The Elbert County tribune., 1913-04-25
<assius Griffith
G ~ Ntoelr4y eo

Tongue. Inen he Snarled ike q WHO
beast at the two. and uttered fierc-
er menace, lurched toward them with
his thih hands upraised like enormous
claws.
The mate raised his rife a few
inches and fired. The lean figure
.crumpled and slid to the floor.
The others of the foremast hands
pulled themselves upright. For the
most part they were muttering. One
man began to speak. He paused aft
er every few words to regain his
strength.
"Cap'n. were all goin to die, an
we know it. Cockney's gone-he
amt comm back. We've watched two
weeks for him. He can't come back
alive. Give us one good feed and let
us die on full stomachs-if w're goin',
we may as well have one good feed
fore we 60"
There was burst of savagely as
! senting voices following this speech,
and the other throats took up the cry
of Give us the grub Give us the
grub"
The captain and the mate kept their
rifles pointed toward the starved
mob. But they swayed menacingly
forward. She savage strain crept
through them all like fire and those
in the rear stumbled heavily against
those of the inner circle and the crowd
lurched toward the couch. The captain
and the mate were covered by the
rolling bodies and the rifles were
swept from their hands.
The floor became a mass of arms
and legs and squirming bodies They
moved slowly and painfully as if their
owners were drunken. They were
without purpose. however, and SO
weak that little damage was done 1t
was an unreasoning. crazed, mutter-
ing pile of figures which had little ap-
pearance of being human.
1t was the barking of dogs and
shouts and cries which dsentangled
this hunger-crazed lot of men. Hear
ing this. they were stilled. Even the
muttering-mad ceased to mouth mar
ticulate sounds. The captain and the
mate heard and they were the first
to their feet
ITS Cockney and Hall.' some
hoarse voice announced feebly.
Then the hubbub of muttering be-
gan again. though in wilder, differ
ent strain. Barbaric laughs mingled
with frenzier cries. Every man crawl
ed. pulled. pushed or stumbled to-
ward the passage which led to the
deck
The captain and the mate. men of
stronger minds, had more control over
their emaciated bodies. They reached
the side and peered over. The sled
lay against the side of the vessel,
piled with the carcasses of the carl
bou. A great figure, frozen, was lash
ed on the pole. Standing motionless at
the Gee pole was Cockney. His sight
less eyes stared ahead and his frozen
lips were making an effort to form
words. He remained where the dogs
had stopped the sled. His mind had
gone long before. and he knew not
that he had reached the ship. The
muscles long worn out, could not
move another inch.
One dog lay dead in the traces.
His body had been dragged by the 9TH
ers over the last two miles of the
journey. Another dog shifted as
the halt was made. Only one remain
ed with his head up. That was the
leader. who had followed the trail
without guiding hand
How the captain and the mate and
the others got Cockney and the meat
over the side of the boat they were
too frenzied to be able to remember
afterward.
Three days later Cockney came
slowly to life in the captains cabin.
moment, Four words were repeated
several times, vaguely. while his face
lapsed into cruel strain.
Il must do itl / must do it,"
Whisky was forced between the
darkened lips when the signs of re-
turning life became evident The cap
tain and the mate had watched beside
the bunk since they recovered their
strength.
These three men spoke no word to
one another. What was in the hearts
OF all each man knew. But the cap
tain, strong as he was of heart and
used to perils and death, could not
check the tears when he uncovered
Cockney's feet and found them black.
He turned and walked away. The
mate, too, turned, filled with uncon-
trollable emotion. Cockney read 1t in
their faces and the numbness told him
how far they were frozen.
But he smiled family and whis-
pered:
We'll. I'm glad I'm livin' anyway"
The captain took the chloroform
from the medicine chest. The mate
administered it while the captain pre-
pared his crude instruments.
Though deep under the influence Of
the drug. Cockney screamed when the
meat-saw (the only thing available)