The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-08

| out, needing steam. Norman rushed
into the signal house and pommeled
the firebox with coal. Here was q job
about his size, firing bOilersl
The door popped open and Captain
Stocking CROPPED into the room. His
face famed red under his thin wet
hair, his eyes were blazing.
Erickson" he challenged, "why
didn't you go with Parish?"
Norman clattered the scoop to the
floor.
81 triedp'
''Tried? Why didn't you go, then
Was you scart?" Stocking spoke the
word furiOusly, "Scart? And drownin'
man needin' help five hundred yards
| offshOre!' He pointed a shaking finger.
81 believe they was right about you,
Erickson! Here ! been holdin up
your part all along. | said you wasn't
scarf, said you'd learn, be good sea-
man and credit to the light I've
told 'em all that Told Sue, told Bak-
er, told Parish! And now you'play an
APPEL Shame to YEP
He finished in long below, fists
punching the air. Norman backed
against the wall. An avalanche of
thoughts swept through his head, He
remembered his father. That briny,
bowling old sailor would never let
another man talk to his face like this
. he'd be as hard as ice, would
Gustaf, colder than the very lakel He
doubled his fists. Sure, he'd been slow.
been clumsy, shame to all the Err
icksons! But nobody should tell him
sol
Don't 60 hollering'at me !" he yelled
I'm not in the coast guard! Nothing
in regulations about KNOWN how to
jump in bOat!
Captain Stocking spat.
Nothing in regulations to keep you
from KNOWN how. Not q word! Par
ish told you to hurry. Want to see
men drown? What you know about
regulations? What's regulations got to
do with being yaller. no-count scarf
coward? You best get out of this
service, boy You amt fit Think it's
a gals job, beins keeper? Think you
never need step In a boat? They's
good men in this service Erickson.
none other. You best get out 70
'I'll get out when I'm put out"
Norman pounded the shovel ON the
floor.
"And while you're at 1t, I'll do some
talking, too" he screamed "You
| mo
hadn't seen ghost! That'll look fine
on paper, won't it, lot of talk about
the Kitty K? Who was ii first sight
ed that gas boat? Sue, and then me
And you and Steve Sutton were here
inside, sticking your heads under the
coal piler
He banged the shovel into the cor
ner picked it up and flung it down
again.
comes to resigning from this serv.
Ice, comes to putting me out, I'll have
some talking to do" be shouted. you'll
have fine time getting rid OF me,
old man! I'll do some talking If there's
talk to be done, and id to youi"
Captain Stocking listened speech.
lessly. He scratched his head. His
assistants rage had cooled his own.
"No such disgraceful, brawly Ian.
guage in my signal house, Erickson.
I'll stand for none of it. What you're
in need of, mind, is redemption. Re-
demptiOn and clout on the ear to
learn ye respect Get away from me.
l need some decent atmosphere to
think in. Get away Go to the house |"
Norman slammed the front door to
the keepers quarters and stamped
down the corridor to his own room.
He heard man talking in the parlor
and Sue Stockings laugh. Norman
recognized Bakers voice. Its buster
stiffened him.
'"His old mans daft" the new men,
Der of Parish's crew was saying, "but
he's right brave seaman!"
Norman trod nOisily down the hall.
He knew Of whom Baker gabbled with
such superior air. OF course, old
Gustaf was a right brave seaman
Without lighting his lamp. he slid
out Of his wet clothes and hunted
dry ones. He rubbed himself down
with towel. He had said plenty to
old Samuel Stocking out there in the
signal house! But not too much.
Drive him out Of the service, Ell?
He heard Sue Stocking call him:
Erickson
"Yes!"
"Will you come out here a minute?"
" "What do you want of me?"
81? l don't want you'll Goodness
knows | never want to look at you
again. It's the man Delong."
Norman stumbled into his shoes in
the dark Of his room. OF course, she
didn't want him. Lord knew she'd
shown more spunk tonight than he had.
''Ill be out" he answered.
He dressed slowly. belong. He
knew the name. It was a city fellow
called belong who bought the old
Swallow place up Tamarack river way
a few years ago. after the Swallows.
father, son, aye, even grandfather.
had spent half their lives draining the,
swamp. This Delong >. not this
Delong PROBABLY, but some one by
that name came in with
sack Of money and bought 1t. Paid
cash. built dam across the river.
and backed up the water to form a
lake. A gentleman farmer.
He strobe into the Stocking parlor.
The man lay on the couch. Norman
recognized his own brown sweater
around his shoulders, his own blue
flannel shirt showing underneath Il.
"What you want of met" he asked
the stranger abruptly.
The man looked up with a grave
face. he was tall heavy Individual
with red hair. The brown work trou.
core that ha unro xuora No.r,o.,s 49,.