The Lamar register., 1922-01-11
A Man To
His Mate
J. ALLEN DUNN
Illustrations by
Irwin Myers
Copyright Bobbs Merrill Co.
Continued from Page Two)
Illustrations by
Irwin Myers
Copyright Bobbs Merrill Co.


pannikins of food. He seemed to be
calculating what advantage he could
gain out of this unexpected happening.
Peggy Simms. under cover of pour
ing the coffee. sweetened heavily with
condensed milk, found time to speak
to Ralney.
"They're all drunk" she said.
mot all of them. Here comes Lund.
He'll handle it,"
Lund seemed still pondering the
problem of the foe. At first he did
not notice the condition OF the sailors.
Then he apparently ignored it. But.
after they had eaten. he talked TO all
the men.
1.-TWO more days OF 1t, lads, and
we're through. The beach is nigh
cleared. We can git out of the foe
to blue water easy enough. an weii
git good start on the patrol-ship.
Wen go back with full pockets an
heavy ones The shares1l he half AS
large again as we've fggered. 1
wouldn't wonder II they averaged six
teen or seventeen thousand dollars
apiece"
ed Finn as the lender of the sailors In
their debauch. The liquor seemed to
have unclaimed In him n spirit Of re-
volt that bordered on insolence. He
stood with his bowed legs apart, nit
tened hands on hips, staring at Lund
with covert grin.
Next to Lund he was the biggest
man aboard with the rum giving an
unusual coordination to his usually
sluggish nervous system. he promised
to be source of trouble.
Rainey was surprised to see him
shrug his shoulders and lead the way
to the beach. Perhaps breakfast had
sobered them, though the fumes Of
liquor still clung cloudily on the air.
Lund went down. with Rainey be-
side him. reporting Sandy.
"I'lI work 1t out of EN-" said Lund.
THAT boozem be an expensive luxury
to 'em. paid for In hard labor"
They found the men ranged up in
three groups. Deming and Beale.
against custom. had gone down TO the
beach. They were supposed to help
clean the food utensils. and aid Tama-
da after meal. besides replenishing
the fires.
They stood little away from the
hunters and Hansen and the sailors.
The Finn. talking to his comrades in
a low growl, was with a separate
group.
There was an air OF defiance mani
fest. feeling OF suspense In the tiny
valley, backed by the frowning cone,
ribbed by the two Icy promontories.
Lund surveyed them sharply.
"What In h-'s the matter with
your" he barked. "Hansen, send up
a man for the drills an shovels. Yore
works laid out; hop to itr
'We amt goin' to work no more"
said the Finn aggressively. mot fo'
no sich wage like you give"
"Oh. you ain't. amt your Knocked
Lund. He was standing with Rainey
In the middle OF the space they cleared
of gravel, the seamen lower down the
beach. nearer the sea, their ranks
compacted. "why. you booze-bitten.
lousy hunky. what In HI do you want7
You never saw twenty dollars in
lump you c'u'd call yore own for
more'n ten minnits. You boardin'-
house loafer an the rest OF you scum
O. the seven seas. git yore shovels an
git to diggin', or I'll put you ashore
In San Francisco fiat broke. an glad
to leave the ship, at that Jump,"
The Finn snarled. and the rest stood
hrm. Not one of them knew the real
value of their promised share. Money
represented only counters exchanged
for lodging, food and drink enough
to make them sodden before they had
spent even their usual wages. Then
they would wake to find the rest gone,
and throw themselves upon the selfish
bounty Of a clearinghouse keeper.
But they had seen the gold. they
had handled It, and they were inflamed
by a sense of what II ought to do for
them. Perhaps half of them could
not add simple sum, could not grasp
figures beyond a thousand. at most.
And the Sight Of so much gold had
made It, in a manner, cheap. 1t was
there. a heap Of It, and they wanted
more Of that shining heap than had
been promised them.
you talk big" said the Finn. Look
my hands" He showed palms cal
loused. split, swollen Jumps Of chill
blamed flesh worn down and stiffened
II bin seaman, not NAVY"
Lund turned to the hunters.
"You in on this?" he asked Dem