The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-11-23
s: s.ssIIs.Is.lI.s.I.....l.i,s..sl.ll....,s..:.
A FISH-CHOWDER FEUD
BY JOHN BARTON OXFORD.

q ElOn'OHUWUEK FEUU
BY JOHN BARTON OXFORD.
From the galley companion came
the noisy changing of the supper-belJ
Twelve men hurriedly dropped the
travis they we're batting and crowded
into the narrow forecastle. Tom Den
ME, the thirteenth man, was rather
more leisurely.
His way across decks to the fore
castle took Tom past the galley, and
at the companion hatch he stopped
to sniff
"Fish-chowder again!" he grunted
in complaining and soulful disgust.
"Ffsh-chowder all the time! Nothin'
but fish-chowder on this old tub!"
Even as he stood there, mumbling
his complaint, EVE Bishop, the trawl-
er's fat cook, came putting up the COM
panionway with a big fat basket filed
with heavy crockery mugs on his
arm. In his other hand he bore a
huge and steamhg coffee-pot.
Tom glared savagely at the cook.
Then he shifted the odor drifting up
from the galley and glared harder.
"Fish-chowder!" he snorted again.
All the time it's flsh-chowder on this
here craft! What's the matter with
yer. EVE? Can't you make nothin'
but that eternal fish-chowder?"
Now fish-chowder-his particular
variety of fish-chowder-was the pride
of fat EVE Bishops simple heart.
Any one who maligned that chowder
touched EVE on the quick.
The boys seem to relish that chow
der pretty much" said Evie with cold
and crushing scorn.
well, l don't" snapped Tom. 1--WE
EFT chowder till I'm ashamed to look
decent fish In the face"
There's them as says they couldn't
never git enough OF that chowder,"
EVE declared with pride.
We'll. that amt me-" growled Tom.
Seems to me it's time we had some
thin else for supper once in while"
What's the matter with the chow
der maker" EVE demanded, and his
tones made the question a challenge.
Tom shrugged his big shoulders and
threw out his hands. palms upward, in
despairing gesture.
What amt the matter with it
would be simpler way OF putin it."
said he.
The blood surged into Ewes thick
neck. and thence to his leathery
cheeks.
Don't you go to malignin' my Wit
Ties" he said hoarsely. That's a
good chowder. I've been told by any
quantity of folks that my chowders
was the best they ever ett It's only
ignorammersuses like you that ever
finds fault with it-folks that amt
never been used to nothin', anyway
block-headed ignorammersuses, that
can't even read" he emphasized his
most telling shot.
With his nose high In the air, he
swept grandly past Tom Dennie and
into the little forecastle
Tom waited there until Evie, grin
ming maliciously at the way his shot
had gone home. came out of the fore
castle again.
In moment Toms big fingers were
gripping tightly the cooks left fore
arm.
Say, yer wanter take that back
that yer Jest said about me-about
my bein' ign'ruht," he Kissed.
HUH do-do I? Yer can't even
so much as read" the cook tainted
again.
You eat them words of yourn-
you eat EN- right now!" bawled Tom.
giving the arm more excruciating
twist
EVE still had the big coffee-pot in
his hands. Now he lifted it quickly
and turned good pint Of the scald-
ing fluid onto the back of the hairy
hand that was twisting his arm.
With yowl Of rage Tom caught up
an iron capstan bar. What he might
have done with it there is no telling,
but at that moment the skipper, at
tracted by the uproar, came poking
out of the cabin.
Here! What's goin' on here?' he
roared. mo ightin'. now. What's
the trouble between you two? Drop
that bar. Tom! Drop it, say! And
you. cooky. stop menacin' OF him
with that cofree-pot Now you git into
yer galley; and you. Tom, go into the
fo'castle and git yer supper"
I'll git that darned cook before I'm
done" Tom threatened to the men
about the table. "Jest went and scalt
me. he did"
The fishing was good that trip. In
five days time they were running
for T wharf with a full fare. They
swept past the lightship just after
dark.
Tom Donnie. tumbling aboard after
the last of the moortng-lines were
fast. almost coIlided with Evie Bish-
op. just coming out Of the galley. For
moment they glared at each other.
Then the cook spoke.
"Tom," he said, I'VE been a chew
in away at each other and neither
one gittin' any satisfaction. Whatter
yer say If me and you goes ashore
and settles this man to man fashion?
II walloD you. you buy me the best
dinner l can eat up to Cotter's, in
Dock square. and If you put 1t over
me I'll buy the dinner for you. Is 1t
a go7"
Eyer bet it's a CO." said Tom with
alacrity.
wharf is no place for settling
such difficulties, SO they poked down
the avenue. crawled through the gate
Of wharf below, found an ideal 1T
tie spot, even enough and properly
lighted, and peeled OF their coats.
There was a moment of cautious
circling; then they closed. The near
by freight-sheds echoed to grunts and
halfchoked oaths and thudding blows.
The cook drew first blood on Toms
nose. but moment later he spat forth
two Of his front teeth. Then bolt
of lightning, or a cannon-ball, or a
mule kick. or something OF the sort
caught him full on the jaw.
When the whole solar system had
ceased to sparkle before his eyes and
he scrambled weakly to his feet an
other bolt Of lightning-or was it a
14-inch shell?-caught him once more
Tom stopped and pulled the cook to
his none too steady pins.
Nov yer can buy me the feed. I'm
hungry for good feed" said he.
.'Yer'll get it as soon as we can git
to Cotter's." declared EVE.
Cotters in Dock square was we'll
niOb daaertad when thav Oof fhara