American cup race. But dead or
alive. you've just one use at present
and that's as ballast. Pile yourselves
up to windward.''
They did 1t sullenly.
You with the bald head there,
smile. Dye hear me, you son of
can-opener? Smile, or by James, III
knock your yellow teeth down your
throat Don you dare to throw back
looks at me. Now well just call
watches. I'm captain, and I'll take
the port. jenkins, as you've the only
clean face at your end OF the boat. III
appoint you chief officer, and you take
the starboard watch. Let me see, I'll
give q tett- tfAe- PHteAmanr and Badly
here, with the winning smile. and
that leaves me Olsen and the Sene-
gambian, who still thinks he's going
TO get that pig-knife OF his into my
ribs before we're through with this
boat trip. Well. Mr. Jenkins, as we're
shipping good deal OF water you can
set your starbowlines to bail, and the
port watch can shake out reef She'll
carry bit more canvas, IL she's hui
mored, and times the essence OF the
contract just now IL we're to save the
Towers"
Rapidly behind them the disabled
steamer dipped out OF sight below tne
sierra OF the horizon, and presently
they had the heaving circus OF ocean
to themselves. Great orange-yellow
islets Of the Sargasso weed sprawled
here and there over the rich blue or
the water, and these, when possible,
they avoided; iridescent flXng-fish
scattered along beside them and be-
fore their bows; and astern brace of
sea-fowl that had detached themselves
from the steamers convoy. kept ac-
curate station. The blackguardly
crew found something vaguely dis
o.ieting in the presence of these
birds, and at first observed their COM
ms with gloomy silence. and then
with articulate grumblings.
Not here for nothing. them birds,
said Baldhead. They know a thing
or two. 1t isn't for galley scraps
they're following this boat"
"Dey say dose gulls is de ghosts or