The Detroit times., 1912-11-09
CHAPTER ~.
(COntinued)

though II had been put to IL, could
have handled the whole outfit without
straining myself.
The others heard anu their courage
oozed; and when il came to the point
they put as a request what they had
intended 70 dish up as command.
They were hungry. thirsty, miser-
able; the Sargasso was a desert; they
were one and all covered with salt
water boils; provisions and water
were all gone; and presently they
would all die, and the boat would blow
about on that unkind sea, a water
logged derelicI- full - of corpses.- II
they ran for the nearest land, which
would offer food, drink, shelter
warmth, they might yet escape with
bare life. But II must be now. with
out a moments delay now
now.
Baldhead was the speaker. He was
quite a young man, with hne emo
tional touch to his oratory.
Really fnished?' the mate inquired
when he had talked himself to a
standstill.
Yes. sir. that is what We have TO
say"
And you said 1t very we'll | wish
I'd brought along the accordion.
should like to set that tale to music
and hear you sing it-you son OF a
play-actress. You're overfed and un.
derworked, that's what's the matter
with you. You're spelling for the
want of a job, and, by James, I'm the
man to give you one! This boat wants
smartening up. So to begin with, you
take your knife and scrape spars. The
Senegambian, who has also a knife
which he's aching TO use, will help
you. Now jump, you sweep, OF, by
the living James. I'll knock more
stars out OF you with the tiller than
ever were stuck up in the sky"
They jumped. The others, unbid-
den. set about coiling ropes and clean
ing the floor boards OF unconsidered
trifes of litter, and Mr.. Kettle, the
mate, watched proceedings with an
acid smile.
The men were all hollow-eyed and,
with the exception of Baldhead, shag-
gy- beyond belief. The hair OF the
rest mad grown te-an- incredible
length. Their boards bristled un-
couthly Their cheeks were streaked
salt-white in the wrinkles. Their
clothes, shabby and darned and rot
ten to start with, were shrunk and
sea-bleached and moreover torn to
no heart among them for patching and
mending on that desperate boat voy-
age.
!, Even Mr. Kettle, the usually immac.
ulate mate, was little better than the
others. The blue serge OF his uniform
was SO impregnated with salt that no
hand brushing would unbleach 1t; the
brass buttons and gold lace were tar
nished TO dingy green; pocket was
torn and dang1ed Imply; and IN more
places than one, threads had rotted
and the seams gaped. But worst of
all were his cheeks and chin. These
II had been his pride to have "a day
below" He had brought razor with
him In the boat, wrapped in an oiled
rag to shelter 1t from rust. But the
securing the seas had been too much
for the flimsy safeguard. The boat
was sodden with sea water for days
together, and the blade succumbed TO
the brine. It's surface discolored; its
edge grew capped, till to use 1t meant
CORY torment; and finally II refused
even the semblance of duty. Mr..
Kettle cursed and flung II yavagely
into pursuing wave crest And
thereafter red bristles sprouted over
his haggard face, and he loathed the
sight Of himself whenever he used the
inside OF his watchcase as mirror
when he combed his hair.
Baldhead at these moments Of the
toilet, felt that he got little OF his
own back. He would rub his smooth
cheeks and chin, and smile thought
fully at the horizon; and although the
mate was quick TO resent his inso-
lence in practical shape. Baldhead al
ways licked his salt-cracked lips APP
round for his little play.
Luck, in the way OF picking up a
steamboat, was certainly hard with
them; but luck decidedly came to
their aid more than once when starva-
ton seemed certain. | have men
toned the full meal they mad on the
big bonitos. Another day the impos-
sible happened, and their two atten-
dant sea-fowl altered course too sud
denly, steered into one another, and
dropped, disabled. into the water.
Their bodies were eaten down To the
last fiber, and the starving men cursed
a mean heaven that had left the bones
hollow instead OF packing them with
marrow.
But the great windfall was crate
OF bananas, washed overheard from
some fruit boats deckload. They were
big, coarse. West Indian bananas, but
to the starved palates they were ann
-brosfa- h--iftett- -six-apIeee- Ton
the first meal. and felt that any hard
ships were worth going through to
know bliss like that.
IL was at the next midday, while
jenkins sailed the boat and the mate
was standing up with his sextant in
the stern-sheets, that they saw a
steamers smoke over the saucer-rim
OF the horizon.
Presently they were able to make
out the trucks OF her masts, and
thereafter they rose her rapidly. They
were right in her track. Here was res.
cue at last
The ragged crew In their Joy stood
up and danced, but Mr. KetU6S the
mate, had fine sense OF discipline
When he wanted baboon tricks he
would let them know. In the mean
while he wished them to carry on duty
as before And send aft the Sene
gambian," said he.