Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-11
Drawings by w. Pryor
DONCHA give him an inch Doncha never give
- nobody an inchl'

With that coming from him IN angry Snarl
Gus Swanstrom reeed into the Hercules plohouse and
satched her wheel from the boy who stood there alone
second later the hairy hands of the and master
of the crazy old tug had brought her and her tow of
chooners back into the path OF the big Dread
nought away from which the boy had been steering.
"Umph-hh! Umph-h-h.' blasted the Dreadnought
in that instant as though answering Gus, but in reality
signaling that she and the outwardb bound merchantmen
she dragged at her tail starboarding their helms
and would hold course to port.
BAH yuh big stuff spat Gus through his heavy
blond mustache whose ends standing out now like
the discolored tusks Of bull walrus.
Hate ruled his voice Hate burned in the glance that
shot astern from his boodshot blue eyes where the
Dreadnought at distance of two city blocks away,
stood proudly down the sun-sparkling bay. And the
bow who stood beside Gus the Dane and to whom he
left the task of acknowledging the Dreadnoughts signal
knew that Swanstroms hatred in this not for
the pride of the Black Stack Towing Companys feet
but for Deep Water Jim Croghan, who commandedher
He had learned from just such moments the present
one to avoid any reference to Croghan Since Deep
Water had taken command of the Black Stack Com
panys newest and biggest tug six months previously
the youngster had studied how not to speak of him in
the hearing of Gus the Dane. 1t not that the boy
was afraid of hm,-he had fear of him either sober
drunk, which the Dane was now-but he owed
debt of loyalty to Gus Swanstrom whose payment
possible only by the maintenance of peace between
them Still, he had been able to find answer
to Swanstroms hatred for Deep Water Croghan which
was not strange for it is not given to fifteen
boys know the blind unreasonng terrible hate that
who failures nurture against those who succeed
Danny yuh knows the rules O the roads wells
me said Gus suddenly resgning the wheel to the boy
again. @Wessel what oertakn anudder vessel what's
ahead got tub kept clear o her. Doncha never make
room fuh nobody. We got tub make a Twin S wells
dose Block Stocks and Red Steck toogs.'
Better tallsin rules, Gus, an knockin' out
round here, breakin every rule the COMMENTS
made" answered Danny, for second dropping his
hands from the wheel to readjust strand of rope that
held together tattered blue flannel shirt and pair of
dungaree trousers sizes and sizes too large for him.
aIf the govment inspectors catches us like
now just you an memo mate, no engineer no ire
man-goodnight to yuh license! Yuhd better quit it,
Gus. If anything to happen to the Hercules, an
only you an aboard, yuh wouldn't get cent of
insurance
1t had happened innumerabe times before this flying
in the face of the law it happened every time Swan
strom started bend. But Gus didn't choose to
discuss the latest overnight ruction which had resulted
his driving his ashore and setting out with him
self at the Hercules engines and fires and Danny at her
wheel Instead he leaned back against the side of the
pothouse and with tense drawing of his eyelids,
sneered:
aSay Danny, you tank dat faller Deep Water Crow
Jan bane lilul tin god, huh?'
The boys fullbacked head, with its thatch of tight
dark brown curs snapped round this, and he faced
Gus. There fash of FURNISHED steel in his gray
eyes, tiny patch of color lodged the bone of each
cheek; chin and nose of staying quality seemed to
stand out little prominently. 1t was thus that
Danny had looked at him the winter before when Gus
for the first time in fifteen years since he had found him
in basket on Missionst. Wharf had dared to strike
him. The boy had then said that if he lifted hand
to him again he would kill him. Gus had believed this
He remembered it
a don't think Deep Waters any tin god, said Dan
ny. There's tin about him. but he's the whtest
man on this bay Everythin' about hn's white I've
him pull out for when he didn't have to- He'll
go mile outer his way SOS the Dreadnought's wake