New Britain herald., 1925-02-03
BEGIN HERE TODAY

Alden Talbot Drake Is contemptu, ous of the idle life he is leading ir his luxurious home, The urge which took him to sea on leaving school has never left him. Ono night, slipping away to Sailortown Drake meets up with little
 Joe Bunting, a sailor, They drink each other off their feet in a bar room, and Drake is carried upstairs Awakening next morning, Drake hears himself denounced by
 Captain Stevens of the Orontes as being dude" -- not even fit for shanghaiing. Drake sneaks aboard the ship as one of the crew On the Orontes is
 Mary Manning. daughter of the owner. Hiding in narrow steel shell in the forecastle, Drake hears the voices of Miss Manning and Captain Stevens. Inopportunely Drake sneczes.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 What the heIl!" exclaimed Stevens, as Drake's stranged sneeze let go. In moment Captain Stew ems was on his knees, reaching with long, steel-muscled arm that seemed 10 grow fathoms long to Drake. The hook-like fingers fast cned upon his dungarecd leg. He tried to fight; another sneeze robbed him of strength; he was hauled out, still sneezing, to stand humiliated before those blue eyes that held the ocean decps in them. Stevens swore fervidly:
 Why, it's you! Damn my eyes. Wait till T."
 ."Who is it?" cried Mary. getting over her startlement and regarding Drake with big wide eyes.
 "Who is it, He'll It's tn putty dude that crimp tried"
 The skipper went to the forecas- tie door, shouting for the mate.
 "I - beg your -" stammered Drake, eyes streaming. Another paroxysm shook him speeches.. In came the mate, bubbling over with the cnthusiasms Of a recent promo tion.
 Mister Twining." growled the skipper savagcly, take this out and run it ashore"
 "Gangway's in, sir" grinned Mis- ter Twining.
 "Thcn dump it over the side. Get it out O the ship"
 Sheer humiliation forced Drake 10 fight, although he could not zee, could scarcely hold up his head, which still ached. He clenched his fists and fought blindly.
 "Oh, you don't mean to throw him into the water?" cried Mary.
 "They cant! The pair of them can't" panted Drake; and Mister Twining, fresh, strong, full of pep, found that he could not, alone.
 What call themselves men, now adays-!" growled Stevens, enig- matically. and put his two power full hands to the task. A fit of sneez- ing overCame Drake at that inop- perfume moment: he was putty in truth then; he was rushed outside, his knees were peeled cruelly on the coaming Of the door; they picked him up clear of the deck.
 "Wo're a man short, sir" men tioned the mate as they swung him.
 "Wc1l get 8 man." retorted Stevens. "Onc. Two.-"
 Alden Drake beat his way half drowned to the boat steps beside the lock gates
 In a corner of inc Docks he sneczed his head clear of dust, and tried 10 plan his next move. He had got aboard too easily that last time. It wasn't logical to expect such simplicity But he had paid well in the end. So well. that his fighting blood was thoroughly heat ed now; he would show that blue eyed girl that he Swas a man, and prove it upon the teeth of Captain Stevens.
 But first he had 10 stow himself away beyond fear of discovery. And he had little time. Once the tug ranged alongside the tall clipper he would almost surely have lost. And there was a grievous amount of activity about the Orontes. He watched the mate come ashore.
 Looking for a man.' Drake nut tered sarcastically, "1 don't look like man to Captain Stevens. And I had my masters ticket when he -" He halted that train Of thought. It led 10 nowhere. Hes right" he decided. "A mans only the man he is, not what he was I'll ask him what I am; but I'll be- no putty dude when I ask him. by Ceasar. And I want to see no pity in that girls big eyes when he an swcrs me, either"
 He shivered in his wet dungarees. t2llt ms eyes never ltib Ail's 6i'>''.' painted side of the Orontes. One great anchor hung at the haWse- pipc almost in the water. That anchor would not be taken aboard and slowed for sea until the ship won outside the river.
 The whole picture suddenly be- ., came vividly clear, Drake waited until the mate had gone out Of sight; then raE as fast as he could go right to where the boatman sat
 Hey, mate" he called gruiiIy. Give me a shove over, will you? I've been ashore for last half pint and almost lost the ship"
 "Wuz you tn bIoke the mye's gorn a-lookin' for?" asked the boat man. Such escapades were common. He was at the steps even as he put the question.
 Hell be glad to see me, all .,, ', --,rrol nrake inn ming into