Evening star., 1925-11-15

some day. when. in his good time. he
should come hack from slow years of
wandering about the vaSraAt ports of
q faraway world. this thing would he
worth $4,000: perha ps more. depend
ing upon his size and his health.
Which. an Cap'n Moat had remarked
was might of profit. IL would ena BILE
him to do what he had talked over
several times with rather uncom-
municative person whom he visited re
ligiously during the long months and
years when the Lady West pushed her
way through tropic waves on the
other side OF the world. He took II
for granted that she was as matter
of fact as he--a conviction with cap'n
Moat was sufficient. whether the ques-
ton he OF year or a decade. Yes.
this $5O. 900 ought TO settle the matter:
a house up on the hill. but like the
superstructure of ship. with gal
leries like decks. and a wheelhouse in
which he could sit in the afternoons
when the sun went low. And. of
course, her. She always would be
there. His ship and his crew and his
woman. These were things unroman-
ticaliy vital 10 Csp'n Moat.
Then he. too went over the side
while Big Boy. awkward and gang
ling. PLAYED about the ca bin. punching
the room into darkness and light with
chuckiing excitement, or rocking In
stolid enjoyment In the old plush chair
until long after the day had faded
and The old freighter had settled down
TO the laziness of night. Then he as
cended to the deck, 10 amble upright
along the rail. coOins with delight
at the blinking brightness Of the ferry
boats and the glow of the city in the
distance. looking upon ii all as a
child would look upon fairyland.
Which. after all. he was. beast
child. happy In place he knew as
home. his whole affection centered in
a man who gave him no more thought
than that he some day would be valu-
able. even as a lifeless cargo would be
valuable. once the Lady West reached
port. But OF that Big Boy knew
nothing. Capn Moat was kind. simply
by not being unkind; there was food
and friends and the excitement of ac-
tivity. which was enough. BY some
strange form of fascination. the great
apes love the sea.
He ambled forward and like "a
shaggy dog intruding unnoticed sham
bled into the lollins group of seamen
on the forward deck.
After awhile. some one brought
forth an accordion and began 10 play
-wheezy, uncertain melodies. glorious
10 Big Boy. He chirruped and pound.
ed upon the deck with his heavy black
hands. He bounded In frantic ecstasy
and at last In clumsy fashion. upon
short. bowed legs. he began 10 dance.
raising first one tremendous. curved
foot. then the other in uncertain
rhythm. swinging his giant arms and
rnl hi
ing. The crew called encoura cement.
Some one began 10 pat. seeking by
the steady repetition 10 give the awk.
ward beast suggestion of tempo.
Then IL all ceased as suddenly az it
had begun. a harbor boat had chug.
ged 10 the side Of the ship. and d tall
man had come hastily over the rail
TO go as hastily below. Where the
crew lolled forward. eyes rolled in
humorous signaling. and heads went
close.
The chief. wasn't it,
Yes. Bet it's happened
Then waitfuI silence for half-hour.
until the chief engineer. his sea .ba <
hastily packed. few possessions
gathered under one arm. made the
rail again and disappeared into the
waiting craft below. The crew musi-
clan drew mournful note from his
wheezy accordion. and improvised to
the swinging delight of Big Boy.
''Oh. here's 10 a sweetheart waitiu'
patiently.
Wsitin while I'm sailin' on the
boundin' sea.
Waitin while I'm sailin' on the
boundin' blue
But who's she a-waitin' for-me or
you?" ~
1t brought great laughter from the
others gathered about: that had been
a silent joke for a long time about
the skipper paying his stodgy court
to woman who wrote letters to him
in her own chirography and to the
chief engineer upon typewriter.
They must have met. Nothing else
could have caused that hurried exit
OF the chief: he was ordinarily :. de-
liberate man. So they We're hushed
and expectant when the cap'n's boat
at last came alongside and the skip.
per had stumped below. followed as
always by the cooling Big Boy, who
remained unnoticed until Cap'n Moat
had paced his cabin for a long half
hour. At last the capn unclasped his
hands from behind his back and
raised his heavy. SANDY head.
Get out of here. he ordered brnSk
ly. Get ont. Get out" He showed
the wondering beast from the room
then stood back at the sight of the
first mate.
"Oh, you. Marston." he said. Want.
ed see YOU. Let's get some action into
slowing this cargo. Do nothing but
waste time once we get in port. Start
crOwdinG things tomorrow. Well
clear-Just As soon as | can ship a
new chief. A little matters come
up--'