The diamond drill., 1921-08-27

weaker
-TfUw many ships IN the feet are
sworn 10 this agitatinnr DycA aske1
presently.
Every one It's been like a spread
OF infection; It's entered az every door,
looked out Of every window. All the
ships are In II. from the twenty-sfx bun
dred-tonners 20 the little fve-hnndred-
and-hftytmDera BESIDES there are
the Delegatea-
He lowered hts vutcs an Inc usSd
1 these last words.
-Yea, know Dych answered,
though be did not really kD0v. -But
who Is at the headT
-Why, as bold q mnn as cum be-
Richard Parker, an Irishman- He was
once junior naval officer, and left the
navy and went into business now he
Is quota man. and leads the muuny.
Let me tell you that unless there's q
| good round answer 10 what we demand,
the More fieet'll have II out with the
| government. He's q man OF charac-
ter. is Richard Parker, and tho tieetIl
stand by him"
How long has he been at it7- asked
Dyck.
-Oh, weeks and weeks II doesn't
all come at once. the grip OF the thing.
II begnn at Spithead, and II worked
right there, and now It's wOrkin' at
the More, and It'll work and work un-
III there isn't ship and there isn't
man that won't be behind the Dele
gates. LooR. Half the seamen on
this ship have tasted the inside Of
jail and the rest come from the press
gang. and what's left are tust the
ragged ends OF street corners But
and here the man drew himself up
with flnsh--but there's DGne Of us
wouldn't fight to the last gnsp OF
breath for the navy that since the days
Of Elizabeth has sailed at the head of
all tire world Don't think We mean
harm 20 the feet We mean 10 DO II
good All we want Is that its masters
shail remember we're human flesh and
blood that were as much entitled 10
good food and drink ON seq as on land
and that II we risA our lives and shed
our blood. we ought 10 have some
share IN the spoils. We're great
country and we're q great people, bat
by Cd, were not good 10 Ou owni
Look at them there
lie turned and waved hnnd 10 the
bowels Of the ship where sailors trad
cd with siopseller& or chafferod with
women. or sat In groups and sang, or
played rough games which had no vi
tal meaning; while here and chere In
groups with hands gest1culating. some
fanatics declared their principles And
the principles Of every man In the
More feet 40 far were embraced In tire
four words food, drink. prize
money.
Presently Fercns stopped short
"Listen I" be said.
There was a cry from the ships side
not far away. and then came little
bursts OF cheering.
"By Heaven, It's the Delegates com
In bere!- he said He held up wurn-
ing palm, as though commanding 81
Ience. while be listened intenuy. "Yes-
It's the Delegates Now look OF that
crowd OF seamen T"
lie swung his hand toward the
bowels Of the ship. Scores of men
were springing 70 their feet Present
ly there came great shouting and
cheers, and then four new faces APP
peared on deck. They were faces Of
intelligence but one OF them had Tire
enlightened look OF leadership.
"By Judas, It's our leader. Richard
parkcr 7" declared Fercna
What Dyck saw was good evidence
uf the progress OF the agitation. There
were ofllccrs OF the Ariadne 10 be SEEN
but they wisely took no notice of the
breaches OF regulation which followed
the arrival OF The Delegates Dyck
saw Ferens speak 10 Richard Parker
after the men had been In conference
with Parker and the DeleZntes, and
then turn toward himself. Richard
Parker came 10 him.
I'VE are ellow-countrymen," he said
genially. Il know your history. We
are out 20 make the navy better-to
get the men their rights. understand
you are with usr-
pyck bowed Il viii do an possible
20 get reforms In wages and food put
through, SIR
That's good said Parker. There
are some petitions you can draft, and
some letters also 10 the adrnirnlty and
TO the houses Of lords and commons"
Il am at your service" said Dyck.
He saw his chance TO secure iniiu-
ence on the Ariadne, and also TO do
good 10 the service. Besides. he felt
he might he able 20 check the worst
excesses of the agitation, II he got