Evening star., 1933-10-29
~~T:!e4kk 81
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lashed securely and all the headlights
screwed in place over the glass ports
Suddenly I started. Something had
pressed against my booted leg! Re
leasing my grip on the speaking tube
to which I had been clinging, opened
the pinnacle cover to let the light FROM
the compass lend soft glow to the
interior; then I looked down. The ships
cat was peering up at me with her
strange enigmatic eyes, Her fur was
bedraggled and wet; wondered whence
she had come and how she had man
aged to withstand the terrific rapacity
,: the wind.
"Hullo, -timer!" I exclaimed in
lreeting, and bent down to stroke her
tet fur. But to my surprise she moved
lway from under my hand, heading to-
ward the door. "All right, Old Stick
in-the- Mud" I said. "If you don't want
to be petted 20 into the chart room
and make yourself comfortable on the
settee. I haven't time to humor you
There's a mans work to be done out
here!"
waved her away and, dousing the
light. turned back toward the open
window from which had been peering
into the driving murk. Almost instantly
she was back against my leg, rubbing
with a fierce insistence. Again bent
down to stroke her again she
stalked toward the door. 1t dawned
on me like flash of light that she had
something to communicate. But what?
A thousand possibilities captured my
thoughts, all limiting at catastrophe.
I summoned the second mate to the
window from the lee shelter of the
bridge. Keep an eye on her." I told
him. I'm going below for a minute
or two!"
THE cat left the wheel house ahead of
me and waited at the ladder leading
to the deck below. Side by side we
clung in the lee of the wind-break until
a squall had passed, then down she ran.
1 followed quickly, before sea which
lowered on the beam could break with
a binding burst of spray. We entered
the officers alleyway, descended the
ters. An eerie creaking held the interior
of the vessel in an apprehensive grip,
but unafraid the cat ran on. Half way
toward the after door she halted, and
then | laughed, thinking that maybe she
just had a rat to offer me. But no!
When I caught up with her, she went,
keeping to the center of the alleyway
with an enviable balance when the
vessel lurched heavily over.
At the after door she halted again,
and looked up at me. knew what she
wanted and opened the door. A hurrl-
cane gust blew in swirl of spray. I
brushed it from my face and peered
out. The after well-deck was shrouded
with a binding rain, but I could see
three heavy drums of oil dashing back
and forth, and through the angry tumult
of the night I could hear them crash
first against the bulwarks and then
against the coaming of the hatch.
The cat mewed as if to say: There
you are! See what smart girl ami"
I glanced down at her and sighed
with relief. The drums could easily be
secured before any vital damage could
be done. But another hour might have
been too late.
Thanks, Old-timer," said, and away
she went up the smoke room companion
way to find, 1 thought, comfortable
spot on which to lie, maybe to dream
of a cat heaven where there would be
no storms.
Next day, when the hurricane had
gone toward the north, went seeking
her to give her choice piece of liver
as a small reward. But search as I
might from bow to stern, she was not