The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-10
EOening Story
Captain Jem.
BY CLARISSA MACKII


know the little blues are runnin' now
and every man that can heave a line
is OUT
Raymond looked wistfulIy at the
bright blue water rippled by the freash
breeze. Off by the breakwater he
could see a dozen small boats bobbing
about.
Good fishin' in the channel" OBJ
served Mr.. Beezley, as he carefully cut
a piece of tobacco
Yes" agreed the city man, must
be pretty good if 1 can't hire any kind
of boat. Say, there's a pretty little
craft-the yawl yonder' He pointed
to small boat that had shot up to
the landing steps. A slim boyish form
was fussing over a line flung ashore
and caught by a small boy.
That's Captain Jemmy-might take
you out for a spell-go and ask, sonn'
He chuckled as Dick Raymond hur-
ried down the pier toward the boat.
When he reached the steps he leaned
over and hailed the boat.
Boat ahoyI''
f'HeIIo!" came back briskly.
Captain Jenny aboard?''
Right
at want to speak to him"
Speak away" said the tar. as
| bending a sunburned hand over his
eyes he scanned the breakwater
Think he would take me fishing?'
"All misunderstanding off now. I've
got plenty of tackle and bait Oh,
| Elijah, cast off that line, will you?
| Thank you'll" Captain Jenny devoted
himself to maneuvering the boat away
from the pier, and Raymond did not
offer to help. He recognized Captain
Jenny as one of those born sons of
| the wind and tide who had been raised
| along shore, and who would disdain
! any interference unless there was dan
ger ahead.
! Once the wind tapped the brim of
| the captains enormous straw hat back
| and for an instant Raymond had
vision of a sun-tinted face, with wide,
| 1ong-lashed eyes, and damp rings of
hair on the forehead. In profile the
| face of Captain Jenny, hardened
| mariner tho he might be, was that
| of a young angel.
who would suspect a young pirate
like this Captain Jenny would have
a face like that?" unused the passen-
J ger as he watched the youthful fig
ure moving easily about the little
craft. The captains costume was
picturesque and colorful, for he wore
| white ducks thrust into black rubber
| boots, a white coat of nautical cut
| worn over a white silk shirt open at
| the mex, where scarlet scarf flicker
ed III the wind. The big peanut straw
hat hid even the lips of the master
tof the Golden Fleece.
Who named your boat?" asked
:
81 did"
why did you call her that?"
| "Oh-perhaps because it reminds
me of stories I loved when I was
little" then diffidently, still fac
| ing away from his passenger, he
added, Every time / start on a cruise
EVEN around the harbor, 1 tell my
self that perhaps I am setting out on
a wild adventure, shipwrecked, hid
den treasure-you know the yarns!"
Good stuff" agreed Raymond.
Captain Jenny steered for the
channel, scudded past the fleet of
fishermen, waved a brown hand in
response to numerous halls and pres
emily the Golden Fleece ! dropped
anchor in the channel where she
Jenny tossed tackle and bait toward
! the passenger.
Fish here he said laconicaIIy,
'snappers are running fine"
But Raymond was as much inter-
} ested in the catch of harbor blues
to him, flung a line deftly at hts feet
On the hook wriggled blue and silver
prize.
Take it off, please" requested the
captain, dropping another line over
board.
Take it off" repeated Raymond
'Take-it-off-p The young
| captains voice was icy.
why not remove it yourself?" Ray
mond smiled at the impudence
After a while Captain Jenny spoke
just as another Hopping fish landed
at Raymond's feet; 1T hate to take
EN- off the hook-it's messy-and-l
: don't know!'
"At your service, captain" said
Raymond gently, but his lips were
| the hook. He did not demonstrate
when a second fish came flying toward
him and a third and a fourth. He was
busy enough between his own fishing
and removing the catch from the cap.
tain's flying lines.
Better rename the Golden Fleece,
he suggested dryly.
: 'What?"
: "Can her the Flying Fish,
Captain Jenny laughed aloud, such
E a revealing laugh, and Just as if tht
wind wanted to join in exposing thi.
upward and went soaring away to land
on the rocks of the breakwater.
e ooh, goodness" yelled Captain
Jenny.
Raymond forgot to laugh as he saw
a mass of ruddy hair streaming GU
of the wind. At that moment tn,
, Golden Fleece decided to heel to the
putting breeze.
!. Captain Jenny was tying back hel
S hair with the scarlet scarf. Her fact
was IoSy anu neI eyes were eEdS4Ne
All the boldness of this young tar wal
gone with the shielding hat. 1--WE bet
ter get home" said the captain
y meekly.
a Raymond gathered up the fish and
cleaned up the mess about the deck
The yawl flew back thru the chan
( mel, raised a cheer among the fisher
e men, Capt. Jenny waved a sunburneC
hand and presently they were scra pins
r against the pier.
How much do owe your asket
= Raymond.
Nothing at all-this is a p1easur,
o boat-and if you've enjoyed the fish
8 ing that is enough" said Capt. Jemm!
a rather shamefacedly.
: And 1 shall never know more abou
: | the captain of the Golden Fleece no
v hear what further adventures befel
= that brave mariner" asked the mai
n anxiously. Il am staying at Mr.. Max
Il WHITs'