Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1934-07-20
CHAPTER II


weapon of vengeance. He was sin
gle-heartedly resolved to work HIM
self to FRAGILE rather than miss a
chance of marrying Dawn. He didn't
care how badly he was scarred-those
scars must bring some recompense,
since no real man would ask a girl
to share less than what her father
could give her. To some faint hearts
it might have seemed a long climb
from mate of the Minotaur to owner
ship of first-class freighting line,
but Jack Seymour had never drawn
aside from hazards.
When work ended for that day he
put on shore going gear and went to
find Dawn, honestly in her own home
rather than clandestinely at some Sc
cret rendezvous.
"Well, I've made start" he report
ed. eyes, in Burley's." A new hard
ness had come to him from his days
experience, as if certain flabblness
had been trained off. He was even
more attractive that way than before,
Dawn thought. She was trying to
say so when Old Ben came in.
II thought l said you'd be kicked
out" he ragged, because his daughters
arms were around Jack Seymour's
neck.
eff there's anyone here fit to do it,
start it," invited Jack. "You can't
buy me off now sir." 1t looked for
a moment as if Old Ben intended to
start the riot himself, and Dawn put
herself between the two men.
But Old Ben had sense of humor,
even if a warped one. "Come back
here a ship-owner, and maybe you'll
be given an easy chair to sit in," he
challenged. If he had a heretical wish
that Dawn had been son, somewhat
after the stamp of Seymour, he said
nothing about it. You can't eat your
own words if you possess such a pride
as Ben Rickett owned.
Don't forget you've said it," chal-
lenged Jack.
Being mate of the hard-fighting
Minotaur didn't seem the safest ap-
premiership to shipowning. All the
same, Burridge was determined to try
out his new chief officer; and he was
glad the weather was threatening
when the Minotaur started off on her
new trip. Most of the booked pass
engers had Cancelled their reservations
but the mails had to be got through
to the island in any event. Snorting
out across the bar the Burley boat
met dozens of full-powered freighters
hurrying back for shelter and, ten
miles further on, found out why they
hurried. The twenty-four knot New
York boat was slowed down to bare
ten, and dived into the piled-up smoth-
er of white water clean to her fore
most funnel. There was a hint of
snow and some sea fog; and the visi-
bility was negligible.
The Minotaur was more like sub
bridge-screens were scanty, since
Burridge didn't believe in pampering
his watchkeepers.
"No man can keep a decent look
out through glass;" was a favorite
saying of his. And Seymour, who
had thought his senior was mostly
bluff, found grudging respect for
him as the noisy hours rioted by. Bur-
ridge was seaman, and he was fear
less. He'd served in this coastwise
trade for most of his seagoing life
with the exception of year or two
abroad to get his certificates. He
looked on a ship as tool to be hand
led craftily, not as terror to be hu-
mored.
We'll take her through Simeon's
Cat" he ordained. "Thatll save five
hours, and get US to Cape Lygett just
at daybreak. You can't see the Ly-
gett light more than a mile this wea-
ther, and there's Daunt Reef to think
Of"
Seymour had never navigated the
Cat, but he'd heard of it's venom. His
previous training had taught him new
er to risk ship unnecessarily, but
play for safety all the while. Here
was new school for thought where
risks were part of everyday routine
so long as the mails got through or
schedule time.
"Ill take caulk till we come to the
Cat. Look after her and if you weak
en- call me-" said Burridge. Spind
rift ratified noisily on the wheelhouse
and shattered like lashes across jack:
face. To his fancy the Minotaur was
heing nnshed too hard: her tail was