Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22

Stars wakened. Long after day was gone
Jukes curled himself in the middle of the raft
and went to sleep. Thirst awakened him. He
dipped the dungareeS in the sea and wrapped
them round his neck.
Night passed. At dawn the horizon was
empty. Fins cruised to and fro on all sides.
Shouts broke the still blue water. The sky
was ci0udleSS.
When Jukes dipped his dungarees, jaws
snapped on them. He wrenched, and leg Of
the dungarees remained in his hands
Day passed. Night came, starry and still.
Shouts nosed around the rats edge. Fins
darted to and fro. ripping the MINDLESS water.
Jukes slept f1tfully, dreamed, wakened, dozed,
and dreamed again. Night passed ,..'
At dawn Jukes climbed unsteadily to his
feet. His lips were black his skin scarlet. He
mOaned. His tongue was swollen. :.
A quarter Of q mile from the raft dense
black cloud was slowly crossing the equatorial
sky. A sheer wall OF water fell from the cloud
to the sea. Flying fish lcaped ct the rains
foot. White birds preyed on them from above,
silvef-bellied fish from below. The shouts were
gone to join In the preying.
THE squall passed by, came within an eighth
of mile of the raft, dipped under the
sea rim. and was gone The sun rode high in
q blue cloudlesS sky The shouts were back.
Fins ripped the water all about. JukeS crouched
with the wet scrap of dungaree about his neck.
Day passed. Night came.
Jukes lay PROSTATE. face downward Hours
passed Long after midnight he lifted his head
and tried to climb to his knees. A dim, green
light winked on the sea far of. He toppled
over and was still. Wind rufled his hair and
blew cool upon his brow.
ALI JukeS saw houses with smoking chimneyS
windows aglint Saw masts and spars along q
waterfront. Heard singing, far away. A wind
blew through green treetops
When JukeS came to himself he lay In q
lamplit forecastle. From near by came the
voices Of sailors. II seen boat WI two dead
men in her one time. None ever knowed wot
ship they was from"
JukeS raised his head painfully and listened
From neck to ankles his body was a fiery blister.
II been eleven blasted year at sea. got
nuthin'"
"You never will ave-"
"W'o0 careS?"
"There don't no one care You an me d
dogs"
This here'I be my last wage"
"Aye-thatS wot you says-wait"
walt yerself. I'm DONE"
Jukes climbed from the bunk and tottered
out into the starlight.
low are We, matey?"
Bring i'm some water"
Jukes gulped cold water down.
Ere, mate-you 'ad 1t in yer and"
Jukes took the little oilskin package They
led him back and laid him in the bunk again.
They smeared more grease on his burned limbs.
They gave him more water.
AS Jukes, with fumbling fingers, united the
package, they gathered around. His NpS
moved. A sailor bent above him listening.
Els done. No more O. ships fer 'im."
Jukes dozed away. They passed the picture
from hand to hand. They read the dog-eared
letter over
Look at ERE" said one, and pointed to the
date.
Three years ago! Els been long time"
"Shanghaied, maybe"
Them crimpS."
'Tm DONE"
'Haw, 1aw, haw! Maybe!"
It was the dog-watch time. The sun was
setting. Warm. pearly little clouds passed over.
head. A low wind murmured
dozen sailors gamboled by the hatch, try
Ing themselves, pitting their strength and skin
against each others ALI Jukes was there with
head and shoulders higher than the rest.
Here. Jukes" called one, a lad with an
unshaven downy face. "Ill race you to the
masthead! UP and back. pound Of baccy
to the winner. You take the main, and I'll 20
up the FORE"
Ere, Chips! Come on an start EN-" called
an eager sailor; and Chips, the carpenter,
stepped up.
"One-two-"
'I'n bet pound O. baccy on young Limber-
toes!"
Jukes at the main, the other at the fore
shroudS, stood waiting three"
"Three!" snapped the carpenter.
"Go!-go!-go!"
go. Limbertoesl My baccy's on you'll"
Go, Jukes! Go, Jukes!"
Show i'm sailor! Show i'm, Timber now!"
Over the futtock Shrouds, together, neck and
neck, went JukeS and Timber
1.-TWO pounds O. baccy-'oo takes me on?-two