Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-05-16

stroyers as otherwise. SILL hoped
that, II only detained q day or so. we
might yet be able TO slip across the
North Sea ahead of the Maieta. But
we lay there for three and half
weeks. and the sad news came that
the real Maleta had sailed and passed
through the blockade. Ii we now at.
tempted to use her name and q search
party boarded US, the Jig would be up.
So we hurriedly examined Lloyds
Register In the hope Of finding anoth.
err Norwegian ship that might CORE
| spond to US. We picked out one
called the Carmoe. We had no Idea
where she was. but hoped she might
be In some distant port unbeknown to
| the wary British. II was a long
chance. but we could think of nothing
| better. Now we had to change our
| ship from the Maleta to the Carmoe.
| Paint out one name and substituting
| another was easy enough. but chang
Ing all OR ships papers was far more
difficult But With much use of chem
] lcal eraser we finally accomplished 1t.
| and we had papers that would pass II
| the visibility was not too bright dur
| Ing the search. Then, when we were
all set again, we picked up copy OF
Norwegian commercial paper and
found that the real Carmoe had just
been seized by the British and taken
TO kirkwall for examination.
Now, II you haven't any luck, you
:. must go and get some! All you have
to do Is know how to do that, and
yon will be a great success at sea. or
anywhere
/ So away with Lloyd's Register |
Let's take life's register and name our
sea eagle after the girl of my heart.
| Surely she will bring us luck. So, out
with the paint and on with another
new name-the name of my sweet
:. heart. Irma.
In that name was concentrated most
OF the beauty that had found In life.
Ii symbnlzed strange moments of
beauty that had crossed my path dur
Ing the most trying days | had so far
known. II seemed to be lovely
silken thread that had run through
the years since that first voyage, when
as a miserable cabin boy | sailed to
Australia on that Russian tramp.
or course. there was no such name
-, ali
any British officer would have to lo
would be To consult his register and
the JIG would be up. But somehow
had premnnition that the name
Irma would bring rs through.
When we applied eraser and Ink to
our shipping papers and wrote In the
name of lrma-disaster Two eFasures
were too much. The Ink bletfed II
we should be stupid enough TO take
the British for fools, then we our
selves would be the real fools. Where
was our luck now? Fate seemed to
be against us. but had no intention
of giving up. Calling the carpenter,
said.
Come on, Chips. | am going to
make you admiral of the day. Get the
ak and smash all the bull's-eyes. win
dows. portfolios, and everything"
Poor Chipsl He thought had gone
off my head. but he obeyed. The
smashing began.
"Bo's'n.n called, half dozen men
with buckets OF sea water Throw II
around. drench everything"
And now the water flew In the cab.
ms In the drawers Of chests, In the
officers hunks, all over my Norwegian
\ library, water everywhere. took my
shipping papers and put ench page be
tween sheets of wet hlotting paper sc
that not only the name of Trina ant
the other entries we had changed were
hntted. but every line. | even souseG
the log book In bucket OF water.
Then | called the carpenter again.
Now repair everything you have
smashed, Chips Nall everything"
He hammered pnnks over the
smashed portfolios and bull's-eyes, ant
put the smashed chairs together as
well as he could.
Now, If the Britisher came aboard
he would say:
by Joe, captain, you must have haf
hard blow to get knocked about like
this" -N
And'i would growl. Yes, by Joe, ev
erything is drenched, even my papers,
Two days later a southwest Win6
sprang up. The moment was at hand
To 60 raiding In a sailing ship ant
that sailing ship with tire lame o
Irma painted on her 1ows--ah, i
seemed more like q dream than like
setting out on u real adventure. |
seemed as though all the events of m,
life had been designed to converge Il
this one glorious point. Our one hun