Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23

ing their weight even in fine weather,
let alone in an emergency? Tell me,
am I?
The man, M, who had started to
voice this foc'sle grouse" with such
assurance and turbulence, WINGED before
the masters furious demeanor.
Don't worry about us, Cap'n," he
| stammered at last Give 'er the rags
| and We'll take EN- in FIR you. Better
to risk drowning than starvation!"
You hear that, men?" demanded the
captain. Are you agreed to what this
man says? Speak up, someone! Do
you stand by what M says?"
A shaky murmur of acquiescence vi
brated through the crowd.
Good enough!" cried the commander
his voice suddenly rising in anger
You shall have the rags, all of them
the to'gallant'ls, royal fore-and-afters
| courses, every stitch! But if the masts
come down around your ears and kill
| the lot Of you, don't blame me- Aloft
and loose the sails this minute! The
| first man who hesitates to obey my
orders I'll clap in irons!"
The captain spent that night on deck
He was anxious but determined. The
men were getting out of hand. They
needed lesson, and he meant to give
it to them. During the rest of the trip,
/ might mention, he was never accused
OF being faint-hearted in the matter of
carrying canvas, and his orders to
shorten down were always carried out
with alacrity.
THE captain sailed straight for FIRE.
mantle, Western Australia, which
was the nearest port, and at length, on
June 10, 1909, after further spell of
adverse weather, the ship sighted Rott-
nest Island, marking the entrance of
the harbor
What land and the civilization it
stood for meant to those WORKOUT,
half-Starved Sailormen will be more
readily imagined than described. Some
OF them actually believed that the
welcome sight was only hallucination.
1t was not until the pilot-cutter came
alongside, and prosaic and very ma
terlal pilot clambered aboard that
realization of the wonderful truth came
to them. Then one or two of them sat
down and actually wept!
While the pilot was bringing the ship
to anchor in Gage Roads the cutter,
upon his instructions, steamed I'D the
river to the town and returned shortly
with stock of provisions, including
fresh meat and vegetables, white bread
and butter, and even fruit, with which
the cook and steward set to work to
prepare a meal the like of which had
not been seen by any of the men aboard
that packet for many a long, weary
month.
Having at length INDUCED themselves
to capacity and lit up their pipes, the
fo'c'sle hands lay back contentedly in
their hunks and discussed the future.
We'll, boys, I've done all I means to
do aboard of this ere old lime-j uicer. /"
declared one decisively, putting out
clouds OF smoke. She blamed near
done for us all once. amt takin' any
more chances"
What do you propose doing, them"
asked another. Hopping it in a small
boat in the middle of the night?"
mo; that amt no good" replied the
former. They'll take jolly good care
aft there that no boat as a chance o.
comm alongside. suppose we asks the
old man to pay us off. If he refuses
well. We'll just tell i'm that were
through. Simple enough, amt it?"
II suppose you know it'll mean jail?"
demonstrated a gray-bearded old she'll
back.
We'll, what O. that, Father Christ