Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-03-23
BY Carl Clausen

Sprohl need not know anything about it.
then, until it's been done"
That is very good of you" he replied.
When he arose to leave she went to
her desk and returned with a blank
check, signed.
IF you will fill this out for the cost
Of the installation my bank will honor
It," she said as she handed him the slip
of paper.
He clicked his heels together and
saluted.
"On behalf Of my crew 1 thank you."
he said.
She smiled and held out her hand.
Capt. Austin" she said, Il know what
1t means TO a man of your temperament
TO humble yourself as you have lone TO
me this afternoon. / honor you for it. 4"
He raised her hand to his lips.
Your g~raciousness and understanding
has made a disagreeable task pleasant"
he said. MY men shall be informed OF
your generosity"
Port Prize is a town almost devoid of
vegetation. Day and night the furnaces
of the great smelters belch poisonous
fumes in which neither tree nor grass
can breathe.
Man alone, perhaps by his gifts Of
a~daptability, manages to survive. They
say that the lungs of the average Port
Piriean are made of sole leather. Be
that as it may, he seems to thrive on the
noxious air, vast quantities of
tea and ale, and does his eight hour stint
In the shelters or on the wharves hand
ling the small, heavy bags of refined ore,
and is apparently happy and healthy.
These bags, which are less than two
feet square, weigh in the n~eighborhood
If q sfyNIrnI "a ND Gftv a.t rrt-.
ore is silver, lead, n zinc with the Stag
removed, almost pure metal. A ship with
its hold tWo-f1fths full of 1t is laden to
the Plamsol maork. 1t is a cargo tbs
all mariners dread. At its wort, the whole
bottom has been known to drop out Of a
vessel thus loaded in a heavy sea, with
the instant loss of all hands before a
davit tackle could be hooked or a life
boat flashing unshipped. At its best, the
trip around the Horn with such a corgo
In the dead OF winter is one of the things
that keeps underwriters awake nights.
The Endymion had finished loading
her ore and the crew was battening down
the matches under the mates directions
when Jay Sprohl walked, cane in hand,
down the gangway with his eyes on the
aerials stretched between her lofty tops.
Kennerly, the mate, a mar of sixty, who
had grown gray in the service of the I.
0. N. c., was smoking his pipe over the
railing at the break of the poop. He
winked at the bosun, who was driving
home the wedges Of the after hatch, be-
low him. with a ten pound sledge.
This is where the sparks begin to
fly" he said out of the corner of his
mouth and Without removing his pipe.
IF l were the Old Man I'd skin him alive
and nail his perfumed hide to the bulk
head"
To the crew of a sailing vessel their
skipper, no matter how young he may
be, is always ''the Old Man"
'Ere's 'opin e does" the bosun
%grinned, as he drove the last wedge home
with a grunt.
Capt. Austin, working at his desk in
the cabin, looked up from his task as
Jay Sprohl stepped across the threshold
with fury in his pale blue eyes.
you've installed a wireless against
my orders" he began before the skipper
had a chance for a word of greeting. He
thrust his head across the desk ano
pounded upon it with his cane. 1.-THE
l. O.. N. C. will never pay the bill"
Capt. Austin pushed the cane aside
then opened a drawer and took from II
Edith Crowell's check, which he had
filled out and made payable to the firm
that had installed the apparatus. He hello
up the slip Of paper before Sprohl's eyes
THE bill will be paid. I'm mailing
the check this morning" he said quietly
Sprohl glared at the signature.
so you've gone over my head; you
you cheap petticoat politician" he
sneered.
Austin returned the check to the
drawer and arose. He was slow to anger
but the epithet made him see red.
Get out" he said, before l throw
you out"
SprohI's face was working. The lool
in the Shippers eyes told him that he
had gone too far.
You dare order me out of one of my
own shipsl" he spluttered. YOU'RE dis.
charged-ired. d'you hear?"
II heard you" Austin replied. "But
first you're going ashore-or over the
side-whichever you prefer. I'm the mas
ter of this vessel until l receive your no.
tice In writing. Now, get outl'
you'll receive it in short order" the
other replied. He whirled about ant
Mr.. Mate" he beloved at Kennerly
call your men together. I want tt
speak with them"
TOO busy" said Kennerly; we're bat
tening down and getting ready for sea
The tugll be alongside in an hour. Cap
tain's orders, sir"
MY orders are that you call your mer
together" Sprohl shouted.
Kennerly sucked imperturbably at hi
pipe.
''Sorry. sir. I'm responsible only to tn
skipper. All right, boys" this to thu
crew, "go on with your work. Bosun
send your watch aloft to slush down tn
spars."
AYE, aye, sir"
You refuse to obey my orders2