The Madison journal., 1915-12-04

er Ghost, bound seal hunting to ia
pam"
And who Is the captain? | must
see him as soon as | am dressed"
Johnson looked puzzled and embar-
rassed. He hesitated while he groped
in his vocabulary and framed a COM
plete answer. The cap'n is Wolf Lar
son, or so men call him. never heard
his other name. But you better speak
soft with him. He is mad this morn
ing. The mate"
But he did not finish. The cook had
glided in.
Better sling yer 'ook out Of ere.
Yonson," he said. THE old manl be
wantin' yer on deck. an this ayn't no
d'y to fall foul of i'm"
Johnson turned obediently to the
door, at the same time, over the cooks
shoulder. favoring me with an amaz-
ingly solemn and portentous wink. as
though to emphasize his interrupted
remark and the need for me to be
soft-spoken with the captain.
Hanging over the cooks arm was
loose and crumpled array of evil-look-
ing and sour-smelling garments.
They was put aw'y wet, sir" he
vouchsafed explanation. But you'll
ave to make them do till | dry yours
out by the fire."
Clinging to the woodwork, stagger
ing with the roll of the ship. and aid
ed by the cook, managed to slip into
a rough wooden undershirt. On the
instant my flesh was creeping ana
crawling from the harsh contact. He
noticed my involuntary twitching and
grimacing. and smirked:
81 only hope yer don't ever ave to
get used to such as that in this life.
COS you've got a bloomin' soft skin.
that you ave, more like lydy's than
any | know of. | was bloOmin' well
sure you was a gentleman as soon as
set eyes on yer"
had taken a dislike to him at first,
and as he helped to dress me this dis
like increased There was something
repulsive about his touch. | shrank
from his hand; my flesh revolted. And
between this and the smells arising
from various pots boiling and on the
galley fire, | was in haste to get out
into the fresh air. Further. there was
the need OF seeing the captain about
what arrangements could be made for
getting me ashore.
And whom have | to thank for this
kindness?" asked. when | stood com
pletely arrayed, a tiny boys cap on
my head, and for coat dirty, striped
cotton Jacket which ended at the
small of my back and the sleeves OF
which reached just below my elbows
The cook drew himself up in SNUG
ly humble fashion. a deprecating
smirk on his face.
"Mugridge, sir" he fawned. his eff
Terminate features running into greasy
smile. Thomas Mugridge. sir. an al
yer service"
"All right. Thomas" said. 81 shall
not forget you-when my clothes are
dry"
Thank you, sir" he said, very
gratefully and very humbly indeed.
Precisely in the way that the doo'
slid back, he slid aside, and ! stepped
out and staggered across the movint
deck to a corner of the cabin. t
which clung for support. Th'
schooner, heeled over far out from th'
perpendicular, was bowling and plune
ing into the long Pacific roll. The fol
was gone, and in its place the sui
sparkled crisply on the surface of th'
water. | turned to the east. where
knew California must lie. but coul'
/. see nothing save low-lying fog banks
In the southwest, and almost in ou
. course, J. saw the pyramidal loom
some vessels sails. Beyond a sailo
at the wheel, who stared curiousl
across the top of a cabin, l attracts
no notice whatever.
Everybody seemed interested i
what was going on amidships. There
on a hatch, large man was lying o
his back. His eyes were closed. an
: he was apparently unconscious.
, sailor, from time to time. and quit
i methodically, as a matter of routine
dropped a canvas bucket into tn
ocean at the end of rope, hauled
in hand under hand. and sluiced II
: contents over the PROSTATE man.
CTO BE CONTINUEDJ