Evening star., 1935-11-22

~ HUCk stuck his bare mead out
of the foc'sle portfolio Of the
Altruda III as the big tanker
~ headed out through the Mar
rows bound for Havana and points
south. The skyline of New York
loomed up beyond the stern, like a
mirage of a fantastic city, its myriad
pinnacleS piercing the clouds. Dirty
and griIny as the foc'sle looked to
him, he rather liked it. 1t smacked
of hard work and strong arms, human
sweat and weary toilers.
He glanced at the crumpled identi-
fication papers in his pocket and sat
down on the side of his bunk Charles
Arnold, seaman. 1t was different any
way. Different from shooting around
the bay at Westhampton in his speed
boat, or aquaplaning over the curling
waters with Nancy at the wheel of
her fast-moving craft.
In a month he'd be back, hard as
nails, and fit as a fiddle. The thought
itself was stimulating. Until Dan
McBrair had taken all the love he
had for the sport out of him, Chuck
had always prided himself on keep
ing in shape the year round. He
was pleased with the thought of wear
ing off the excess fat, hardening up
and getting his old wind and stamina
back again.
The constant roll of the tanker
didn't bother him at first, but after
the Altruda III slipped away from
Sandy Hook his stomach became more
and more uncertain. The Sickening
smell of the paint brush which he
was welding, together with the hot
sun, was nauseating. For few hours
he almost wished he hadn't shipped.
His SeasickneSS provided laughter
TO the crew of veterans who shared
the foc'sle quarters. Crawford, a
weather beaten little fellow who had
followed the sea all his life, told him
that the best cure was to swallow some
tobacco juice. The more the better.
Chuck took him at his word, borrowed
plug of soggy tobacco from Dirk.
Swedish sailor with fair for stories
and fights, and followed Crawford's
directions.
In a few minutes things looked
even greener than ever. The crew
howled with fits of laughter. Dirk
rolled on the floor in uncontrolled
mirth. Crawford chuckled like a silly
old man. Chuck ran to where he
could be alone in his misery.
A couple of days later, after Chuck
had become thoroughly acc1imated to
his new surroundings. and adjusted
to the roll of the vessel, he was
sitting up forward with Crawford and
Dirk The latter was telling of his
experience in Germany on his last
visit there several years before. Dirk's
mean eyes glistened with reminiscent
delight as he recalled every sordid
detail of his fight with two German
policemen and how, in order to escape
the clutches of the law, he was forced
to bite off two fingers of a burly
Berlin cop. HE bane have hold of
my coat collar, like this" said Dirk,
suiting the gestures to his words,
"wane, all of sudden yank my
head around and go zing." He
clamped his teeth together in vicious
gesture of savagery. You bane well
bet he let go damn queek"
THE other day." said Crawford, ST
recollect your saying that Germany
was the one country in the world in
which you had never set foot. Didn't
you?"
Dirk simply glared at him in fit of
cumulative rage. you crazy, Yonny
Crawford. I never say that. You
wanna make me out to be big liar"
II don't give hang how you take
It, but that's what you said"
You're crazy, I know never say