The Irish standard., 1915-10-30

something in his ways of nv own
brother Jimmie. And his young wife
had been listening to some talk be.
tween myself and John, so in the ter.
ror of her husband being torn from
her she leaps up and said: Captain,
there's man here is wise in the WAYS
of the sea, and he is saying there is
a way to save the boat and all is in
it."
HE does, does he!" says the cap.
tain. Let him stand up, this wise
man, till see him" And the young
wife turns to John, and in all limo.
cence he stands up.
And the captain looks him up and
looks him down, and he says: so,
it's you, you big lummox, who knows
more of the sea than the master of
the ship, is it?" And he turns to the
big mate. Take him next, instead"
he says.
And John says: But It's foolish
and cruel to be casting poor innocent
men in fear like this into the sea-"
You next, l said!" calls out the
captain, and mods his head to the
huge, big mate, who steps over the
seats in the boat, crowding men and
women to one side to reach John.
was cold with the fear of it, for l
knew John wasn't one to go against
the captains word on ship at sea,
where it was as much law as judges
itself in a grand court OH the mainland
back home. And up to that time
hadn't told him that God had listened
to my prayers and was to give me
child to take the place of the little lad
was dead. And stood up beside him
and said: And is it you, John Lacy,
| will let yourself be sacrificed by
fear-stricken man and Your unborn ba.
by go fatherless all the days of his
life?"
And with that John turns to me with
one arm stretched out to hold the
mate from him, and Mama Wan,
Mama Wan" he says, do you tell
me that?"
And l said, "'Tis true, john" and
John says over the mates shoulder:
Listen to me, will you captain? 'Tis
we'll know what a terrible thing it is
to go again the master of ship at
sea, but tits a foolish cruel thing
you have your mind set on
Are you going to attend to that
man or not?" says the captain.
And then l stood up knowing John
was no one to speak for himself, and
said: Captain, if you will give me
a moment to tell tiny husband has
wonderful skill in the management
of small boats"
And an old fisherman from the Clad
dagh was there with his old wife stood
up then and said: TITS true, sir,
what this young woman says-all from
our place knows 1t. The fishermen of
all Galway Bay speak so of him."
At that the captain drew a pistol
with two long barrels from his bos-
ON, and What did l order you to do?"
he roars at the nMtes
The mate, without more delay, crap
pied with John and John grappled with
him, and twas terrible time they
had of it wrestling among the seats,
though small fear had of the huge
mate overcoming John. But the cap.
tain, half rising from his seat from
time to time, his pistol held before him
that he would come to the help of
the mate did have fear.
you are not striving as you should,
John Lacy" said.
''Tis true, I'm not, Mama Wan, but
'tisn't for me to gainsay ships cap
tain
when he is a captain" said. But
twas the way OF captains in your fam
lily and my family, where we've had
captains back to the French and Span
ish trading days, to be guarding their
passengers lives before their own;
and have heed you of the child in my
womb and what will become of us
when you are cast into the sea-"
Twas then he lifted the mate above
his head, meaning no more harm than
to throw him into the stern of the boat,
but the mate made one clutch of John
going, and together they fell sidewise
from the boat. The mate did not rise
out of the sea again, but John did, and
gripped the rail in the stern of the boat
doing so, and as he did so the captain
with his long pistol shot at him, but
what with John and the boat bouncing
up and down on the waves, he did but
hardly hit him through his thick pea
jacket in the shoulder, and before he
could fire the second shot John reach
ed up with his free hand and pulled
the captain down into the sea and left
him there. After John had climbed
safe up into the boat the women
among us said prayer for their souls,
| but it was long while before the
men had any but black words for
! them.
BY that time the wind was wailing,
and the ocean all about us was grow
ing white under our eyes; so without
| miro dolov Iohn tOOk fun urool1 cooko