The daily Alaskan., 1919-05-08
'NWhat Are You Loating Here For''

| SG!SS sL
 NWhat Are You Loating Here For2"
 l watched Levere, but he remained motionleSs, a mere shadow.
 "I suppose it must have been that, sir" I confessed respectfully, If things happened as you say they did. I haven't any memory O tryin' ter slash nobody. Leastwise l seemed ter know whut I wus about when I cum up. l don't remember how l got ther; furSt 1 knew 1 wus slushin' round in the water. tryin' ter keep atlOat. It wuS so blame dark cudn't see nuthln', but Sumhow l got grip on hawSer, an hung on till I got back 'nough strength ter cline on board. I knew this want my ship, so just lay quiet awhile, igurin' out whar l wuS."
 Yer EngllSh?"
 Born in Bristol, sir, but I wus wOrkin' on the Carollne-she's q Col Ony schooner, in the fish trade. At sea since I wus twelve. Whats this yere bark-DutCh, ain't SheT'
 "Once upon time; just now we are flying whatever flag comes handy. We ain't got no prejudice in flags"
 "Is thet a gun foryard, covered with taupalin?"
 "YeS, an yer might find another aft, if yer looked fer it. Morn thet, we know how ter use 'cm. Now see here, Gates; thar'S no reason why We should beat about the bush-fact is we're sea rovers."
 Sea rOyerS-pir0teS, siri"
 Bah! what's a name! We take what We want; it's our trade, that's all. No worse than many another The question is, are yer goin' ter take chance long with us? It's the only life, lad-plenty of fun, the best of liquor and pretty girls, with q share In all the Swag"
 | What Is the name of this bark?'
 "The Namur-out O Rotterdam till We took her"
 "Who's the captain?"
 Silva Sanchez"
 i "Guwd! Sanchez-nOt-not Black SanchezT
 That's him; so yer've heerd of Black Sanchez? Well, we're sailln' long with him, all right, mate, an yer ought ter know whut thet means i fer good man."
 l heSitated, yet only long enough to leave the impression sought to make on them both.
 Likely thar ain't no sailor but what haS heerd O him." l said slowly. Tt don't look like thar wus much choice, does It."
 LeVere appeared amused in his way, which was not a pleasant one.
 "Oh, yes. friend, there is choice ] enough. Bill, here, had exactly the same choice when he first came-hey, Bill? Remember how yOu signed on, after We took you off the Albatross? This is how 1t stands, GateS-either go fOrrard quietly yerself, er the both of us will kick you there. That will be enough talk. Go on, now"
 It was q curt dismissal, coupled with plain threat, easy to understand. 1 obeyed the order gladly enough, sllnk- ing away into the black shadows for ward, realizing my good fortune, and seeking some spot where l could be alone.
 The crew had disappeared, lying down no doubt in corners out of the wind. And this wind was certainly rising. l wondered that Leyere hung on so long in his periIOus position, al- though, in spite of the increased strain, the anchor still chung firmly. It seemed to me that no hawser ever made could long withstand the terrific strain of our tugging, as the struggling bark rose and fell in the grip of the sea. To him must have come the same con viction, for suddenly his high-pitched voice sang out from the poop:
 stand by, fOrrard, to lower the star board anchor; move lively, men. Every thing ready, Haines?"
 "AlI clear, sir. Come on the jump, bullies P
 linen let go smartly. Watch that you don't get the line fouled. Aloft there! Anything in sight, Cavere?" - From high up on the fore-tOp yard, the answer, blown by the wind, came down in broken English: 1 Non, m'Sieur; see nottings."
 joined the watch forward. The l number of men on deck was evidence of a large crew, there being many more than were necessary for the work to be done. Most of them ap- Ipeared to be able seamen, and Haines drove them mercilesSly, cursing them for lubbers, and twice kicking vicious ly at q stopping form. Then the great rope began to slip swiftly through the hawSe hole, and We heard the sharp i splash as the iron fukeS struck the water, and sank. Almost at that same instant the voice of CaYere rang out from the masthead: ----- .-.---