The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-11-04

Wastrel to the ross-spicd fragrance
Of this s~elf.revealed personality. Il
was a clean breeze into our asphyxiar
ton.
One steaming night, when darkness
had stopped our reading, the two Of
US were lying fiat on backs-and
silent-in the e%nveloping shadows Of
the forward deck, near the capstan.
A group Of men who were OF watch
had gathered near us, seeking the
gratefulness of the uninterrupted
breeze. With no suspicion OF our
proximity, they fell into a low pitched
but violent conference.
Hoax held the floor as spokesman,
and his deep, whispering voice was
raw with bitterness.
1--WE amt no bloomin' galley
slaves" he growled. "Blyme me-, l
say, let's make a bend O. the ole
bloomin' mess, once and for hail."
How" came the natural question
from one of the more conservative.
"'Ow?" retorted the ringleader,
"w'at's the odds 'ow? Any way will
do. Rush the cabin. There's a stand
of rifles at the for'ard bulkhead. Kill
off the bloody lot of hofficers. Navi-
gate the bloomin' old 'ooker back our
selves, and report whatever damn
thing we like"
"How about these passenge1s?"
They'd snitch," suggested the same
Questioner.
Jaw, no. sarcastically assured
Hoax, "they won't snitch. They won't
ave no more charnce to snitch than
Coulter ITSELF, damn 'im."
For a moment l felt a steaming
throb in my throat. Then came a new
sensation; something like relief that
at last the clear outline Of probabili-
ty was looming through the fog OF
maddening uncertainty. 1t did not
seem to matter so much what the GER
tainty was, so long as it brought an
end to the suspense.
There was some discussion in
hushed voices. Caution had it's adj
vocates, who opposed SO desperate a
course.
"Think it hover till tomorrow" said
Hoax at last but hif you don't stand
by me, Him going to cut loose a boat
and tyke to the water. To ell with
the Wastrel an 'er rotter of a cap.
TAIN"
There was a sudden hush, followed
by a sort of low-chorused groan.
Around the superstructure of the for
ward cabin appeared Captain Coulter,
his first officer, and the chief engi.
neer. For an instant they stood ST.
lently flashing electric torches into
the terrified faces of the conspirators,
who, like school boys caught denounc-
ing their teacher, shuffled their feet
and remained speeches..
Hoax, however, took a determined
step forward. His face vas working
systematically in the bulls eye glare,
which exaggerated the high-lights on
his snarling teeth and the black shad-
ows of his scowl.
He wavered for an instant between
/ his personal dread of Coulter and the
knowledge that, with SO much known,
caution was futile. While he hesitat-
, ed, the other men tacitly grouped
themselves together at his back
and stood sullenly cycling the
officers. Coulter and his two subor-
dinates slipped their hands into their
pockets. 1t was a tense moment, and
a nOiseless one.
When the captain broke silence his
voice was cool, almost casual.
"Mr. Kirkenhead," he ordered the
chief engineer, "take this man Hoax
to the stoke-hole and keep him there
until we reach port. Give him double
shift, and if he makes a false move
kill him."
The giant made a passionate start
forward, and found himself LOOKING
down the barrel of Coulter's magazine
pistol. At the CLINT of the raised weap
on he, flung himself backward against
the rail and and stood snarling inco
uGIGIlllN llkc a SOlIClSu uoS'
"Hi didn't sign as no blymed stok
err" he growled; eli won't go"
"The stoke-hole OF hell-it's up tc
you," replied Coulter in an absolutel!
monotony Of voice. "There's thirty
seconds to decide. Mr.. Kirkenhead
look at your watch"
For a seeming eternity there was
waiting and bated breath. We coulC
hear the mufied throb Of the engines
and the heightened, strained breath
ing of the cowed men.
Then K~irkenhead announced
"Twentv seconds, sir"
Hoax turned, dronnine his head IL
utter detection, and shambled aft to
ward the engine room c"ompanionWay
"Mr. Hefferman," came the captain
staccato orders, instruct the ship;
carpenter to scuttle the boats excep
the port and s%tarboard ones on Thu
bridge. If we are to have any littl'
Disbursements on board we will set
tie them among ourselves. No on