The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-05-31
ENDING OF SEA FEUD
BY J. c. PLuMMER.

sailors who held him. Mr.. Buck, the
lean, sinewy mate, had his arms m-
terlaced about Nicolas waist, utterly
| unmindul of the cruel looking stiletto
shaking in the powerful Italians hand.
Captain Newton advanced to the
main hatch, his long, patriarchal beard
falling to his waistband.
"stop it, gall darn ye, stop H." he
Numbered. TN short handed now,
| and l won't have any man killing on
this here hooker Batten down your
feelin's, you two fellers, till you get to
Rio Grande, and then you can chop
each other into bits and devil take
what's left, but there's to be no chop
pin on the Apollo
The two sailors released Bradd, who
recommended the work he had stopped
to fight Nicola, and the Italian, find
ing himself free from the mates hold,
walked digniaedly forward and went
below. The crisis had been passed.
temporarily at least.
What begun the feua between the
men no one knew. It existed when
they shipped in New York and they
had spat hate at each ether during the
voyage, but this was the first time
an actual collision had been threat
ened.
tits only put off," remarked old
Ned, oracularly; seblood'll fly yet-''
There were several days OF bright
sunshine, calm sea and eloudlesg sky,
and on one of these mornings the
mate ordered Nicola to some duty ON
the fore-topgal1ant yard. The Italian
Topped a line about his neck and grip
ping q marline spike In his teeth
climbed the weather rigging. just
as he swung himself over the top he
lost his hold and fell like o plummes
into the sea.
Man overheard yelled o'Neills
who was. at the wheel, and he flung a
life buoy over the rail.
The skipper was on deck in one
jump.
'.Heave her to-" he shouted.
Braces" came sharp and curt from
the mate, and the men hurried to
obey, casting glances aft.
Hes a goner," exclaimed Mr.. Buck.
mo, there he u.s." said sharp-eyed
o'Neil1, pointing over the lee quar-
ter, and there, sure enough, was a
black speck, the head Of Nicola. He
was swimming, but slowly and labori-
ously.
The brig had been brought to and
the boat ready when cry came from
the poop.
Hi, hi! Shark, see him !"
Abeam was the trian gular fin OF q
shark cutting the water BIS Il made Q
straight course for Nicola.
ssIt's all up mustsred the mates
nothing can save him now"
There was e. splash, and to cur as.
constituent Bradd had leaped over
board and was swimming ferceIy. He
lay a course which must bring him
between the shark and Nicola.
Having laid right angled course
Bradd gained On the shark, which was
swimming in straight line for the
italian and was cables length
ahead OF the fish when he reached a
line with the slowly swimming Nicola,
and then he seemed seized with con-
WILSON'S. He splashed the water with
his hands and legs, reminding one OF
the actions Of . duck which has
reached a pond after long, dry land
Journey. His motions were SO violent
that the sea frothed about him, and
the shark was evidently as surprised
at these eyolutions as was the crew of
the Apollo. Obviously they were not
to his taste, for he darted off In an
opposite direction. By this time the
boat had been lowered and in a half
hour both men were aboard the brig.
ST didn't think you were that big a
fool to risk your lie for a dago who's
hungry to put a knife In YOU" rs
marked Ned. reproachfully.
ssRisk!" exclaimed Bradds there
wasn't any. II you'd been in the In
dian ocean you'd know the shark is
the biggest coward that swims and
any man can scare 'em Off who makes
q big splutter In the water, and then
I hate the bloody things and I'll balk
'em of meal any day"
Not a word had Nicola spoken to
anyone since he had been brought on
board, but now he came out Of the
forecastle and approached Bradd. He
held out to him the stiletto with the
hilt toward his enemy.
Keep your bloomin' knife said
Bradd, and the broad, freckled face
broke into smile.
In that most monotonous and very
dirty Brazilian town, Rio Grande, do
Sui, two very drunken men walked
arm and arm down towards the quay.
One sang a coster song in a deep bass
and the other In a screeohy tenor a
barcarole. They were Bradd and
Nicola, and the sea feud was at an
end.
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