Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-03

" COIlpldlu, ..
81 trust miss, that I shall always
have the strength to do what con-
slider right, whether it's to my own
or the reverse. must ask
you to excuse me for moment. I take
it that this man with the black eye
and the fat lip is the second engineer
that sent for, and I've got to hear his
report"
The Rheims second engineer had
come on deck with no inclination to
recognize the authority of the In
vader, and his Introductory sentences
were not those of urbanity. Mr.. Ket-
tie did not interrupt. He merely looked
at him, and by quick degrees civility
cozed into the mans discourse.
He spoke in technicalities of d smell
of heated iron, frenzied search. a
bearing that threatened to seize. Moth
ing but an instant stoppage Of the
main engines saved the Rhein from a
broken shaft. Some malefactor mad
done the thing. Search was made for
him. He was found. A court accord
ing to precedent) was assembled for
his trial, and evidence was taken
down at length in writing.
Instead Of getting your old coffee
mill mended up and running again" :
~ did as my chief ordered. He acted
according to routine"
'I see. Dutch routine. Well. Mr..
Ehrenbreitstein, what want to know
here and now is, how long is it going
to take you to get under way again?
You may clap on all the hands you
need or can USE"
II could not guarantee to have the
engines turning again In less than
twenty-four hours"
A voice from behind interrupted.
allowance, too, for the Dutchies. The
job would take even me good two
hours, and I'm a mechanic, with a flne
record in the Clydebank shops at my
tail" s.a.
The little sailor turned sharply and
looked upward. The upper part Of a
large grimy man projected through
the fiddley gratings above. He had a
tousled head. and cut over his left
eye which at intervals he mopped with
a handful of discolored cotton waste.
Are you McTodd?" .
"T was when I signed on But on ac-
count of sheer professional abeelity,
I've been promoted fourth engineer on
this junk, so yell kindly clap on the
mister when you address me-"
"Then it was you that tempered
with the engines?" asked the little
sailor sourly. r. SsNs. F
Just me. It. was a most unprofes-
sional think to do las I've no doubt
your tongue is itching to tell mel; hut
T had ma reasons" S#
eff you wish me to thank you Tor
saving my life do it, here and now"
Man, you may consairve your
breath and spare ma bushes. / take
it we're just sailor man that's paid
to be drowned. and not having at that
time the pleasure of your fascinating
acquaintance. I'm free to tell you
didn't care the value of bawbee
whether you sank or swan. When |
tempered with yon thrust ] did it to
oblige the daddy. She seemed anxious
to give you the chance Of treading a
dry deck" .,.... ,..t
Miss Chesterman was quick TO see
the antagonism that had sprouted up
between the two, and made skilful in
PREVENTION. 81 was going to ask if Cap
tain Kettle would come and have a
cup of tea with me, as know Mr.. Nc
Todd wishes to get on with his re-
pairs"
The little sailors red face deepened
in hue till it became almost purple.
Like most mates, he had held a mas
ter's certificate for long enough, but
this was the first time any one had
given him the title.
Mr.. McTodd from above winked a
shrewd eye. Miss" said he, you've
diplomacy, and the next time you find
yourself in vice consuIs office, you
may tell them I said so. It's fine
gift. But deal gently with the young
man Well, I'll go below to pour
oil into the wounds of yon
thrust. I.wish I'd the wine which
we're told the guild Samaritan also car
ried in his first-aid kit. It's vara ex-
hausting to work in the heat Of this
engine-room without lubricant. And
the mess rooms dry l hadn't been
promoted there three days from the
firemans fo'castle when supplies ran
oot." ...E
'If you will let me, will send the
cabin steward down with tray"
"Say no more, mem. I'll treasure
your memory"
Miss Chestermans cup Of tea de-
veloped itself into tidy meal, and
Kettle faced it with the appetite that
Is only grown after starvation in an
oper boat A table was brought out on
deck, and an abject steward waited on
hi, with twittering knees.
CHAPTER v.
The Dutchman Pays.
The Rhein ran briskly alongside the
Norman Towers, turned her engines
to full speed astern. and came to a
dead stop some twenty fathoms away.
It was very smartly done.
Mr. o. Kettle, from the upper bridge
Of the Rhein, looked across at his own
ship and frowned. Her side was rust.
streaked and shabby; her bottom,
when she heaved up to the long blue
swell OF the Sargasso sea, showed a
grass-green garden Of weed; her rig
ging and funnel stays were Ill set up;
and her decks were cluttered with I'M
tidy litter. A derrick boom which mad
jumped out OF it's chock traversed
about the fore-deck as she rolled, and
scored bright arc on the iron plating
u 3 L