The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-03-27
ROPE END.


wheezcd. Some Of the men were
less considcrato % the ship. They
agreed with Tubhs and Sims An
this back breaking. heart raekins
labor was futile. Some. those who
most Loyalty backed the mates and
little Joe Bunting. glanced darl<ly
at the pacing figure Of Jake stey.
ems in the waist.
by 10 o'clock the tldo was fall.
All the movable weight forward. ex.
cept the deck water tanks. had been
shifted aft
Try her now. Mister Twininsr'
cried Drake, eagerly.
Suddenly the men shipped their
eapstan bars again. Every man in
the ship except Drake. stevens and
'Erb Oats put his weight 10 the
bars.
''Heaye-' wheezed Joe Bunting.
''Oh. Heaye an bust err IL was
useless starting a song. This ship
must be moved before she would be-
gin TO slide fast enough 10 call for
a song. But 10 move her was ter
rife task. With muscles cracking.
the veins swelling on the forehcads
Of the few real workers. only the
''Clack, clack. cla-a.ekF' OF three re-
iuetant pawls resulted aIr. Twin
ing Strengthened his agonized hack.
Mr. Adams almost fell forward at
the expiration Of his heroic effort.
"Bii'mel I'm done painted Joe
Bunting. Nick Coombs, silent hithcr.
TO. but heavlng with every atom
OF hts tremendous arm and shout
der power. glared with gIassy eyes
from beneath lowering. dripping
brows. shaking his head, beaten.
Ought TO make everybody give
is pound. he grumblcd And
young Adams, knowing the man
spoke the truth. glanced along the
deck at Stevens and at the sail
locker door lie knew how useless
all this labor was. lie thought he
knew, anyhow. And the coffee had
been pretty bad. Adams was ready
10 back his skipper to the limit,
as was Twining; but he was young.
and with the pronencss Of youth
was likely 10 overlook a few things
in tho heat Of annoyance. He
watched Drake, pacing the poop,
apparently only thinking up ways
TO further be-devil and buliy.damu
the mates and the men. What
Alden Drake was really thinking
about was how he could got his
ship af1oat and on her way to her
port with least delay.
Mister Twiningr' he called out.
Twining responded briskly. Here
was word to quit breaking the
mems hearts. Drake leisurely pack.
ed his old black briar pipe, and as
Iiesureiy lit the tobacco. The smoke
was letting freely when Twining
appeared at the head of the ladder.
Mister Twining. you may vast
hcaying for this tide" Twining q
face frightened. Let the men 50,
their dinners. give 'en a spell for a
smoke. then go TO work and shift
The water tanks aft" Twinlngs
jaw dropped. His eyes clouded.
Drake puffed placidly at his pipe,
and went on IN the Same voice as
he might use 10 tell Ike TO put but.
tons in a clean Jacket.
Tomorrow, II shifting the tanks
doesn't help her off, wen open the
fore hold and break out those Man.
chester cases. Send the cook aft To
set the cabin table when the men
Nave got their ratlons."
Twining was halfway down the
poop ladder before nc could govern
his voice enough to respond.
AYE. aye. sirF'
He said nothing TO the men ex.
cept that they were to have their
dinners and smoke. He saw them
troop forward in glee.
"some of the men are ready Ia
chuck in their hands nowr' said
Adams. Break out cargo in this
heat? Have TO do IT, / suppose
The old man knows his business
IT'S damned hard, tho. don't be-
lieye the ship can move before
spring tides"
"I'il agreed it's hard returned
rwlning. But II Captain Alden
Drake says he can move tho ship
] won't believe Il Impossible as lone
as he carries on trying. I'm walt,
ing 10 rec him set sail aud bacl,
her Off yet"
Stevens watched tho last sailor
carry tho last mess kit into IN,
forecastc. Then the Doctor sham
bled an, curling, taking off his III