Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-03-11
CHAPTER VIII.

steamer early the following morning.
and at noon he entered a taxi with his
hand baggage and was driven to the
levee where La Estrelllta lay Juggling
gently at her moOring lines. Owing to
the congestion Of freight and traffic the
chauffeur stopped his cab little dis
tance from the gangplank. where
Webster discharged him with liberal
tip.
The latter, however, swung his
passengers bag and suitcase to the
ground, picked them up and started
for the gangpank.
"Never mind my baggage, lad"
Webster called after him. zone of the
deck boys will care for It,"
The chauffeur turned. you've been
generous with me, sir" he answered
80 l think l had better carry your
baggage aboard. If you permit deck
boy 10 handle it, you merely have to
give another tip, and that would be
sheer wanton waste Why shouldn't
I earn the one you gave me-"
81 hadn't figured it out that way,
son, so here's another half dollar for
being the only existing specimen of
your species in captivity. My state
room is No. "a, upper deck, port side"
Webster answered, smiling. The man
took the tip eagerly and hurried to-
ward the gangpank; the quartermas-
ter on duty shouldered a way for him
and he darted aboard.
Webster followed lesureIy. At the
gangplank the purser's clerk halted
him, examined his tickets and punched
them.
"Where is the other MANI he asked.
"You have two tickets here"
"Oh, that blamed valet of mine"
Webster answered, and glanced around
as if in search of that mythical func-
tionary. 1T would be like the stupid
fellow to miss the boat" he added.
when he comes"
Webster ceased speaking abruptly.
He was looking straight into the
malevolent orbs of PuCker-eye, who
was standing just behind the clerk at
the foot of the gangplank.
81 wonder if POp-eye's around, also"
Webster thought, and he faced about.
Pop-eye was standing in back of him,
leaning over the railing of the gang
way.
(Which is the valetT' the purser's
clerk asked, scanning the names on the
tickets.
Andrew Bowers"
"All right, Mr.. Webster" the other
answered, with that genial camaraderie
that seems inseparable from all of his
calling. "When Andrew comes I'll
send him aboard"
He started to pass the tickets back
to Webster, but a OBTAINING hand rest
ed on his arm, while a dark thumb and
forefnger lifted the trailing strips Of
tickets. Pucker-eye was examining
them also.
The purser's clerk drove his elbow
backward violently into Pucker-eye's
midriff and shook him off roughly.
"What do you mean, you black-and-
tan hound?' he demanded. "Since
when did you begin to o. X. my wOrk?'
Pucker-eye made no reply to this
stern reproof. He accepted the elbow
with equanimity and faced Webster
with an evil smile that indicated mu-
tual recognition.
"Bueno," he said. "The senior he
ees sail on La Estrellita for San Bue-
naventura, no?"
80 you came nosing around to see
about it, Ell? Doing little plain gum
shoe work, l see"
Pucker-eye bowed By the simple ex-
erclse of courage and bad manners he
had looked at John Stuart Webster's
ticket and was now familiar with his
name and destination.
Webster glOwered darkly at Fucker
eye and said
"Well, you scOundrelly cutthrOat,
what are you going to do about it,
Try little Of your knife work on me,
1 suppOse?"
The fellow grinned-the kind Of grin
that is composed of equal parts of
ferocity and knowledge Of superior
strength. That grin did more to dis
concert Webster than the knowledge
that he had earned for himself two
bloodthirsty and lmplacable enemies,
for Pucker-eye was the first Of his
breed that Webster had ever seen
smile under insult That cool smile
Infatuated him.
Pucker-eye took out cigarette case