Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-09-26

had profanely asserted at least once
day since joining the ship-never
had he seen, or heard off, or believed
to exist above water, such tumble
OF junk as masqueraded for boilers
on board the Galway. Leaky tubes
and burnt out furnaces! 1t would be
n miracle if they made homo without
o smash
The faint tinkle Of the ships bell
came to the fireman 5 ears through
tho ventilator Seven bells! Another
half hour and the watch would be
over. At eight bells the relief would
come. At eight bells, his relief-the
rage that had smouldered within
o OKeefe since that day ashore at
Singapore, a week before, blazed
again. At eight bells, Jim Malone
would relieve him.
Malone-the false mate! Seven years
they had been mates, closer to each
other than brothers. And then-all
because of a wOman-MalOne had be-
trayed the friendship. 1t had been
Malone's treachery in stealing
o 'Keefe's sweetheart-and then boast.
ing about it. And then, the crowning
ignominy! They had fought and Ma
lone had knocked him cold before the
eyes of all Malay street. But, it was
tho drink that had bested him, the
rotgut samshu of Madras Bob 's-not
Malone, He knew that, and soon he
would square accounts with Jim Ma
lone.
The engineer s gruff below came
from the passageway between the
stoke-hold and the engine room.
ed 'ye think you re home on the
farm' Watch your steam, OKeefe!"
The furnace doors swung open, and
the stoke-hold was white in the glare
of the fires. o 'Keefe bent over his
shovel, working with speed and sure
ness; casting far back into the fire
box; feathcring each scoop with al
deft flick of the wrist, and spreading
the coal evenly over the flames. The
buIging muscles of his great body
rippled and coiled. He kept his head
half turned from the bistering heat
that surged out upon him; yet, in the
brief moments of his labor, the veins
in his forehead swelled into knots, and
his face seemed to draw up end with
ef.
The furnace doors changing shut an
nOunced the completion of the taski
and the cOal-passers darted from their
dark caverns, their barrows piled high
with coal, to replenish the heaps on
the floor-plates.
O'Keefe turned to the water butt, !
his whole parched being craving mois-
ture. He raised cup of cold water
to his lips For long delicious mo-
ment he held a mouthful, then spat
it out. Though he lusted to drink, ex-
perience forbade.
Eight bellsl The watch was chang
ing, and the heart breaking work of
cleaning fires had begun. Through
narrowed eyes. and grasping tight the
heavy shovel, O'Keefe saw the huge
form of Malone come toward him. The
two eyed each other warily, their
bodies half crouched, their whole at
titude eloquent of hatred and dis
trust.
CLOVIS she steamin =" demanded |
Malone.
"Hard!" was the terse reply.
"She's fair eatin the steam. Keep
an eye on number four-tube leak
ing"
CAN right" returned Malone. And
then, with studied, mock concern, he
added: "You look bad, OKeefe.
You're not the man ye once we're
mind ye don't burn outl"
o'Keefe gritted his teeth His physi-
cal powers is the stoker's pride; and
greater insult could hardly be Of
fered him than reflection cast upon
his ability to withstand the killing
pace of the hold. O'Keefe frightened
his grasp on the shovel and took a
half step forward: and Malone crouch
ed expectantly. But with mumbled