Evening star., 1935-06-09
by BILL ADAMS

Plkey!' asked one of the other apprentices.
go to hell" snarled Pike.
"Yes. Sir. Certainly SIR said the other
apprentice. and every one laughed.
kid, you don't have to say sir to Pike
He isn't an officer. He's no one at all, only he
don't know it." said one of the other ap-
prentices.
With devilish look in his eyes. Pike said
to little Triggs, "Heave tight on that gasket
now. Dye hear me3"
Little Triggs looked Pike square in his face
and said Eyes, Pike
The tugboat came to take the Chariiy out
Pike went to the wheel.
"You, Triggs. 60 coil up the ropes on the
poop" ordered the mate.
Up to the poop went Triggs. The skipper
glanced at him and smiled The skipper was
goodhearted sort After watching the kid for
a minute or two coiing up ropes the wrong
way, he showed him how to do it right. Then
he went into the chart room to get cigar.
And then little Triggs went to coil up the
vangs, right behind Pike at the wheel.
Pike saw the skipper enter the chart room.
No one was in sight. And breaking the hard
and fast old rule of the sea that the man at
the wheel never looks away from his job Pike
turned round, and booted the kid a hard one
right on the seat of his dungaree trousers,
sending him sprawling. And at just that mo-
ment the skipper drew back the curtain that
covered one of the chart room portfolios He
was out of the chart room in half jiff.
Mister mate, put different hand to the
wheel!' he ordered.
And maybe he didn't give Pike a dressing
down for neglecting his steering! The mate
was sending a sailor to the wheel, but the
skipper called, Let the youngster try his
hand at steering!'
"Triggs take the wheelv' ordered the mate
Well, you should have seen Pixies face But
the worst was yet to come. The mate said,
pike, get busy and finish the kids work for
him." The eldest apprentice finishing up
green kids job for him! Talk about humiliation!
Well that night after dark. Pike got hold
of little Triggs out on deck when no one was
about He was careful not to bruise him where
the bruises could be seen. He guessed that
Triggs wouldn't squeal, and he guessed right.
Little Triggs never breathed word.
Next morning was cold as old misery, with
stiff head wind whipping the sprays across
the Charity's deck The last two in the half
deck we're little Triggs and Pike. Triggs was
starting to put on his muff1er when Pike
snatched it. Triggs never said word. But
when they came on deck one of the other
apprentices asked. What the blazes? Did you
buy Triggs' muffier, Pikey?"
"None of your business" ," snarled Pike. and
turning to Triggs, the apprentice said,
"Pikey swiped it from you. bet, eh?'
Hes welcome to it," replied little Triggs,
good-natwed as pie.
1T don't go, Pikey Give the kid his
muff1er." said the other apprentice looking
him square in the eye.
= Pike scowled defantly. but another appren-
tice said. That goes with all of us, Pike"
Well you should have seen the look in
Pixies eyes as he tossed the muff1er to little
Triggs.
The wind blew up hard that morning, and
all hands were kept on the run and Jump till
noon. At bit past noon a ship appeared
astern, sailing the same course. She was over
taking the Charity and you can bet that the
Charity's skipper had no intention of being
overtaken 1t was run and jump. and heave
and haul, and tally on that tackle-fall, till
close to dusk. And by dusk the rival ship was
out of sight below the horizon astern.
An hour or so after nightfall the wind be-
came squally. The Charity was carrying full