The Detroit times., 1912-11-20
h The Marriage Of H,
H. H. Captain Kettle -
lE&H A ROMANCE OF THE SEA. >tM
mAA4 By
llAA Copyrigh The Nferil A146eZ1
Copyright 1912. The Bobbs-Merrin Company

In charge. | may De gone up 10 three
days. Hang on here till then. and
II we don't turn up. send in another
boat wellarmed. It's just possible
We may get split in the surf or stove
on a reef. and need fetching or. Miss
Chesterman and Sir George. wisn
you good evening With luck. hope
70 be back on board here again before
breakfast"
A naked rope dangling down the
Wangaroo's sleek black side MAS the
only highroad to the boat, and MI.
Kettle went down It nimgly hand over
hand walking with his feet against
the ships plating From bow and
stern the guess warp was dropped,
and boatlooks thrust the boat out
from the ships side oars rose and
fell into the water and settled COM
fortably between their thole-pins:
and at give way the oars bit the
surface as one machine, and the boat
gathered way.
Good luck, shouted Sir George
from the rail. and Miss Chestermar,
with moist eyes, waved an atom OF
handkerchief and the black retriever
swung a thoughtful tail Captain Ket-
tie waved in return, and then his
/
over two or three OF the round cabin
portfolios. Apparently he saw what
he sought for there, for he waved
Eagain, and lifting his nose fancied he
scented In the air the faint trace OF
the Transplant which Miss Dubhs ar
fected FOR her toilet.
The watchers followed the surf
boat with their eyes till night snap
ped down with tropical suddenness;
and as at the same time the steam
er's lights were klndled, and dazzled
the eve. the boat vanished into the
gloom which had come down TO cover
the sea.
Violet Chesterman shivered. Il be
lieve I'm afraid" she said Anyway,
it's quite a new feeling. and cant
think what else il can be-.
Then you ought TO be rather pleas
ed" was the brotherly retort, "as
suppose you mean it's a new and
therefore pleasurable sensation for
you. In the rleanwhile, IL you're
thinking OF yourself, I've reason to
believe that the ship is being efficient
| ly looked after by what's his name
oh, yes, TretheTy, the mate. | cant
imagine your fears are on behalf OF
our excellent skipper He strikes me
as man one couldn't get killed how
ever much one tried So come along
down 10 dinner. That unfortunate
steward has been banging that tin
pan he calls a gong this half-hour
back. Look here. Violet, I'll bet you
a pair OF gloves that as Kettles out
OF the way that Scotch engineer takes
us under his kind patronage. and that
his own Official chief looks blue muir
der at him but under the baleful
glance of your DISTINGUISHED eye eats
his victuais in respectful silence"
"Poohl" said Miss Chesterman.
you don't provide yourself with
gloves at my expense by obvious
tricks like that. Kindly remember I
had the advantage OF being introduced
10 Mr.. McTodd's little ways long be-
fore you had the felicity OF his ac-
quaintance."
Hut Mr. McTodd as II happened.
was not In the saloon when the pair
sat themselves down TO table. He
was in the alleyway outside the
stewards pantry commenting TO
Miss Dubbs on the pleasantness OF
the night, the real smoothness OF the
sea Tin spite OF the deceptive look or
heavy swelD and the general desir-
ableness OF boat trips.
4 "A junk like this" said Mr.. Nc
Todd, unless very efficiently looked
after I'm the engine-room, always
strikes me as here and there unsafe.
But for real security give me a sound,
diagonal, teak-built surfboat, with
just enough leak In her seams TO keep
her sweet. You can't sink craft like
that. You may even fling her ashore
II you like, and with bit OF strength
you can get her of again. equal TO
new. And with biscuit. and fair
wind, and a small key OF whisky you
can go round the world In her. Weel,
! ! was going into supper-dinner
should say--but I've lost my appetite.
I've been packing glands all day. and
! the smells injurious TO the mucous
membrane. I'D take II as kind II
you'd join me In pasear along the
lower deck
The trade-wind freshened till II
blew gale and the little kangaroo,
a small speck in that great turmoil
OF water with her engines slowed
down till they just held her in posi-
ton, rolled, and bucked, and plunged,
and pitched, till more than one expert
thought that she would heave her
masts overheard. Everything on
board OF her, from Goals and shovels,
10 dinner plates and hair-b brushes,
kept its own separate noisy dance,
and even the most hardened OF her
human complement was nauseated
with her dizzy lunglng
"A man." said Mr. McTodd. as he
placed thermometric fingers on the
thrust-block bearings 10 make sure
that tho racing propeller shaft was
not heating them unduly, "a man
/ would need the bowels OF sea-gull
70 stand this sort OF merry round
unmoyed. ! wish one OF those poets
1 who blether about the cradle OF the
deep would come below here and try
the effect OF being rocked In the Grad
le OF this three-by-flve shaft tunnel"
Those that go down 20 the sea I'm
steamships" said the chief engineer.
see the wonders OF the deep. Nc.
Todd, III trouble you 10 come out 10
mat rabbit run, and give me a nand
with this condenser. She's coughing
like sick Hindu again. and expect
the mated have III IL / told him we
were within an inch OF a breakdown
any minute, and he'd better make hfH
preparations TO heave 10 under sail.
BE careful. man, now I'd hate TO
have YOU inconvenience mo bv got