Connecticut western news., 1919-04-24

 mad, over agin the rail, an then heaved him out inter the water Tong side. I heerd the feller splash when he struck, but he never let out no yell"
 "What did LeVere dor"
 "Him? He didn't do nuthin'. Just stared down over the rail a bit. an then cum back, rubin his hands. Never even asked who the feller wus. Thar ain't nuthin' kin skeer that black brute"
 "He ain't got no human in him. It's h-l when English sailormen hes got ter take orders from a d-d nlgger, an be knocked round if they don't jump when he barks. He's Goin' ter get knife in his ribs sum day"
 Maybe he is; but yer better hold yer tongue, Tom. Sanchez don't stand fer thet talk, an he's back O LcVcre. Let's go in; them gashcts will hold all right now-cum 'lOlg."
 could now perceive now clearly the character I was destined to assume when once safely aboard the Namur. Such an assumption would involve but slight danger of discovery. It was as though a miracle had opened the way. revealed to me by the unconscious lips of these two half-drunken, gossiping sailors. The story told fitted my ne- cessities exactly. Had I planned the circumstances myself nothing could have been better prcarranged. No one on board had seen the missing man by daylight; he was believed to have sunk without a struggle. Yet no one knew positively that this was so, be- cause no one cared. The death of the lad had simply been taken for granted when LeVere had failed to see his body rise again to the surface. Yet it was quite within the realm of poS&i- bility for the fellow to come up once more in that darkness, beyond Lc- Vere's range of vision, and even to have remained afoat, buoyed up by clinging to the anchor hawser, until strong enough to return on board. At least there was no one aboard the Ma mur able to deny that this had been done.
 Satisfied by this reasoning of being able to pass myself off as the dead man, began slowly and cautiously to drag myself up the taut hawser. I had chosen fortunate moment for my effort; no one needed the little noise I made, and, when I finally topped the rail and was able to look inboard 1t &n 1ncnrtnI with the watch all engaged at some task amidships. crept down the fore castle ladder and worked my way aft beneath the black shadow of the port rail-, until able thus to drift unnoticed into a group tailing onto a mainsail halyard. The fellow next to me, with out releasing his grip, turned his head and stared, but without discerning my features.
 "Whar did yer cum frum?" he growled, and I as instantly recognized Bill Haines. Been sojerin', have yer? We'll, now, lay to an pull"
 Before l could attempt an answer a tall figure loomed up before us, the same high-pitched voice had noticed previously calling out sharply:
 ''There, that's enough, men! Now make fast. We can head the old girl out from here in jiffy, If it really be- gins to blow. Jose, you stand by at the wheel, in case you're needed; some of the rest ship the capstan bars, and remain near for call"
 "What are ye swingin' the yards fur, anyhow. LeVere?" asked Haines insolently. "Just fer exerciseT Because I am sailor, Haines," he replied angrily. Anyhow 1t is none of your business; was left in com mand here. Those clouds don't look good to me; there is going to be 8 blow before morning" Haines grdwIed Something and Le- We're wheeled sharply about to go for ward. This movement placed him face to face with me.
 'What are you loafing here fer? Who are you?"
 "Joe Gates, sir" I answered quickly, mouthing the first name which came to my lips.
 "Gates-Joe Gates?" peering sav- agely into my face but unable to dis tinguish the features. "I never heard of anybody on board by that name. Who is the fellow, Haines?"
 The Englishman gripped me by the sleeve to whirl me about, but as hs f3n@ers touched the soaked cloth Of my jacket he burst forth with an oath.
 'II2's wet enough to be the same lad you chucked overheard an hour ago l believe he is. Say, mate, are you the gay buck We hauled aboard drunk, and dumped into the for'cassel?"
 ''Ii dunno, sir," I answered dumbly, believing it best not to remember too much. T couldn't even tell yer whut "n,p ;ms IS, ner how I signed Cn. Last l seem ter remember I wus ashore