The Lamar register., 1919-08-13

ly toward him. wondering whether |
could summon up the decency to offer
him Ii cignr. but ''the wonderful works
OF God" finished me.
Hello! captain" I said presently.
pointing TO some sails coming up rap
Idly behind us. What's thisf |
thought we'd got the fastest boat in
the harbOr."
Its the Susan b.. sponger." said
the captain.
The captain was a man of few
words.
The Susan b. was n akish-looking
craft with a black hull, and she GER
tainly could sail. No doubt II was pure
Imagination. but I did fancy that no.
ticed our passenger signal to them In
II peculiar way.
confess that his presence was be
ginning to get on my nerves. and |
WAS ready to get 'edgy" at anything
or NOTTINGHAM irritnted state OF mind
which presently took out on George
the engineer, who did not belle his
hulking appearance. and who was for
ever letting the engine stop and tax
ing forever to get II going again. One
could almost have sworn he did II on
purpose.
My language. was more forcible than
classical-had quite a piratical flavor.
in fact: and my friend of "the wonder
full works Of Cod looked up with
deprecating air. Its effect on George
was nil. except perhaps to further
deepen his sulks.
And this I did notice. after q while.
that my remarks to George seemed to
have set up a certain sympathetic ac-
quaintance between him end my pas
senger. the shackly deckhand being ap-
parently taken in as an humble third.
They sat for'ard. talking together. and
my passenger read to them, on one
occasion. from a piece Of printed pa
per that futtered In the wind.
The captain was occupied with his
helm. and the thoughts he didn't seem
to feel the necessity Of sharing: =
quiet. poised, probably stupid man. for
whom I could not deny the respect we
must always give to content. however
simple. He was a sailor. and don't
know what better to say of man.
SO for companlonship ! was thrown
back upon Tom. l felt. too. that he
was my only friend on board. and .
vague feeling had come over me that
within the next few hours l might need
a friend.
Are we going too fast for fishing.
Tomf' / asked.
mot too fast for barracuda" said
Tom so we put out lines and watched
the stretched strings, and listened to
the sea. After while Toms line grew
taut. and we hauled in a five-foot bar
racouta.
Look =" said Tom. as he pointed to
q little writhing eel-ltke shape. about
nine Inches long. attached to the belly
Of the barracuda.
"a sucking fish =" said Tom. That's
good luck" and he proceeded to turn
over the poor creature and cut from
his back Immediately below his head,
fiat inch and half OF skin lined
and stamped like Il rubber sole-the
device by which he held on to the
belly OF the barracuda much as the
circle OF wet leather holds the stone
In a schoolboy's sling.
Now" he said. when he had II
clean and neat in his fingers, I'VE must
hang this up and dry 1t in the north
east wind; the wind is just right
nor r'nor'east-and there is no mascot
ike II. specially when" Old Tom
hesitated. with a slyly Innocent smile
in his eyes.
what is II. Tomf' I asked.
We'll. sir. I meant to say that this
particular part Of a sucking fish. prop
erly dried In the northeast wind, is
wonderful mascot-when you're going
after treasure"
"who said was going after treas
uref' I asked.
Aren't you. sahf" replied Tom.
asking your pardon"
Let's talk 1t over later on. when
you bring me my dinner. Tom"
Later. as Tom stood. serving my
coffee. I took II up with him again.
What was that you were saying
about treasure, Tomf" l asked.
well. sar. what l meant was this !:
that going after treasure Is q danger