Evening star., 1914-05-03
THE LAST CLIPPER

saw PericleS pace away watch after watch OF
that night, without relief, he doubted that
he could be the real head devil that he had
called himself. And his doubt grew until,
as SIX bells of the middle watch rang through
the Cleaning and a cloud darkened half
moons light, he hurled skull-srnashing
iron Delaying pin straight at Pericles' head.
Before the doubter could move from where
he pretended to be asleep on the main hatch
the head devil was bending over him. cold
hand on his heart. And out of the corner
of his eve the doubter watched that hand
touch and pass on from one to the other of
his companions, who were really asleep.
Then his doubt changed to fearful amaze
ment; for a voice that called him Thomas
suddenly whispered very close to his ear:
you're very, very foolish person!'
AS day was breaking Sears, refreshed by
: ten hours straight sleep, came from
below to relieve his mate. He discovered
Pericles standing against the lee mizzen
rigging, his whole mind apparently given to
the gang holystoning the main deck below
him. Directly over Pericles head on the
Gro backyard lay sailor named Jake at
marlinspike task.
In the second that Sears apprehended this
scene that marlinspike sped downward from
Jakes hands at Pericles' head But before
Sears could utter cry of warning the
Gloaming's new mate had stepped aside, and
with a strange laugh was ordering Jake,
whom, to Sears wonderment, he called
Thomas down from aloft.
you're another imitation devil, he went
on to the slowly descending sailor. Il knew
what you would do when | gave you that
nice new marlinspike and sent you up there.
I'd have had you when you flung the be-
laying pin, only that Italian fellow down
there smokes too much. He has tobacco
heart. 1t was beating nearly as hard as
yours when | felt it.
The sailors pallor took on a tinge Of
green. He cringed in terror as his feet
touched the deck.
Brace up! I'm not going to kill you;
though somebodyll have to some day. Just
going to give you bath-cool you off. Only
imitation devils get hot.
Selling him and tripping him at this,
Pericles tied the end of the mizzen royal
halyards round his waist and pushed him
over the rail. And then, for the moment
forgetting that he was not commander of
the Cleaning, but only her mate, he turned
to Sears and said:
"You may haul him in in two or three
minutes, Sir. Tie him up if you LIKE
don't care. I'm going to turn in.
TT was on the morning of the seventh day
after this that the clipper Cleaning, un-
der tops'ls, went hurting her snaky length
out of the westward in bee line toward the
Straits of Juan de Fuca, the entrance to
Puget Sound A hundred miles to the east
ward lay her destination. Half gale was
blowing "a rare thing for June. But it had
been sweeping the coast the last three days.
Aft stood Bobby Sears, his face clean
shaved now, no longer a scarecrow, gazing
at big white liner with fiddlehead bow
where she drove by on parallel course half
mile under the Gloamings lee. Her three
yellow tunnels, belching black smoke, told
what went on in her bowels.
well, she's drawing by US now,' said
Sears, turning and walking up to windward
where Pericles was standing with his eyes
aloft But we've done pretty well at that
to hold her down for half an hour and with
nothing set above topsls.'
Pericles eyes dropped, picked up Sears
gaze, and carried it to the liner, brought it
back again. and sent it along the Gloaming's
three snugly furled topgallantsails. Not a
word did the bronzed giant utter; but Sears
understood
"Yes." he cried "She'l stand up to it
with her thousand tons of BALLAST His face
glowed Il know she will Well take her
in as she ought to go, leading the way! Let
her have the t'gallan s'ls!'
R,- tho ,-a,, tbat paric1ac 0'Rriar leaned