The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1920-08-18
John Hansen,
Crew
By FREEMAN PUTNEY, JR.
(Copyright.)

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(Copyright.)
StOlid pink-eyed, flaxen-haired John |
Hansen, crew of the Mary H., had
gone below to look for the shippers
pocket-knife.
The skipper himself had stepped
from the sloppy fishing-sloop to the ad-
joining wharf. while the lowered gaff
on which he had been working lay in
a disorder of canvas on the deck.
He walked along the wharf to the
schooner in the next berth, and asked
a man sitting in the shadow of the
forecastle for a bit of spun yarn.
my fore speaks gin out on me-" he
explained.
The man on the schooner dropped
his newspaper, stood up, spat over the
rail, and remarked that it was Sun
day. From the fishing-sloop, the crew,
John Hansen, now resting on his ell
bows half out Of the cabin, grinned
under his thin, corn-silk mustache.
The man on the schooner dropped
below to look in his stores. and the
skipper waited, putting on his pipe.
The man on the schooner came on
deck again, shaking his head. and
tossed the skipper handful Of tan
gled cord.
"They got no spun yarn, john"
hailed the skipper. "Wiil marline
dor"
"Ee-yah!" returned John.
NIB tod hn obi tn
the schOoner's man. "Sorry We amt
got any spun yarn"
"All right" mumbled the other, re-
Stunning colored supplement where
he had left off.
The skipper returned to his sloop.
John Hansen did the repairing, and
the skipper assisted. Before long the
iron was rewound, the ropes strength
ened, and the halyards rebent.
"Now." said the skipper, I'VE can
go ashore. Well sail airly in the
mornin' so We better sleep aboard. Ye
goin' up to see Christina this after
noon?"
John grlnned.
"Ee-yah," he drawled. II tank !
60 see her."
"She's a mighty stanch gal, Chris.
tina" admired the skipper. "You an
she goin' ter git spliced soon?"
The crew blushed.
Il amt asked her yet, but tank
that's right" approved the skip
per. Don't ask her till ye're sure
right an tight"
"Ee-yah," corrected John. II tanl
one ting can break it. Suppose the
girl go away?"
"What dye mean?"
II tank I got promised to marry &
girl once myself. went on fishing
trip. and when come back the CIR
ban gone away"
"A gal at homer
mo, a girl named Fannie, here
when first came to HardypOrt. Sh'
went away. 1 tank I amt promised
to her longer. eh?"
The skipper thought rapidly. Fo
two years John Hansen had servet
as lone hand on the shore fishing-bOat
Working on shares, his portion Of thu
proceeds had given him a good bal
ance in the savings bank uptown. blu
the skipper knew that the balance
should have been many dollars more
John had trusted the skipper
arithmetic and without question takel
what was given him each settling day
A watchful wife would end this. H
would encourage anything that nigh
delay this marriage.
"Ye sartain got ter marry Fanni
II We said We would" he began.
John looked perplexed.
~ don't tank So" he considere
slowly. "She ban gone to New Yor
her cousins they told me. What max
it she don't write me letter if sh
want me?"
"Oh. We never can tell about won
en- folks" generalized the skippe
ensily "She may be breakin' her Iii
tie heart waitin'. fur all We know"
With troubled face, John washe
his hands and face and changed hi
clothes in the cabin. Then, going o
deck, he cOmbed his hair before
fragment of mirror stuck in mas
hoop.
II tank" he announced finally, II G
up an see the parson at the Beth
got to be honest. an If I ban fo'
to get promised to little Fannie Ion
time before l saw Christina, mayt
have to pay for 1t. Only hope
he added brokenly-'I hope Christin
she don't care-much
THAT'S right" approved the ski
per.
That afternoon, when the meetir
Mt the Fishermen's Bethel was owe