The diamond drill., 1921-08-27

klnXs snip 0nn have oOrc Win mis-
cry and poverty
'Then you waved hnDd to The
man IN command OF the recruitin'
gang. and presently stepped up to
him and his friends.
-'Sir,' l said TO you, T>m not going
TO be pressed into the navy
"Tbere's no pressin', Mlchael' you
answered. We1l be quota men. Wen
DO It for cash-fr forty pounds each.
and no other. You LEI them have yom
as you are. But II you don't want 10
come you added. ITS oil the same
TO me-
Faith, / knew Chat wns only talk.
n knew you wanted me. Also ! knew
the kings navy needed me. for men are
hard 20 get So, when they'd paid us
the cnsh-forty pounds hpieoeI
stepped In behind you. and here We
are-here we arei Forty pounds
apiece-equal 10 three years wages OF
an orffinary recruit OF the army. 1t
amt bad, bat we're here for three
years. and no escape from II Yes,
here ue arer"
Dyck laughed.
AYE, here we're Iikay 10 remain.
Michael. There's only this to be said
wen be lighting the French soon,
and MS easy to die In the midst OF
great fight. II we don't die, Michael,
something else will turn NJ, maybe"
That's true, siri They'll make an
officer of you, among the common herd.
It's the dregs D. the world that comes
TO the ships bottom In time of peace
or W.T."
"We1, I'm che dregs Cd the world.
micimel. I'm the supreme dregs,"
Somehow the letter from Virginia
had decided Dyck Calhoun's fate for
him. Here he was-at sea. common
sailor In the navy. He and Michael
Clones had eaten and drunk as sailors
DO, and they had realized that as
they ate and DRINK op the River
Thames, they would not eat and drink
ON the watery falrway. They had seen
the TANK foul with age from which
water was drawn for men who could
not 1--we without II, and the smell of
II had revolted Dyck's senses. They
had asen the kegs OF picked meat. and
n they had been todd on the evil rations
A given 10 the sailors nc sea.
The Ariadne had been a flagship in
her DAY, the home OF an admiral and
his stnff. She carried seventy-four
gunA was easily obedient tp her swift
sail. and had reputation for gellantry.
sAr ri Ilxfrly
Calhoun had fitted In; with discern
ing eye he had understood The seamen's
needs and the weaknesses OF the sys-
TEN
The months he had spent between
his exit from prison and his entrance
into the Ariadne had rUughened,
though not coarsened, Dyck's outward
appearance. From his first appearance
among the seamen he hAd set himself
to become their lender. His enlist
ment was for three years, and he meant
that these three should prove the flnnl
success Of this naval enterprise, or the
stark period In a calendar of tragedy.
The life Of the sailor. with Its coarse
ness and drudgety, its Inadequate pay,
its evil-smelling food. It's maggoty
| bread. Its beer drawn from casks that
once had held oil or fish, it's sinking
salt4neat barrels the hideous stencil
Of the bilge-water-all this could In
one sense be no worse than his suffer
ings I'm Jail In spite OF self-controL
Jail bad been 10 him the degradation
OF hts hopes, the humiliation OF his
/. ganhood. lie had suffered cold. damp
hess. fever, and indigestion there, and
It had sapped the fresh fibcr OF life
In him.
From the moment Dyck arrived on
board the Ariadne he was mnrked
man. Ferens, DISTINGUISHED solicit
tor, who knew his story, spread the un-
wholesome truth about him among the
ships people, and he received atten-
tons at once offensive and flattering.
The best educated Of the ships hands
approached him On the grievances with
which the whole navy was stirring
Something had put new spirit In
TO the life Of his majesty's ships; II
was. In a sense. the reDection OF the
French Revolution and Tom Paines
sAge of Reasop." What the Ameri-
cana had done In establishing rcpub-
lie, what France was doing by her
revolution, got into the veins and
minds OF conc men In England, but II
got into the veins and minds OF the
sailor first; foe, however low his origin,
he had intercourse not given TO the
hverage lnndsman. He visited foreign
porta he came In touch with other eie-
ments than those of British life and
character.
OF all the ships IN the navy NE
Arialine was the best tbat Dyck Cal
houn could have entered. Her OH
GERS we're humane and friendly, yet
arm: and II was quite certain that II
[ hutfny came they would be treated
kwcu. The agitation on the Ariadne
- tNa eKxfn NJ the