Baxter Springs news., 1918-11-22

cost u1 unlI VI OuE aoAee.A~s 80 W 80
not care. Freedom was worth all OF II.
We were well Into the town and feel
ing secure when we were held up Dy
n Chilean gendarme. who looked like
a walking arnenAl. This cost M y
more for our freedom. He left us In
n hurry and went around the block.
We had walked about fivo minutes
when, bangi another gendarme. This
cost M "a. After leaving him We were
more cautious, hiding our remaining
money IN my shoe. Again We were
arrested. We said We had no money
and were hailed into the presence OF
the "commandante Of police" he
had one hundred and seventy-eight
medals on his chest and four thou
sand yards Of gold braid on his collar
and cuffs. He had us searched. but
did not find the money. Very much
disappointed. in broken English he In
formed Us that our ship was to sail
at four O'Clock the next morning. and
that II he found us in Valparaiso we
would be sent to the mines.
Shivering and trembling we wended
our way back to the dock and hunted
around for a boatman. Bribing him
with our remaining money he at last
brought us alongside. just before the
Eangplank was lifted. The black
smoke was pouring from the single
funnel Of the Cushko. Then we went
before the captain. and he 'logged" us
ten pounds ($5O) each.
On our homeward-bound passage
we went around the Horn and ran
into a gale. The bOs'n mutlnied. Old
Conceived Gibson" came behind him
and laid him low with q marlinspike.
Then, carrying him amidships, he
chained him to the iron steps leading
to the bridge. He remained this way
for a day and half. exposed to cold
and icy wind. Strict orders were
passed through the ship that no one
was to approach him. That night,
under cover Of darkness. Bin and I
sneaked him q steaming pot Of stew.
and some hot coffee. II he had lived.
we would. through this one action,
have gained a true friend for life.
From exposure he contracted pneu-
monia and died. He was buried at
sea. The carpenter sewed him In q
sack, and tying an old iron wheel to
his feet placed him on q plank, and
while the captain read q rough burial
service the plank was tilted. and the
body Of the bos'n went down to rest
In Davy Jones' locker.
The first port we touched at. the
consul's flag was holsted at the fore
mast, and a bleary-eyed. half-drunken
little old man came on board and was
closeted with the captain for about an
hour. When he came out he was
staggering, and his eyes. II possible.
were more bleary. The captain lined
the crew up, and the consul. In
thick and suffering voice, asked the
crew II the bos'n had died from natu-
raj causes. Ninety per cent OF the
men could not understand what he
said, and q silence prevailed. At sea
silence means consent. butted In
and said "No." was standing next
TO the mate. I felt that gorilla'like
hand Of his pInching the back Of my
neck, and nearly tainted. Then the
consul went over the side into his
boat, and was soon pulling for the
shore. We lifted anchor and the port
was left behind.
Half way up the coast we ran OUT
Of fresh water, and had b drink con-
densed water from an old sQueaky
condensing engine. It was brackish
and slckening. would have sold my
soul for one drink Of clear. cold water.
Monday became tyrannical and un'
bearable. and It was mp to Bill ana
me to devise some scheme to keep
him in check.
Through listening to Mondays
stories, I knew that he was very su-
perstItious and believed in magic, or
''zobi," as he called It.
Bill told him that my father In
America was q great medicine man
and that I was gifted with magic.
While loading guanO at LObas, the
fourth engineer had gone on a shoot
ing trip and killed several huge peli-
cans. he skinned these and gave me
one of the skins. Bill and I worked
a scheme. That morning little black
bird fell on the deck, and ] picked 1t
up and took 1t to my glory hole. 1t
was in a dying condition. I told Bill
that that night, about ten O'Clock,
would 20 aft ON the poop deck with
the pellcan's skin down my back, and,
with my face smeared with black.
would do q mystic dance. He was to
take Monday and hide behind the ven
tilator, and while was doing my war
dance, he would explain to Monday
that was In communication with my
father, the great American medicine
man. He did this and It made quite
a hit. The next morning Monday
came to me, and, bowling low, request
ed a token, as he called It; a message
from my father. I promised to give
him one, but We were sure mp against
1t. Then thought Of the little black
bird in my glory hole, and the solution
was at hand. I very s0lemnly inform
ed Monday that at eight o'clock that
nIRht nv father would send q message