Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31

" WILLIAM RAMSAY was a
~ most popular captain
Nv There could be no doubt
of that. And the Green
Funnel Line benefited
atty when ii gave him command
The Calvanian. which ship boasted
..th on the Clyde, had three decks
i've the main, reciprocating engines
I'd was registered at 1900 tons. On
tic Londun-Buenos Aires run she
t..ade great deal of money.
apt. Ramsay was nearly 40, but
,ked many years younger than that.
had a very charming personality
ii was related to one of the best
antilles in England. Invariably
i. nrofere. people with money and po-
ion took passage on his ship when
need to travel was strong upon
en-. Yes, the Green Funnel Line
| we'll to give William Ramsay the
lvanian.
The trouble was the captain knew
+. And he knew the line knew it.
Ii" was also aware that he looked
N,ry we'll in his blue serge uniform
N5,h the -four broad bands of gold that
noted rank. He was inclined to be
lnpous-a litt!e-and to pose-a lit
more. Being Il bachelor and good
JokinG. the ladies admired him. Be
wen bbIll anu ellltltilt. Inc men
.aired him also. Life had fallen into
casant paths for him. lie deserved
uch, too. for he was d fine sailor
So, in his way. was Big Mick Col
~. Big Mick was also nearly 40,
1t dissipation and hard living had
he'd lines and CreaSeS over his face
nat made him look very old and life
I'd, indeed. lie wore no blue uni
r'm, and never in his life had he
canned of possessing even one gold
nd. He dressed when working in
lied, Srimy dungaree pants. Il thin
."tton Singlet, and around his neck
ID" knotted a wide-meshed sweat rag
IS time was spent in the dim lit
- cSle gambling and smoking and
Gown in the bowels of the Calvanian
IovelinS coal into roaring furnaces
i'e was Il fireman, and no passenger
ever noticed him.
Now, Capt. Ramsay knew many
hinSs besides navigation and seaman
hlp-philosophy, how To eat correct
Il. how to dress and how to face dam
CT with gentlemanly calm. Big
Nick knew how to drink. but chiefly
He knew how to Work-Work like
horse during his four hours below
mere was no comparison between the
men. None at all. AT least. there was
Hone apparent until the Calvanian rip
ped half her bottom on an umcharted
i"ck somewhere off the coast of South
america.
TT was late afternoon. ana there was
heavy swell running, too heavy
Tor comfort. The sea looked so
threatening that Capt. Ramsay had
. faint sinking feeling take possession
i HIM. II was doubtful whether life
coats would live. 1t was doubtful even
whether they could he launched safe
~. Not that there was any immedi-
lte need. for the Caivanan had six
Nater-tlSht compartments. and though
he was sinking. she WAS sinking very
IoWly
There was no panic at first. or very
little. What there was was quelled
admirably by the stewards and by
capt. Ramsay. lie came down on the
promenade deck and spoke calm
words. He laughed at the women that
mustered round him. Soothed them. He
even took time TO have a drink with
he men at the bar. lie was Can't.
William Ramsay. lie was moderately
EounG and supremely confident He
could meet danger after the manner of
his kind. He was gentleman.
Nevertheless his face was strained
when he entered the chief engineers
cabin quarter of an hour later The
chiefs face was strained. too
we may last five hours perhaps
SIX said the captain. The nearest
vessel will be twelve hours reaching
us. The seas rising. There's more
than a hint of wind in the way the
glass is dropping" He paused and
poured himself "A short drink from
the chiefs bottle on the mahogany
desk. The chief followed suit. and
then said, quite impersona1Iy. "Well?"
The captain set down the glass. The