Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-04-25

He forgot his English, and muttered
broken sentences in his mother
tongue. Then he snarled like a wild
beast at the two, and uttered fierc-
er menace, lurched toward them with
his thin hands appraised like enormous
claws.
The mate raised his rifle few
inches and fired The lean figure
crampled and slid to the floor.
The others of the foremost 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.
"Capn, we're all goin' to die, an
we know 1t. 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 wire goin'.
we may as well have one good feed
fore we CO."
There was burst of savagely as
senting voices following this speech,
and the other Threats 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 II 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 APP
pearance of being human.
1t was the barking Of dogs and
shouts and cries which disentangled
this hunger-crazed lot of men. Hear
ing this, they were stilled. Even the
muttering-mad ceased to mouth innr.
ticulate sounds. The captain and the
mate heard and they were the first
10 their teetsA ..-.--s,A- So
ITS Cockney and HALL" some
hoarse voice announced feebly.
Then the hubbub of muttering be
gan again, though in wilder, differ.
emit 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 oveI
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 al
the Gee pole was Cockney. His sight
less eyes stared ahead and his frozeI
lips were making an effort to form
words. He remained where the dog
had stopped the sled. His mind hat
gone long before, and he knew no
that he had reached the ship. TIL,
muscles long worn out, could no
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 tn
journey. Another dog shifted a
the halt was made Only one remain
ed with his head up. That was tn
t leader, who had followed the trai
: without guiding hand.
) How the captain and the mate an
| the others got Cockney and the mea
. over the side of the boat they wer
t too frenzied to be able to remembe
: afterward,
g Three days later Cockney cam
slowly to life in the captains cabil
i. AS his eyes opened he muttered for
moment. Four words were repeate
J. several times, vaguely, while his fac
d lapsed into cruel strain. ....
}. 81 must do it, ] must do it,"
d Whisky was forced between I'll
J. darkened lips when the signs of r
turning life became evident. The ca
e tain and the mate had watched besiC
the bunk since they recovered the
!. strength.
v These three men spoke no word
q one another. What was in the hear
of all each man knew, But the ca
e. tain. strong as he was Of heart al
Ie used to perils and death, could n
" check the tears when he uncover,
Cockney's feet and found them blac
ID He turned and walked away. TT
Is mate. too, turned, filled with unco
n trollable emotion. Cockney read 1t
ia their faces and the numbness told hi
q. how far they we're frozen.
he But he smiled family and VIII
e. pered:
at well, I'm glad I'm Twin anywa.
IN The captain took the chlorofol
u. from the medicine chest. The ma
administered it while the captain p
a pared his crude instruments.
II. Though deep under the influence
err the drug, Cockney screamed when I
A meat.saW 1.-THE only thing ayailabI