Evening star., 1922-05-07

says !. Then we'll pass that point.
Now about trying to snitch food from
the galley2"
II could smell the bacon fryin',"
says Flipper. 'an'-an' 1 was most
starved. Coffee, too"
With that his shifty little eyes fixed
themselves on the table and his thin
lips twitched.
Il say" puts In Barry. 'Iet's feed
the little beggar, and then maybe
he'll have more to tell about himself"
Court adjourned" says I. Hill
lard, see that our mysterious passen-
ger gets all he can hold. You might
scrub him up bit, too"
"Yessum," says the steward. and
Shoes Flipper out of the cabin.
Hes pretty fresh, that kid" says
Inez.
THERE was no debate about 1t. We
all agreed with her. and it was the
general opinion that we must get rid
of him as soon as possible. BUT we
couldn't quite chime in with the cap
tain's plan for setting the youngster
ashore on this island and letting him
get back home the best way he could.
That is.'' put in Barr,S ''if he real
ly has home. That step-father stuff
sounded bit fshy to me. OF course,
we must do something with him..
why not put 1t up to Uncle Nels
when he comes in from his fishing
orgie?" I suggests. Hes the real
boss Of this cruise, you know"
The motion was carried. but while
we had passed the buck we hadn't
entirely wiped Flipper off the slate.
While we were taking an after-break-
fast tramp around the upper deck
smiling the clean. salty breeze that
came ripping across the sparkling
green water and doing more or less
gushing about the beauties Of Useppa
by daylight the cabin steward came
to report that Master Flipper was
full of food and wanted cigarette.
1.-The nervy little wretch!' says
Barry. "He isn't old enough to
smoke, is hep
He done told me he was past If
teen." says Hilliard, "an' how his
nanny always let him have 'em.
Says she was circus lady"
More romancing, I'll bet" says /.
Didn't add anything to his tale about
how he came to be aboard. did he?"
oh. yes. he had. He'd confided to
Hilliard that he'd slowed himself
away on the Pyxie because he'd heard
she was bound for New York. and
he wanted to get north so he could
caddy again for some of the rich men
who had been playing golf down here.
Also. that he was the best caddy in
Florida and could play almost as good
a gam as Alex Smith.
''I'n tell you what we'll do" says
Barry. Lets take him ashore and
try him out I've been wanting to
play this little course. and we can
soon tell whether or not he knows
anything about the game. Send him
up here while I get out my clubs.
The proposition didn't feaze Flip
per a bit. He shouldered the bag with
fine swagger as the mate brought
around the tender to take the three
of us ashore. And on the very first
tee Barry put him to the test by ask
ing for his driver.
Driver putin" says Flipper,
You don't want wood fer that shot.
The card says 125 yards. Better take
a mashie. mister. and drop it on with
a backspin."
You've qualified. Flipper," admits
Barry. '.Mashie Is right"
I *x*
TURING the round Flipper gave or
other advice which sounded quite
professional. He insisted on a neb-
lick pitch to the knoll-topped second
green, instead Of the running-up shot
Barry started to make, and on the
elbow third he held out for low
hooked drive to the right of the fair
way Also he added a few new details
about his career. It seems that he
was really the son Of rich New York
broker who had owned bigger yachts
than ours, and that as little boy
he'd often beer, taken on long cruises.
So when he saw the Pyxie getting
ready he just couldn't resist sneakfng
on board. And he was just stringing
that darkey steward when he told
him about being anxious to get north.
Cuba was really where he was head.
ed for. and he hoped we'd take him
there,
.sWhy Cuba, F1ipper?" I asked.
WELL s1ys he, II got an uncle IN
Havana. Runs . big hotel thsrs, m
hA wants me - come and help him. :.
4l ! s =.