Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-17

Juggling home a cargo of jute that haC
been on fire since off the cape. AND
no towage; no salvage: no distress costs
for his owners TO pay.
Tin Eye carried his ship home as @
sailor man should, on his own resource
with the crew the gods had inflicted
upon him. But there had been nc
praise for him. His employers told him
they had lost money; they were quitting
ship-owning for brokering; they would
recommend him where they could, un-
less he thought of retiring.
81 can't afford to retirel" he had
growle0, and left the Office with a
queerly numb feeling about his rugged
old heart.
And he fou~d it hard. New en-
ployers were not interested in Cougar
old veterans OF sailing ships Shippers.
too, seemed determined to hang on to
their jobs. He had never realized how
fast the square-rlggers were vanishing
Steam he would not yet turn to. Six
months he plodded docks and offices
Desperately. at last, he turned from
his home port and took train to a
place where, if ships were fewer, men
were fewer, too. He found no owners
Sssking masters. In three months the
end of his cable was in sight. In three
Iaontds more he would not have money
TO buy Nautical Almanac, if he got a
ship. In a corner had been lying for
some weeks steamer of thousand
tons, fitting out. One thing she had
that made the lump in his throat
easier to engorge: She had yards on
her foremost. He interviewed the
owner. briskly.
well, captain, we like our masters
to have experience in steam" the
owner said. LAS a matter of fact we
have a captain for the steamer. He's
fine young fellow. If you care to go
first mate with him, he'll be easy to
get along with. We're getting new
ships. There may be something better
later on
Tin Eye went out of that Office like
Squall Mate of Steamerl Shippers
nice young fellow! Young fellow.
Half an hour brought the old chap to
his bearings. He went back to the
Office.
I'll take that job, if it's still going"
he growled huskily. Give me note
to take on board"
There was a smart young second
mate to receive him and show him the
ship.
THE captains gone home for a few
days, Mr.. Murray" he explained, show
ing the new mate to his room and
lounging in the doorway. I'VE shift
over to the loading berth tomorrow to
Load general for the West Indies. The
Old Man told me to strip the yards
from the foremost. don't know much
about yards. Thought I'd wait until
the mate came on board"
Old Tin Eye glared. Any man who
confessed to knowing nothing about
square yards could be no sort of a
sailor. Those yards had persuaded him
in the end to try steamer. They had
the right flavor. Here was second
mate-Tin Eye snorted and controlled
his feelings.
IF you'll get the gang, mister, well
oend down the yards" he said.
X xx
LIE sent down the yards. He super
viSed the shifting Of the ship to
loading berth and he saw her loaded
His was the efficiency of experience
Steam might be new to him, but there
was nothing concerning a ship as such,
cargo or gear, that could stump him
Steam or wind might drive the hull;
cargo might be taken aboard by steam
derricks instead of burton tackles and
windlass; but a hull it was, cargo it
was, and he could handle both. In a
week he even began to feel almost at
ease.
AS sailing day approached he be-
Heved he could meet the captain, young
or old. with a show of resignation Any
how, he was determined to do his duty.
There should be no trouble on that
score. The keen edge of his humiliation
had dulled. He grew impatient to meet
the captain. Then young Pitt, the sec
ond mate, came TO him, full of news,
three days before sailing.
1.-THE Old Mans staying behind to
take the new ship they're buying. A new
mans coming. 7 think that's him now,
with the owner"
Tin Eye glanced, scarcely interested.
In moment he stiffened. Luther
Chandler stepped on board, smiling and
full of vivacity as he chatted with the
owner. Then the owner was saying:
Capt. Chandler, this is your chief
mate, Mr.. Murray An old sailing ship
man. You'll find him very eficient."
Chandler looked surprised but only
Tor moment. Then red spot colored
both his cheeks, his eyes widened and
his teeth cleaned, not pleasantly.
"Ah, Murray, the balance seems to
have turned toward youth" Old Tin
Eye nodded, dazedly.
"You have met, them" the owner
ventured.
"oh, yes" Chandler laughed. IT
served my time under Murray He was
master then. / wasted six years with
him, too, as second mate. But he Is
not bad sailor, Of the ancient type.
Wen get on
Get onI Poor old Tin Eye Murray
was not much given to holding a
drudge. He had no grudge against
Luther Chandler. But, in the first
brief meeting Of master and mate in
the presence of the owner, a memory
was conjured up that sent the old
mans heart to his boots
Tin Eye, they had called him, those
men and boys of his deep-sea career.
And almost always the nickname was
bestowed with respect. 1t only meant
that the old fellow had keen eye for
a fault. He had the same keen vision
for merit. And, in all his experience,
old Murray remembered but one in
stance where 1t had made him an
enemy. He recalled now, in this first
meeting with Luther Chandler, that
rather torrid interview when Chandler
second mate, came to ask promotion to
chief mate in place of an old mate
sent ashore, damaged in a gale
Mates berth?" Tin Eye had an
Swered with raised brows. How old are
you, Mr.. Chandler"
Twenty five
And you think yourself competent
to go mate? I was 80 before I was
permitted to go second mate. Maybe
you're better man than I WASP"
And Chandler had retorted, with ris-
Ing youthful heat:
Il don't know about that. Time:
move fast, though Ideas that seemed
good in your time are pretty moldy
now. have my ticket, on my expert.
ence with you. Six years as seconc
mate. Four as apprentice. If dom
know my business now"
Your knowledge may be perfect
Mr.. Chandler, but you lack experience
I need a mate who'll carry on, If AM
thing happens to me"
Experience? I wasted 10 years get
ting what you call experienced! If