Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-23

OOn hIlOW Ill tiic WOiuS yNS'
This might teach you" and
Penrose cut him across the jaw
with that riding crop.
Ward ducked swift as light
and his fist smacked against Pen
roses clean-shaven jaw like the
crack Of a whip.
Penrose got up off the deck
and waved back the mate who
came arunnin'. He took on his
coat, grinning like hyena, shook
off his shoes and spat in Wards
face.
"A fighter" he sneered. Put
up your paws, you filthy gutter
snipe."
Ward stepped away from the
mast and before he had chance
to guard Penrose smacked him in
the eye. He staggered back, but
covered and when Penrose, step
ping round him like a dancing
master, sent another one over, he
side-stepped and chopped no
captain In the throat. Penrose
gagged and his face was murder
GUS. He wove and ducked, send
ing sly, chopping blows over but
Ward guarded them and tapped
the captain where he liked.
Work stopped and the crew stood
around, mouths open praying for
the captain to get his. The
mates gripped Delaying pins and
glared like beasts. waiting for
the captains signal. For more
than a half-hour they fought, and
it was pretty to watch. Ward
kept his head up and countered
Penrose's blows, always sending
back a teller to the captains
face. Then the captain seemed
to lose his head. He muttered
something dirty and drove a low
one into Wards groin. The sea-
man dropped and Penrose kicked
him with all his force. Ward
rolled away from 1t and got to
his feet. For minutes he crouched
over ducking the blows from his
opponent. Then he stepped right
under a straight left and
smashed his right hand into the
captains face. Penrose let out
a yell and jumped back. running
for the poop, blood streaming
down from his hands.
Run! You've broke his nose"
yelled a foremost hand.
But Ward stood there. walt
ing.
Penrose didn't show up again
that day. But next day he walked
past Ward and his face was tied
up with plaster.
You shouldn have done
that" he whispered. 'T'll kill you
before we finish"
"why?" says Ward. TT was
a fair fight"
DUT it wasn't. And all through
y that voy'ge Ward got the
dirty jobs. He was sent out on
the bowsprit while the Flying
Dutchman was showing her sharp
snout into a South Atlantic
buster. The mate had the wheel
and he paid off 30 that green
sea buried the foredeck five feet
deep. But Ward was still holding
on and he laughed out loud when
he came aft. When the ship
stopped in Rangoon to take on
rattan it was Ward who slipped
overheard and was damn nearly
carried away by the swift current
Of the Rangoon River. He said
he was pushed over, and the
captain, standing near, grinned
like wolf as he watched. In
Nelson, New Zealand, Ward was
accused of trying to jump ship
and the captain himself logged
him with that blasted riding crop
while they had him tied to the
forechains.
When he finished Ward hung
to them chains like a wet rag,
but he still grinned.
From then on his life was a
misery. Penrose followed him
everywhere he went. He locked
his pay. cut his watch below
and struck at him every time he
got the chance. Ward grinned
always and said nothing.
I'll beat you yet" Penrose
said once.
You'll not" answered Ward.
I'll finish this trip and many
more after you're dead and in
hell"
Off Adelaide, fishing for shark,
a murderous hook swung through
the air not an inch from Wards
neck. II was Penrose that swung
IT.
Sorry" he erinned.