East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-09-25

-Four hours later the soft voice of
the call boy awakened o'Keefe. The
forecastle was filled with the pro-
testing growls of suddenly aroused
men. With grunt o 'Keefe composed
himself again to sleep. The mid.watch
was being called; it was midnight, and
he had still four hours before his turn
below.
And then the idea came to him.
Now was his chancel He was refresh
ed and strong. Unnoticed. he could
go below with the mid.watch. He
would wait at the foot of the fiddly
ladder, and when Malone sought TO
ascend, he would confront him, And
then, before the eyes of all the watch
Malone s own watch--he would
prove himself the better man.
'Keefe reached for his shoes and
rolled from his bunk. The mid.wateh
looked at him in surprise, but for.
bore to question. The doings of Bull
o 'keefe were not lightly to be dis
cussed in his hearing; in all the
Black Gang, only Malone might essay
it. o'Keefe opened his ditty bag and
drew therefrom pair of brass
knuckles. The eyes of the watch
widened with comprehension.
Is goin down after Malonel''
exeitedly whispered a little Cockney
coal -passer to the man next to him.
Blimme-wot rowln
U 'keefe turned black face to the
speaker.
"fe II do well to mind your own
damned business" he growled.
The little cockney subsided with an
apologetic whimper. The rest of the
watch maintained an interested
silence; it was no affair of theirs
and O'Keefe was a hasty man.
The watch filed quietly out of the
forecastle and along the deck; and
behind them stalked oKeefe, battle
in his heart and the deadly knuekles
on his fist. When no had finished
with Malone, he exulted, Malone s
own mother wouldn't know her son.
He would break him.
ANA then 1t happened.
a sharp, penetrating, swelling hiss
rose from the stoke-hold; startled
shouts, and the shrill scream of man
in agony. The group at the fiddly
door stiffened and blanched, each man
instinetively knowing what was wrong.
ga tube!" cried one. "a tube
has bustedl"
Then came a roar that shook the
ship and drowned all other sounds.
Clouds of vapor swrled upward from
the hold and billowed through the
door. A figure stumbled out on deck
then other figures.
O'Keefe counted eight men-two
were missing. One was dead. He had
heard that scream before, and knew
its meaning. But the otheri Without
looking, he knew it to be Malone.
Malone was head stoker of his watch;
he would have tried to reach the cut.
off valve.
O'Keefe wheeled on a man who
danced and gibbered with the pain Of
his scalds.
"What boilerf" he roared.
The man mouthed the answer:
"Fourl"
"And Malonef"
The poor wretch replied with a
dumb gesture toward the hold.
O'Keefe dove through the fiddly
door-to be driven back, choking. He
snatehed a towel that draped one
mans shoulders, dipped It into fire
bucket that hung on the bulkhead,
and then wrapped it about his face.
Hands reached to restrain him. He
shook them off and disappeared into
the swirling mist Of steam.
He felt his way down the ladder,
the wet cloth covering his mouth and
nostrils, his eyes shut. His brain
worked surely and swiftly.
A tube had gone on number four.
Malone would have tried to roach the
cutoff. The cutoff was on the side
Of the boiler near the foot Of the
ladder. There was a chance, IL he
could get to the bottom.