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diff --git a/40572.txt b/40572.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f346b67..0000000 --- a/40572.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,5435 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Flying Bo'sun, by Arthur Mason - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: The Flying Bo'sun - A Mystery of the Sea - - -Author: Arthur Mason - - - -Release Date: August 24, 2012 [eBook #40572] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING BO'SUN*** - - -E-text prepared by Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries -(http://archive.org/details/americana) - - - -Note: Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive/American Libraries. See - http://archive.org/details/flyingbosunmyst00masoiala - - - - - -THE FLYING BO'SUN - -A Mystery of the Sea - -by - -ARTHUR MASON - - - - - - - -New York -Henry Holt and Company -1920 - -Copyright, 1920 -By Henry Holt and Company - - - - - DEDICATED - TO THE MEMORY OF - MY MOTHER - WHOSE SYMPATHY MADE - IT POSSIBLE FOR ME - TO GO TO SEA - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER I. OFF FOR THE SOUTH SEAS, WITH FEW CLOTHES - BUT A STOUT HEART 3 - - CHAPTER II. THE STORM--TATTERED AND TORN BUT STILL ON - THE OCEAN 13 - - CHAPTER III. BEECHAM'S PILLS ARE WORTH A GUINEA THOUGH - THEY COST BUT EIGHTEEN PENCE 25 - - CHAPTER IV. PERSONALITIES--OMENS AND SUPERSTITIONS OF - OLD CHARLIE 33 - - CHAPTER V. THE SHARK--"TO HELL WITH SHARK AND SHIP" 44 - - CHAPTER VI. THE TIN-PLATE FIGHT--ONE-EYED RILEY TRIUMPHS 52 - - CHAPTER VII. IN WHICH THE CAPTAIN WOUNDS HIS HAND 61 - - CHAPTER VIII. THE BO'SUN LIGHTS--THE CAPTAIN'S DEATH 68 - - CHAPTER IX. THE SHOWDOWN--SWANSON TAKES THE COUNT 76 - - CHAPTER X. BURIAL AT SEA--IN WHICH RILEY OFFICIATES 83 - - CHAPTER XI. ASTRAL INFLUENCES--THE CREW'S VERSION OF - THE UNKNOWN 91 - - CHAPTER XII. THE COOK'S WATCH--MATERIALISM VERSUS - ASTRALISM 100 - - CHAPTER XIII. HIGHER INTELLIGENCE--A VISIT FROM OUT THE - SHADOWS 107 - - CHAPTER XIV. CHRISTMAS DAY--OUR UNWILLING GUEST THE - DOLPHIN 117 - - CHAPTER XV. CRIMP AND SAILOR--THE COOK'S MARXIAN EFFORT 123 - - CHAPTER XVI. THE MONTANA COWBOY--A HORSE-MARINE ADVENTURE 130 - - CHAPTER XVII. THE FRAGRANT SMELL OF THE ALLURING PALMS 141 - - CHAPTER XVIII. SUVA HARBOR--THE REEF AND THE LIGHTHOUSES 146 - - CHAPTER XIX. INTRODUCING CAPTAIN KANE, MRS. FAGAN AND - MRS. FAGAN'S BAR 151 - - CHAPTER XX. REMINISCENCES OF OLD CLIPPER DAYS 158 - - CHAPTER XXI. UNLOADING CARGO--AGAIN THE MASTER--NATIVE - POLICE. 163 - - CHAPTER XXII. SHORE LEAVE--THE WEB-TOED SAILOR--THE - MISSIONARY SHIP 173 - - CHAPTER XXIII. FIJI ROYALTY--LOCAL COLOR--VISITORS TO THE - SHIP 187 - - CHAPTER XXIV. A DRIVE WITH CAPTAIN KANE--RAZORBACK - RAMPANT 194 - - CHAPTER XXV. HOMEWARD BOUND--THE STOWAWAY 202 - - CHAPTER XXVI. THE MYSTERIOUS HINDOO 211 - - CHAPTER XXVII. THE HURRICANE 220 - - CHAPTER XXVIII. THE MASTER RETURNS 228 - - CHAPTER XXIX. THE HOME PORT 238 - - - - -INTRODUCTORY NOTE - - -Hardship is a stern master, from whom we part willingly. - -But it is often true that real men learn thereby to handle their -fellow-men, to love them, and to make the most of their own manhood. In -no class is this more marked than among those who have been formed by -the training of the sea. - -Hundreds have lost their lives there, hundreds more have been coarsened -through ignorance and because of rough living, but the survivors, who -have used what God gave them of brain and muscle to the best advantage, -are a lot of men to be trusted mightily. - -I am proud to have known such men, and to have lived the life that made -them what they are, and, above all, proud to have sailed before the time -when steam began to drive the square-rigger from the seas. - -Therefore I have ventured to set before the public a narrative of my -own experience, somewhat condensed, but little changed, even in some -parts that may seem hard to believe, but sailors are known to be -superstitious. Should this book fall into the hands of other sailors, I -think it will interest them, and landsmen may care for the truthful -record of a day that is almost gone. - - -A. M. - - - - -THE FLYING BO'SUN - - - - -CHAPTER I - -OFF FOR THE SOUTH SEAS, WITH FEW CLOTHES BUT A STOUT HEART - - -Her name was the "Wampa," graceful to look at, with her tall and stately -masts, rigged with fore and aft sails. She was known as one of the -fastest schooners sailing to the Southern Seas. - -That afternoon in December found her loading lumber in a rather quaint -saw-mill town on the Puget Sound. Her Captain, who was a Swede, was tall -and handsome and had none of the earmarks of the old salt. He seemed to -be very nervous as he walked up and down the poop deck. Once he called -out, "Olsen, put one more truck load on, then get your deck lashings -ready. She is down now, she has eight inches of water on the after -deck." With that he jumped ashore saying, "If I can find a mate we will -sail this evening." - -As I stood there viewing her yacht-like lines and noticing the shark's -fin on her bowsprit, I was satisfied that she was in a class by -herself. - -As he turned to go I said, "Captain, do you need a mate?" - -"Are you a mate? If you can get your trunk and bag on board we will sail -within an hour." - -"But I have neither bag nor trunk. If you want me you will have to take -me as I stand." - -"Have you a sextant?" - -"No, but I can borrow one from the tug boat captain. He never leaves -sight of land. I am sure he will rent it to me for this voyage." - -"Very well," said he. "Get your sextant, and we will find some way of -getting rubber boots and oil skins," and off he strolled up to the -Company's office. - -Two hours later, with the deck lashings set up, tug boat alongside, -everything ready for our voyage, our Captain sang out "Let go forward, -starboard your helm, Murphy,"--the tug boat gave a "toot, toot," and we -were off for the open sea. - -By this time I had a chance to size up the crew. The second mate was a -short, thick, heavy-set Dane, seemingly a good sailor. Our cook was a -greasy, dirty-looking German and, from what few words I had with him, -showed that he was a Socialist. The sailors were Dagoes, Irish, Swedes -and Russian Finns. - -With the wind freshening as we neared the open sea, the Captain sang -out, "Mr. Mate, loose and set the foresail and main jib." With the -gaskets off I gave the order to hoist away. I noticed one very large -Swede hardly pulling a pound. I say "large"; he stood six feet or more -and weighed upwards of two hundred. "What is your name?" said I. - -He looked me over and said, "Why?" - -I said "You must pull some more or you will never know what your name -was." - -I decided that now was the time to take care of this sea lawyer. The -foresail was about half up. I gave the order to make fast. - -I said to this big Swede, "Come here, I have something to say to you." - -"If you want me come and get me." - -"Very good," and with that I caught him with a strangle hold and dragged -him across the deck. Then I released him. "Now tell me what your name -is." - -He looked amazed and humiliated, and in a hoarse voice said, "Swanson." - -I said, "Swanson, I want you to work, and work your share." - -He said, "You ban good steerman." - -Steerman is the Swedish for mate. - -"Well then, Swanson, let us get those sails up." - -Just then the Captain came forward saying, "What in Hell is the matter? -Why don't you get those sails on her?" - -"Captain," I replied, pointing to Swanson, "this man did not quite -understand me. Hoist away on your throat and peak halyards." - -Up went the foresail as if by magic, then the main jib and inner jib, -the tug boat gave three long whistles, signalling "let go your hawser." - -I heard the Captain sing out, "Mr. Mate, up with your mainsail and -spanker." - -"Aye, aye, sir." - -In a few minutes all sail was set. - -The Captain gave the course south one-half west and went down below. I -immediately took my departure, and entered it in the log book. The wind -was free, about two points abaft the beam. I put the taff-rail log over -the side and settled down for our trip to the sunny south. As it was -getting late in the evening, I went forward to talk to the second mate -about picking our watches. - -It is always customary for the mate to take the ship out, and the -captain to bring her home. This meant that I would have eight hours -watch the first night out. The mate has always the privilege of choosing -the first man, and by doing this the big Swede fell to the second mate. -Because I was sure I would have trouble with him, I tossed him into the -starboard watch. After the watches were set, and the wheel relieved, I -heard the supper bell ring. - -As I was hungry I made for the cabin, and took a seat across from the -Captain. Out of the pantry came the Socialist cook with two plates of -soup. - -The Captain was not very talkative, thinking I was a low-grade mate, -since I was minus trunk and bag. The cook eyed me rather curiously when -I passed up the onion soup. I understood later that it was only on rare -occasions he ever gave way to cooking so delicate a dish. Should any -one be so misguided as to refuse to eat it they might count the galley -their enemy forever. With supper over I went on deck to relieve the -second mate. He looked to me as if there would be no trouble between him -and the cook and onion soup. As it was now my watch from eight to -twelve, I had the side lights lit and my watch came on deck to relieve -the wheel and lookout. - -I may mention here some of the sailors in my watch. Well, Broken-Nose -Pete took his turn at the wheel, and One-Eyed Riley took the lookout. -Then there was Dago Joe and a Dane by the name of Nelson, who seemed -rather quiet and unassuming. Also Charlie who was forever looking up at -the clouds. - -The wind was freshening up and she was listing over with the lee rail in -the water. I went aft to take a look at the log. She was doing ten knots -and doing it easy. "Well," thought I, "if she can do ten with lower -sails and topsails, she will do twelve with the fisherman's staysails -on." So I gave the order to bend and hoist away and no sooner were they -set and sheets flattened aft than she began to feel them. It seemed -that those staysails were all that were holding her back to show me she -was worthy of the shark's fin on the flying jib boom. The Captain was -walking up and down the poop deck smoking a cigar, seemingly in good -humor with his new mate. As I was going aft, I noticed that she had -broached to somewhat. She seemed to want to shake herself clear of all -her canvas. I ran to the man at the wheel: "What in Hell is the matter -with you? Can't you steer?" I cried. - -"Yes, sir, I can steer very well, but since you put those staysails on -her I can hardly hold her in the water." - -"Keep her on her course," I warned him, "or you will hear from me." I -went to the rail to look at the log. It was getting dark, and I had to -strike a match to see. Sure enough, she was making twelve and a quarter. - -Just then the Captain came up and told me to take in the staysails, as -she was laboring too much. I was going to protest, but, on second -thoughts, I bowed to the ways of deep-water captains: "Obey orders, if -you break owners." - -"Captain, you have a pretty smart little ship here." - -"Yes," said he. "She passed everything on her last trip to Mayhew, New -Caledonia, but one has got to know and understand her to get the best -out of her." - -Right here I knew he was giving me a dig for daring to set the staysails -without his orders. - -Tossing the butt of his cigar overboard, he started to go below saying -"Call me if the wind freshens up or changes. But call me at eight bells -anyway." - -The night grew brighter. A half moon was trying to fight her way out -from behind a cloud, ever-hopeful of throwing her silver rays on the -good ship "Wampa." With the sound of the wash on the prow, and the easy -balanced roll, with occasional spray from windward, I felt that after -all the sea was the place for me. - -Just then the lookout shouted, "Light on the starboard bow, sir." - -I said, "All right," and reached for the binoculars. A full rigged ship -was approaching on the port tack. - -"Port your helm, let her come to." When we had her on the lee, I sang -out, "Steady as she goes." - -As we passed under her quarter, what a beautiful living thing she seemed -in the shadows of the night,--and in my dreaming I was near forgetting -to keep our ship on her course again. By this time hunger, that familiar -genius of those who walk the decks, was upon me again. Nothing tastes -better than the time-honored lunch late during the watches at night. I -found for myself some cold meat, bread and butter, and coffee in the -pantry. - -I called the second mate as it was nearing eight bells, twelve o'clock. -I felt tired and sleepy and knew that nothing short of a hurricane would -awake me from twelve to four. - -Up on deck Dago Joe struck eight bells, I took the distance run on the -log, and was turning around to go down and call the Captain, when -Swanson came aft to relieve the wheel. He looked me over very critically -and muttered something to himself. As I went down the companion way to -report to the Old Man, I saw the Socialist cook standing in my room. - -"Here, Mr. Mate, is a blanket for you. I know you have no bedding." - -I thanked him and thought, "Well, the Socialist cook is kind and -observant and Socialism is not bad after all." - -I called the Captain, then went to my room for a well-earned sleep. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE STORM: TATTERED AND TORN BUT STILL ON THE OCEAN - - -Olsen, the second mate, called me at four o'clock. When I came on deck -the sky was overcast, and looked like rain. From the log I found that -she had made thirty-eight miles during the middle watch. - -"If she keeps this up for forty-eight hours," I thought, "we shall be -abreast of San Francisco." She could not travel fast enough for me, -going South, for with only one suit of clothes and a Socialist blanket, -latitude 46 deg. north in December was no place for me. - -The cook came aft with a mug of coffee that had the kick of an army -mule. It is seldom the cook on a wind-jammer ever washes the coffee pot. -Pity the sailor, forward or aft, who would criticize the cooking! One -must always flatter the pea-soup, and the salt-horse, and particularly -the bread-pudding, if one expects any consideration. - -The Captain stuck his head out of the companion-way, and from his -expression I knew that he was minus the mocha. "How is the wind?" said -he. - -"It has hauled a little aft, sir, about northwest." - -"Get the staysails on and steer south," and he dived below, looking for -the cook, I suppose. - -I went forward to see if any sails needed sweating up. I called -Broken-Nosed Pete and Riley to take a pull on the main boom topinlift. - -"Pete, what happened to your nose?" - -"It is a long yarn," said he, "and some night in the tropics I shall -spin it." - -It was now breaking day. The cook was coming forward to the galley, -singing "Shall we always work for wages?" Behind him strolled Toby, the -big black cat, who seemed very much in command of the ship. Seven bells, -and breakfast, some of the same beefsteak, with the elasticity of a -sling-shot, and other trimmings. - -The Captain seemed more talkative. "I understand that we are bound for -Suva, Fiji Islands," said I. - -"Yes, and I expect to make it in about fifty days, for with this breeze -and a smooth sea, we shall be with the flying-fish before long." - -"That will be very convenient for me, Sir." - -("No, no more coffee, thank you, Steward.") - -("Steward" is more appropriate than "Cook," and gives him a dignity -befitting his position in the presence of officers, while forward he is -pleased to be called "Doctor." But that title is seldom used, as it -depends upon the good-nature of the crew.) - -"Warm sailing will indeed be convenient for you," said the Captain. "How -did you lose your clothes? Shipwrecked? Here, Steward, take away this -Bourbon brand," (handing him the condensed milk). "I see the flies have -found it." - -"No, sir, not shipwrecked. My last trip, from Guaymas, was full of -incidents, especially in the Gulf of California. It took us six days, -with light, baffling winds and thunder-storms, to make Cape St. Lucas. -While we were rounding the Cape, lightning struck the mizzen-top, -destroying the mutton-leg spanker and setting fire to the chafing gear. -Luckily for us, the sails were damp. As it was the lightning ran forward -on the tryatic stay, and broke our forestay at the night-head."-- - -"Steward," interrupted the Captain anxiously, "don't feed Toby too much. -That old lime-juicer that was lying next to us at the loading dock was -alive with rats, and I am afraid that we have our share. You say," -turning to me, "that the forestay was carried away?" - -"Yes, sir, and that was not all. When she pitched aft, the spring-stays -buckled, and snapped our topmast clean out of her. We let all the -halyards go by the run. I have been going to sea for many years, but -never have I seen a mess like the old 'Roanoke.' With the topmast -hanging in the cross-trees, sails, booms and gaffs swinging all over the -deck, she looked as if she had been through a hurricane. But after -cutting away the topmast rigging, and letting the topmast go by the run -(watching the roll, of course, so that they would be sure to clear the -bulwark rail), we got a ten-inch hawser from the lazarette to replace -the one that had been carried away. With the deck cleared, and lower -sails set, she was able to lay her course again, and after thirty-two -days we crippled into port. - -"While lying in Bellingham, our port of discharge, I was relating my -experience to a few old salts, men with whom I had sailed in other seas. -There happened to be a land-lubber who questioned my story. He called me -a liar. I said, 'You beat it.' He reached for his hip pocket. Instantly -I swung for his jaw. He went down and I walked away. Later I met the -night policeman. 'You had better get across the line till this blows -over,' he said. 'The doctor says that he has a broken jaw.' - -"In Vancouver shipping was light, so I took a job in a logging-camp -running an old ship's donkey-engine hauling logs. Wells, the logging -company went broke, and I with them, and that is my reason for not -having any clothes." - -"What became of the man with the broken jaw?" asked the Captain. - -"I heard that he bought a gas motor cycle; they were new in the East -then. He had one shipped to Bellingham, and ran it without a muffler. It -made such a noise that horses ran away, and chickens flew about, and -eventually the townspeople ran him out of town." - -It was now past eight bells, and from the angry sound of Olsen's feet on -the deck above, I knew that he could take care of what steak was left. - -"Well," said the Captain, "that reminds me of an experience I once had -on the 'Glory of the Seas,' off River Plate. Not an electrical storm, -but worse, a squall without warning. You have to relieve Olsen now, so I -will finish some other time in your watch below." - -The cook was in the pantry, humming his favorite song, omitting the -words. - -It was my watch below, but I remained long enough on deck for Olsen to -finish his breakfast. Away towards the eastward the sky was blood red, -and the northwest wind was dying out. If the old sailor's adage holds -good, then "A red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." I had been -familiar with those signs in the Northern Pacific for years. In the -winter time it usually meant a gale. When Olsen returned, I laid out the -work to be done during the forenoon. "Get together your reef-earrings, -have your halyards coiled down ready for running," I said. "We may have -a blow before long." - -"Yaw," said the Dane, "I don't like the sky to the eastward." - -In the cabin, the Captain was sorting over some old letters. "Here," -said he, "is a picture of my two boys. They are living in Berkeley. -Their mother died two years ago while I was in South America. The doctor -said it was T. B." With tears in his eyes he said, "I suppose it had to -be, but don't you know, they are quite happy. They are living with their -aunt. Oh, children forget so soon, so soon." Picking up the pictures, -and with a look of hatred in his eyes he said, "The sea is no place for -a married man." - -At seven bells I came on deck to take the meridian altitude of the sun. -It was now partly cloudy, and hard to get a clear horizon, as the sun -would dive in and out from behind the clouds. What little wind there was -came from the southeast. - -"I guess we shall have to rely on your dead reckoning," said the -Captain, "the barometer is dropping, and it looks as if we are in for a -gale." - -At four o'clock in the afternoon it commenced to blow from the -southeast. We took in staysails, topsails and flying-jib. She was -close-hauled and headed southwest. In the first dog-watch the wind -increased. - -"Call all hands," said the Captain, "we must reef her down." - -The spanker-boom projected over the stern about twenty feet. It was no -easy matter reefing this sail, with the wind and sea increasing and her -shipping an occasional sea. There was some danger of one's being washed -overboard and very little chance of saving a life. But now was the time -to find out if our sailors were from the old school. I loved the storms, -and the wild raging seas and angry skies,--no sea gull ever enjoyed the -tempest more than I. - -"Here you, Johnson, Nelson and Swanson, lay out on the boom, haul out -and pass your reef-earring, and be quick about it." - -Swanson said: "I'll not go out there. The foot-rope is too short." - -"By God, you'll go out there if I have to haul you with a handy billy." - -"Yes, damn you, get out there," roared the Captain. "You call yourself a -sailor; it is a beachcomber you are!" The Captain worked himself into a -rage. "By Heavens, we will make sailors of you before this trip is -over." - -Swanson with a look of rage, decided that an alternative of the boom-end -with an occasional dip into the raging sea underneath and elevation on -high as she rolled, was much preferable to what he could expect should -he refuse to obey orders. With the spanker and mainsail close-reefed we -were pretty snug. - -"If the wind increases it will be necessary to heave her to; that will -do; the watch below," said I. - -Old Charlie was coiling down ropes. "Mr. Mate, look out for Swanson, I -just heard him say that this ship is too small for you and him. He is -very disagreeable in the foc'sle. He and One-Eyed Riley came near having -a scrap over the sour beans at noon today." - -Three hours later the wind increased to a living gale. Before we could -let go the halyards it blew our foresail away. - -"My God," cried the Captain, "and brand new. Just begged my owners for -it. Six hundred dollars gone to Hell! Get the mainsail and inner jib -off lively. Heave her to under the main jib." Speaking to the man at the -wheel: "Don't let her go off, damn you, let her come to, and put your -wheel in 'midships." - -Throughout the night the wind kept up, with the seas battering our -deck-load, until there was danger of having it washed overboard. But -about seven o'clock in the morning it abated some. The old ship had the -expression of a wet water-spaniel coming out of the water before shaking -himself. Defiant as she was to race away from storm and strife, she was -hopelessly crippled by the mountainous sea that was trying to swallow -her up in its angry roll. - -"Never mind about anything," said the Captain, "get the damned old spare -foresail up anyway, we will have to patch it and get it onto her. Olsen, -how do the stores and flour look? Yes, it is aft on the port side." - -"The rats have torn two sacks of flour open, sir." - -"Great God, have they gotten in there already? Run and get Toby, and put -him down there, I will attend to the lazarette hatch myself from now -on." - -So saying, he walked, to the rail and levelled his glass at an -approaching ship. - -Out of the murky horizon loomed up the U. S. transport "Dix," with -troops bound for Manila to aid in the capture of Aguinaldo. As she -passed us to windward Old Charlie remarked, "There will be few aboard of -her to eat breakfast this morning, the way she pitches and rolls." - -It was plain to be seen that the Captain was in no mood for comedy this -particular morning. With the loss of his new foresail, and rats in the -flour, and worst of all forgetting to wind the chronometer, a fatal -result of his preoccupation with the storm, he was the picture of a man -doomed to despair, and I, for one, approached him very gingerly. - -With a look of disdain at Old Charlie, he said, "To Hell with breakfast! -All you beachcombers think of is eating. Haul the gaff to windward. Bend -on the old foresail, or we shall be blown clear across to Japan." - -Towards noon the wind let up a little, enough to carry lower sails. Even -with a heavy sea we were able to make five and one-half knots, but were -off our course four points, as the wind was still south southeast. - -"Mr. Mate, the Captain wants to see you." - -"All right, Olsen." - -In the cabin the Captain was walking in a circle. "Damn it all," he -cried, "why couldn't _you_remind me to wind the chronometer?" - -"I did not know that you had one on board, sir." - -"Hell and damnation! Go to sea without a chronometer? Who ever heard of -such a thing!" Swinging his arms wildly over his head, he said, "Where -in blazes did you go to sea?" - -"Captain," said I, "I have made a twenty-thousand mile trip without a -chronometer with old Captain Sigelhorst in the bark "Quickstep," not so -long ago. We can surely get our position from a passing ship, and if -not, we can make land, say off San Diego, and easily correct our -position for Greenwich time." - -"Well, it is a damned poor business, anyway." - -Just then we were interrupted by Olsen, who reported to the Captain that -Swanson was sick and refused to come on deck. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -BEECHAM'S PILLS ARE WORTH A GUINEA THOUGH THEY COST BUT EIGHTEEN PENCE - - -In those days, twenty years ago, sailing schooners had few men before -the mast, and every man was called upon to do a man's work. If one of -the crew were sick, it usually caused a great deal of trouble both fore -and aft. In bad and stormy weather it was not uncommon for the old and -seasoned sailor to play sick, provided he could get away with it. The -usual symptom was lame back, so that the appetite might not be -questioned. When the ship would emerge into fine weather, marvel of -marvels, the sailor would recover in a moment. - -"Sick, is he?" said the Captain, and pointed to me, saying: "Go forward -and see what the trouble is." - -"I am sure," I replied, "that he will be on deck before long, sir." - -"All I have in the medicine chest is pills, yes, damn it, pills," and he -waved me forward. - -In the forecastle Swanson was lying in his bunk with the blankets pulled -up over his head, sound asleep, and beside him, lying on a bench, was -all that remained of a breakfast piece of hardtack, and a large bone, -with teethmarks in the gristle. - -"Well," thought I, "if he is getting as close to the bone as this, he -can't be very sick." I awoke him, saying: "What is the matter with you, -Swanson? Why aren't you on deck? This is not your watch below." - -He rolled over as if in great agony. - -"Mr. Mate, I ban very sick man." - -"Where are you sick?" - -"I ban sick on this side," pointing to the right side. - -"Stick out your tongue. Yes, indeed, you are a very sick man. Can't eat, -I suppose." He answered me with a grunt as if in mortal pain. - -I went aft and asked the Captain for a few pills. "Give me five." - -"Hell, take ten. How is he?" - -"I will have him on deck in a few hours, sir." - -After Swanson had swallowed the last pill I said, "You are feeling much -easier now, aren't you? Of course, this treatment will relieve you, but -only temporarily. I am positive that you have a very bad case of -appendicitis." - -This seemed to please the Swede very much. "But," said I, "it is very -unfortunate that we are running into another storm, the pitching and -rolling of the ship will be bad for you." - -He looked me fair in the eye, saying, "Why?" - -"Well, it may be either death or an operation for you very soon." - -"I tank de pain go down," pointing to his hip. - -"Yes, Swanson, that is the most pronounced symptom of all," I said, -pathetically. "You lie still while I go aft and see what kind of cutlery -the Captain has." - -"Captain," I asked, when I was once more on deck, "what kind of pills -were those that you just gave me for Swanson?" - -"Beecham's pills, and five is a very large dose. I have had them by me -for years. As a boy I was introduced to them by the North Sea -fishermen," he proceeded solemnly. "You know they advertise them on the -sails of luggers, smacks and sloops, in fact, wherever you look in the -North Sea, Irish Sea or English Channel you can always see Beecham's -Pills go sailing by." - -Towards evening the weather broke clear with the wind hauling towards -the northeast and eastward, and the prospects looked good for better -weather. About nine o'clock the cook came running aft, crying, "Mr. -Mate, Swanson is very sick, and the crew think that he is going to die." - -"What is the matter with him now?" said I, very coolly. - -"He has terrible cramps. Russian-Finn John and Broken-Nosed Pete have -all they can do to hold him in the bunk." - -"You go to the galley, steward, and get a quart of warm water. You can -give it to him while John and Pete hold him, and I have no doubt that in -this case Riley will be glad to help. Is that he groaning?" - -"Yes," said the Steward, trembling, "he is in terrible agony." - -"Have you given him anything to eat for supper?" - -"My God, yes, he has gorged himself on corned beef and cabbage." - -"Well," thought I, "he has reason to roll and groan." - -"Get that hot water," I continued aloud, "and be quick about it. If -anything happens to him after this you will be to blame. The idea of -feeding corned beef and cabbage to a man with a high fever!" The cook -waited to hear no more. All I could see was the dirty apron flying for -the galley. - -The Captain, hearing us talking from the cabin, shouted out, "What is -all that noise up there?" - -"Nothing much, sir; she is now laying her course with the wind free." -This was hoping to distract him with weather conditions from asking whom -I dared to talk with on the poop deck. Discipline must be adhered to on -windjammers. Mates and second mates give their orders in whispers, but -never loud enough to awaken His Majesty the Captain. The mates are held -in high esteem by the crew when they see the Captain conversing with -them, but for one of the crew to come and carry on a conversation with -an officer when he is aft in his sacred precinct, the poop deck, is -considered a crime, and ranks almost next to mutiny. Evidently he -thought that I was giving some orders to the crew, for he closed the -porthole, and did not ask me the question. - -On my way forward to see how the steward was getting along with his -mission, and while abreast the forerigging, Old Charlie tapped me on the -shoulder and pointed toward the forecastle saying: "Mr. Mate, Swanson is -a very sick man. He thinks that you have given him poison, sir, -and"--stepping close to me, "I feel that something is going to happen on -this ship." - -"What makes you think that?" said I. - -Pulling his old hairy cap down around his ears, and settling down for a -long yarn, he said: "In the winter of 1875 I was in a ship off the Cape -of Good Hope. We lost three sailors overboard--" - -"I am in a hurry, Charlie, you will be too long--" - -"I have had queer dreams lately, sir," he interrupted. - -"Tell me some other time," said I, "I must see the Swede." - -Down in the forecastle Riley was comforting Swanson in the uncertain -language of the sea, while the cook held his head, eyeing me, and saying -very softly, "I don't think that it is the cabbage, sir." - -"What is it then," said I, "I only gave two grains of quinine to reduce -his fever. Stand back, there, so that I can get a look at him. How are -you now, Swanson?" As I said this, the words of the advertisement -occurred to me, "Beecham's Pills are worth a guinea, though they cost -but eighteen pence." - -There was no bluffing with the Swede. He was sick in good earnest now. -"I think I ban poisoned, Mr. Mate." - -"No, Swanson, you have not been poisoned. You must be operated on, and -at once." - -"Begob, sir," said Riley, with a wink at me, "and sure it is myself that -knows how to carve. I will be after helping you, sir." - -"Thank you, Riley, it is a dirty job, and I should much prefer that you -would do it." - -"Let me up," yelled the Swede. - -"Hold him down, men," said I. "You know that he is out of his head from -fever, and it would be dangerous for him to get up until after the -operation." It now dawned upon Swanson that I was in earnest about the -operation. For a one-eyed Irishman and his enemy to cut a hole in him -was more than he could bear. With a wild plunge that hurled his captors -to right and left, he jumped from his bunk, and raced for his life up -the ladder that led to the deck. - -Seven bells in the morning, and with a fine sailing breeze, we were -leaving behind the sleet and storms for those who sail the northern -latitudes. - -"I saw Swanson on deck this morning," said the Captain. - -"Yes, sir, he is better. I don't think that we shall have any more -trouble from him in that direction." - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -OMENS AND SUPERSTITIONS OF OLD CHARLIE - - -Four days later a tramp steamer hove in sight. We signaled him, and -asked for his position. He signaled back, giving latitude and longitude. -He was about a mile to the eastward of us. We set and wound our -chronometer, and considered this luck indeed, as the Captain expressed -it. He seemed quite happy, and, with an expression of confidence on his -face, remarked: - -"Well, we are all right again. You know I was very much worried about -forgetting to wind the chronometer. I have been master for fourteen -years, and this is the first time that I have neglected to do it. I have -heard from old-timers that it is considered a bad omen." - -"I don't believe in any such superstitions," said I. - -Here he called to the cook, who was throwing slop overboard from the -galley: "Have you given Toby any water today?" - -"Yessir," said the cook, and cursed a large black and white gull for -eating more than his share of the scraps that were floating by. "Toby -wants for nothing, sir. In fact, he has been getting out of the -lazarette lately." - -The Captain did not hear this last remark. He was watching the remains -from the galley to see if there was any waste. Old sailors say they can -tell how ships feed by the number of gulls who follow in her wake. - - * * * * * - -(Now follow some extracts from my diary, kept during a portion of this -trip.) - -For the last week we have been having fine weather. The cook and crew -seem to be very friendly. I notice that during the dog-watch from six to -eight they gather around the mainmast. There the cook has a barrel in -which he freshens salt meat. In this watch he puts it to soak. This -evening he must have been carried away with his subject, for he was -talking loudly and very excitedly, exclaiming: - -"That is it exactly, and here we are. What are we getting? Nothing. And -to think that we are the slaves of the owners--" - -Some one interrupted, I believe that it was the Russian-Finn, saying: -"I'll bet they," meaning the owners of our ship, "don't have to eat this -old salt horse three times a day." - -Riley voiced in with: "Begorra, and it's crame in their tay they are -having, and divil a thimbleful do we get here." - -This last expression from the Irishman pleased the cook, who brought his -fist down sharply on the pork-barrel, crying: "And, men, your only -salvation lies in the ballot-box." - -The cook's ballot-box amused me. Who ever heard of a sailor voting? Out -of ten of our crew, we had not one American citizen! - -Our position at noon today was 17 deg. 24 north latitude,--longitude 142 -deg. 10 west. The wind has been steady from the northeast for the last -forty-eight hours. I am satisfied that this is the commencement of the -trade-winds. - -During the middle watch I was very sleepy, and decided to walk on the -deck load as far forward as the mainmast, and back again, and so on. I -noticed one of the crew standing against the weather main-rigging. As -the night was dark, I could not make him out, and, remembering Old -Charlie warning about the big Swede having it in for me, I stepped over -to the fife rail and pulled out a belaying-pin, thinking that it might -come in handy in case this ghost-like figure started anything. But just -then he lit his pipe, and from the rays of the match I could make out -the features of Old Charlie himself. - -"Charlie," I said, "you scared me." - -"I have been standing here thinking, sir. Have you noticed the Bo'sun -flying low lately, sir?" - -The "Bo'sun" Old Charlie alluded to is a tropical bird, snow-white with -an exquisite tail, and flies very fast and usually very high. It is a -common tradition among sailors that this beautiful bird is the -embodiment of the souls of drowned sailors. - -"No, Charlie," said I, "I haven't noticed them." - -Taking a puff from his old pipe, and buttoning his overcoat around his -neck as if expecting a squall, then looking around the horizon to make -sure that we would not be interrupted by any wind-jammer: - -"Yes, sir, at noon today one came near alighting on the end of the -jibboom." - -"You must have mistaken it for a sea-gull," said I. - -"No, sir; it was no sea-gull. I have been sailing the seas for -thirty-four years, and I have seen and heard strange things." - -"Well, suppose it did light on the jibboom; it has to get a rest -sometimes." - -"They have their island homes and never come near a ship, unless," -speaking very softly, "unless some one is going to die." - -"Nonsense, Charlie. Surely you don't believe in such foolishness." - -"I started to tell you some time back about an old ship I was in off the -Cape of Good Hope. Maybe you remember her, she was called 'The Mud -Puddler,'" and Charlie continued with a grin, "she was never in the mud -while I was on her." - -"Yes," said I, "I remember her. She sailed from Liverpool, didn't she?" - -"Yes, sir; that's her; four-masted and bark-rigged. Well, as I was -saying, we left Calcutta bound for Hamburg. One night, off the Cape, it -was my lookout. It was a fine night with a fresh breeze, and we were -ploughing along about eight knots. I heard two bells go aft, and in that -ship we had to answer all bells on the foc's'le head." - -"Is it one o'clock so soon?" thought I. - -"You know," speaking to me, "where the fish-tackle davit is?" - -"I know where it should be," said I. - -"Well, that is where I was standing." (A lookout is very important on -all ships, especially at night, when they see a light or a sail they -report to the officer on watch.) "As I was in a hurry to answer the -bell, not wanting the mate to think I was napping, I rushed to ring it, -and, standing there, sir, was a man I had never seen!" - -"It was one of the crew playing a joke on you," said I. - -"Oh, no, Mr. Mate, not at all, not at all. I knew every man on board of -her, sir, and this man was not of this world. He had a pair of -Wellington boots on, you know the kind, all leather, to just below the -knee." - -"Yes," said I, "I know the kind." - -"He also had a sou'wester with a neat-fitting pea-jacket. And, sir, it -was his face that frightened me. His eyes were fiery, his beard was dark -and thick, with heavy, bushy eyebrows." - -All this time I was getting very much interested in Old Charlie's story. -"What did you do? What did you say to him?" I asked, very impatiently. - -"I reached in front of him to answer the bell. He spoke very mournfully, -saying: 'You shall have a visit from the Bo'sun tomorrow;' and he -instantly disappeared and left me with my hand still stretched out for -the bell-rope...." - -I could smell the smoke from a cigar, and knew that the Captain was -pacing the poop. I walked aft slowly, anxious to hear what happened on -the bark "Mud Puddler." Sure enough, there was the Captain, walking up -and down, and occasionally glancing at the compass. Evidently the ship -was off her course when he came up from the cabin. He spoke to me rather -harshly, saying: "Don't let these fellows," pointing to the man at the -wheel, "steer her all over the ocean." - -"Very well, sir. I was just forward seeing if the side-lights were -burning brightly." - -"Well, keep your eye on them, they are not to be trusted too long. And -by the way, have the second mate get up the old spare sails in his -morning watch; we have some roping and patching to do before we bend -them. They are all right for this kind of weather. This breeze will -carry us near the Equator." - -"Very good, sir. I will have Olsen get them up." - -He took one more look at the compass and went below. I went to the -binnacle more to see the time than the compass. I was surprised to see -that it was twenty minutes past three. I was anxious to go forward and -have Charlie finish his story, but, seeing a light in the Captain's -room, I was doomed to finish the watch around the man at the wheel. - -My rather troubled sleep was ended by a rap at the door. It was the -cook. "It has gone seven bells. Breakfast will be ready in a few -minutes, sir." Dressing was easy for me. In fact, all it required was -washing and putting on my cap, for in the tropics one has little use -for clothes, which was indeed fortunate for me. - -"Steward," said I, as I perfected my toilet, "what have you for -breakfast this morning?" He hesitated before answering, and well I knew -what was passing in his mind. "How does he dare to ask me what I am -going to have for breakfast! I who have befriended him. What have I for -breakfast indeed!" - -"Tongues and sounds," said the Emancipator, very sharply. - -"A breakfast fit for a king," I replied cheerfully. - -The word "king" was a red flag to a bull to him. The presence of the -Captain coming down the companion-way was all that saved me from the -fate of all reigning monarchs. - -Tongues and sounds of the Alaska codfish come pickled in brine and -packed in firkins, and are sold principally to marine shipping. All that -is required in the process of cooking is to freshen them overnight, boil -and serve with drawn butter. They are an enviable breakfast delicacy on -land and sea. - -The cook, although upset by my reference to kings, lost none of the -dignity of serving the byproduct of the Alaska cod. The Captain had -little to say during the morning meal, and seemed worried about -something. - -On my leaving the table he remarked: "Get your palm and needle. I want -you to work with me on the spare sails, they are in bad shape." - -The spare sails were indeed much in need of repair. Where they were not -worn threadbare, they had been chewed by the rats. While we were sitting -side by side sewing, this afternoon, we talked of many things--ships and -shipping, and foreign ports. - -"Do you know," said he, "that trip that took me to South America when my -wife died was going to be my last trip." He stopped sewing. "You see, -she would never complain of being sick. Of course, I was away most of -the time, spending about two weeks a year at home with her and the -children. It was while I was home that trip, that I noticed how poorly -she looked, and that cough, and realized how much she must have -suffered. The doctor told me she might live for years with proper care -and right climatic conditions. She and I talked it over and decided that -on my return trip I would give up the sea for good, and devote my time -to her and the children on a farm in Southern California. When I -returned from Valparaiso and found that poor Bertha was dead, and the -boys living with their aunt, it was more than I could stand." - -With tears streaming from his eyes, unconscious of the vast Pacific, the -ship he was in, or even the crew around him, he murmured softly to -himself: - -"My wife, my wife,--gone, gone." In this intense moment a ball of sewing -twine rolled from his knee, and, reaching for it, he said: "Do you know -that sometimes I think she is with me." - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE SHARK--"TO HELL WITH SHARK AND SHIP" - - -I was so overcome by the Captain's tears and his great love for his -deceased wife, that I failed to hear Old Charlie calling me from the -wheel until he attracted my attention by pointing over the stern. - -"What is wrong?" I asked, thinking that perhaps the log line had carried -away. - -"A black fin on the starboard quarter, sir." - -"What is that?" said the Captain, throwing the sail aside and walking -aft. - -"It is a shark, sir," said I, "and a black one." - -Instantly all love and human kindliness left him. Jumping down onto the -poop deck and looking over the rail. - -"By Heavens, you are right," he cried, "he must be twenty feet long. Run -to the pork barrel and get a chunk of meat while I get the shark hook." - -"Aye, aye, sir." In the excitement it did not take me long to reach the -cook's salt pork barrel, and grabbing about ten pounds of salt horse I -was aft again in a minute. The Captain was bending a three-inch rope -into a swivel on a chain. The chain is about six feet from the hook. -When the shark comes down with his six rows of teeth on each jaw, it -takes more than manila rope to stop him, hence the quarter-inch chain. - -The Captain was very much excited. "Here, damn it. No, he will nibble it -off the hook if you put it there. That is it. The center. Now over the -side with it. Slack away on your line there. That is enough. Make fast." - -"All fast, sir," said I. - -In our excitement of the morning we had forgotten to take our -observation for latitude. It was now past eight bells with the cook -ringing the bell for dinner. The black fin was swimming around the salt -horse, and it was easy to decide between them. - -"By God, there," pointing astern, "is another one," said the Captain. -"Why in blazes don't he take the bait?" - -No sooner said than done. The big black fin turned over on his back and -swallowed meat and hook, then righting himself and feeling grateful for -so small a morsel, and starting to swim away, he found that he was fast -to the end of a rope. - -No one realized it more than the Captain. With a shout that could be -heard all over the schooner: "Lay aft, all hands," he cried, "and lend a -hand to pull in this black cannibal." - -With all hands aft, including the cook,--his presence is always needed -in emergencies like this,--"Get that boom tackle from off the main -boom," he continued, "and you," pointing to Olsen, "get a strop from the -lazarette and fasten it up in the mizzen-rigging." - -"If I go down there," said Olsen, pointing to the lazarette hatch, "the -cat may get out." - -"To Hell with the cat," said the Captain, "this is no time to stand on -technicalities. Get the strop and get it up damned lively." - -Meantime the cook forgot that he was the humble dispenser of salt horse -and pea soup. He who had fought the land sharks for years, he who had -stood hour after hour in the sweltering sun declaiming against the -crimps and other parasites of the Barbary coast, was it not befitting -that he should lead the charge on this black monster of the deep? - -The Ballot-Box Cook, for this is the name I gave him, was standing abaft -the mizzen-rigging, with unkempt iron-gray hair waving in the wind, a -greasy apron, and bare feet. His large red nose had never lost any of -its cherry color, as one would expect it to, under the bleaching -influence of long voyages. His large supply of extract of lemon, with -its sixty per cent of alcohol, is not to be deprecated in these times, -when diluted to a nicety with water and sugar. - -On this particular day he had not neglected his midday tonic. Tucking -his dirty apron into the belt that supported his overalls, and jumping -down from the deck-load to the poop deck, he exclaimed with the wildest -gestures: - -"Holy Moses, men, don't let him get away." - -From the way that the shark was thrashing and beating the water, one -would think that the three-inch rope would part from the strain at any -minute. - -"Stop the ship!" cried the cook. - -"Stop hell," retorted the Captain. - -"You will never land him," insisted the cook; "she has too much bloody -way on her." - -"I'll attend to this ship; I am master here," said the Captain angrily. - -"Master, you are?" here discipline between master and cook was fused -away into the northeast trades. The cook, coming to attention with all -the dignity of a newly-made corporal, said: "Captain, I'll have you -understand that I have no masters, and"--shaking his fist at the -Captain, and slapping himself on the breast, "do you think that I have -always been a sea-cook?" - -Under other conditions the Captain would have had him put in irons, but -there was now too much at stake for him to even think of such a thing. -For is not time the essence of all things? With this demon of the sea -dangling on the end of a sixty-foot line, every minute seemed a century -with the chance that hook, meat and line might sail away into fathomless -depths. - -"Get to Hell forward to your galley! I will send for you when I need -you"--Here the cook, with rage interrupted: - -"To Hell with you, shark and ship! The American Consul shall hear about -this!" With this parting shot he slouched forward to the galley. - -"Here, damn you, here," continued the Captain, forgetting him on the -instant. "Here, you, Nelson, put a sheep-shank in the shark-line--now -hook your block in. That's the way. Hoist away on your tackle." After -giving these orders he hopped up on the deck-load to direct the course -of the incoming shark. With the crew pulling all their might, we could -not get him in an inch. - -"If we wait a little while, Captain," said Olsen, "he may drown." - -"Drown be damned, who ever heard of a shark drowning? Get a -snatch-block, hook it into the deck-lashing, take a line forward, and -heave him in with the capstan." - -Leaving the second mate with the crew to heave in the shark, I walked -aft to join the Captain. While passing the galley I could hear the cook -singing, "Marchons, marchons,"--I knew it would be dangerous to -interrupt him. - -After heaving about twenty minutes the shark was alongside with the head -about three feet out of water. - -"Belay!" roared the Captain, "come aft, here, a couple of you. Slip a -running bowline over his head, we must not lose him. That is the way. -Take a turn around the mast. All right aft. Heave away on your capstan." - -As the enemy of every sailor who sails the seas came alongside, with him -came the strains of the old capstan chantey: - - "Sally Brown, I love your daughter, - Heave, ho, roll and go, - For seven long years I courted Sally, - I spent my money on Sally Brown." - -Before the second verse of the aged Sally was finished, Black Fin was -ours to do and dare. - -"Make fast forward," shouted the Captain, "and bring your capstan bars -aft. One of you get the crowbar from the donkey-room." - -If there is anything in this world that a sailor loves, it is to kill a -shark. We secured him safely on the deck-load, for they are not to be -trusted out of water, especially if one gets too near to the head or -tail. This monster measured seventeen feet, six inches. With capstan -bars, crowbar and sharp knives it didn't take long to take the fight out -of him. - -After being cut up, the choice parts were given to members of the crew, -such as the backbone for a walking-stick, the gall for cleaning shoes -and so forth. The eyeballs, when properly cured in the sunlight resemble -oyster pearls. I took the most coveted part, the jaw, and when it was -opened, it measured twenty-two inches. The Captain ordered what was left -of him thrown overboard, and turning to me said, "Have the steward serve -dinner." - -"How about the other shark, sir?" - -"Oh, we will leave him until after we eat." - -After dinner there was no shark to be seen. "We have made a sad -mistake," lamented the Captain. "We should not have thrown the first -shark overboard. By doing that we have fed him to the second." - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE TIN-PLATE FIGHT--ONE-EYED RILEY TRIUMPHS - - -It was my watch below, and only one hour and a half left to sleep. -Taking off my cap, I hopped into the bunk, and was just dozing off to -sleep when the Cook opened the door saying: "Have you anything to read?" - -"No, I have not," I replied, impatiently. - -"Well," said he, unheeding, "I wish you would read this book. It is 'The -Superman,' by Nietzsche. I also want you to read Karl Marx, in three -volumes. Then you will understand why I hate sharks and masters." With -the last remark he slammed the door behind him. - -The watch from eight to twelve was wonderfully fascinating, and full of -romance. A full moon hung in the clear tropical sky. The waters rippled, -and the Southern Cross glimmered in the distant horizon. Occasionally a -block or boom squeaked, as if to say, "I, too, lend enchantment to the -night." - -At ten-thirty the light went out in the Captain's room. I knew that, -tired by the excitement of the day, it would not be long before he would -be asleep. With instructions to the wheel-man to keep her on her course, -I went forward to see Old Charlie, and hear from him what happened next -aboard the bark "Mud Puddler." - -"As I was saying last night, there I stood with my hand stretched out to -ring the bell, and, sir, I could not move a muscle." - -"Charlie," said I, "you were just dozing and dreaming, and thought that -you heard the bell aft." - -"Not at all, sir, not at all. For the mate came forward cursing and -swearing and telling me that if I slept again on watch he would dock me -a month's pay. I have sailed under flags of many nations, sir, and never -have I been caught dozing at the wheel or on the lookout." - -"What about the Flying Bo'sun, did he visit your ship?" - -Old Charlie was too solemn for one to think lightly of his story. - -"Wait, sir, don't go too fast. At breakfast the next morning I was -telling my shipmates about the strange man on the foc's'le. In -describing how he looked and the clothes he wore, one old sailor seemed -much interested. - -"You say he wore Wellington boots and a pea-jacket? What color did you -say his beard was?" - -"Black and bushy," said I. - -"That's very strange, very strange," said the old sailor. - -One member of the crew laughed at the old man's last remark, and said: -"What is strange about it? One would really believe that you thought -that Charlie was awake. Ha, ha, the joke is on you." - -Old John, for that was his name, pushed his hook-pot and plate over on -the bench and rising very slowly to his feet said, "Shipmates, I am -sixty-two years old. I have sailed the seas since I was fourteen. I want -to say that the apparition that Charlie saw last night is not a joke, -but a stern reality, and, shipmates, some one of us is going on the Long -Voyage." - -Here Charlie stopped to fill and light his pipe. - -"What happened next?" I asked. - -"Well, sir, in the afternoon watch I was out on the jibboom reeving off -a new jib downhaul, and, sir, as true as I stand here, there, almost -within arm's length, sat the Flying Bo'sun. Three days later we ran into -a storm off the Cape,--you know the short, choppy, ugly sea we get off -there? It was during this storm that we lost three men, and one of them -was old Sailor John. So you see I have reason to believe in coming -disaster. With the Bo'sun waiting to alight, and sharks following the -ship, I tell you that something is going to happen soon." - -As Charlie finished his story, the man at the wheel struck one bell, a -quarter to twelve. It is always customary to give the crew fifteen -minutes for dressing, that when eight bells is rung the watcher may be -promptly relieved. I called the second mate, got a sandwich, and went on -deck again to take the distance run by the log. - -While I was waiting for Olsen to relieve me Old Charlie came running -aft. "They are killing each other in the foc's'le, sir." - -"Who is it?" I asked. - -"One-Eyed Riley and Swanson, sir." - -"Who is getting the best of it?" - -"Swanson, sir. He has Riley down, and is beating him over the head with -a tin plate." - -Looking down into the forecastle I could see Swanson stretched out with -Riley standing over him, a marline-spike in his hand, cursing and -swearing. - -"Bad luck to you for a big squarehead. It's trying to tear me good eye -out, you are. Mother of God, look at me tin plate that he bate me with, -it is all crumbled in. Sure and I can't use that agin, and divil another -this side of San Francisco." - -"Riley," said I, "have you killed this man?" - -"Begorra, sir, me intintions was well-meanin'. I broke me spike on him." - -"Turn him over," I commanded, "and see if there is any life in him." - -"Now, throw some water on him." - -"The divil a drop will I throw on him, sir, but if you will say the -word, I'll pitch him into the sea." - -In a few minutes Swanson came to, terribly bruised about the head, and -no more fight in him. - -"Riley," said I, "you beat this man, now you must bandage him up and -take care of him." - -"Ah, sure, sir; it's murdher you'd be after wantin' me to do and it's -bandage him up you want. Heavenly Father, with me new tin plate all -spoiled, what in the divil am I going to ate off of?" - -"Eight bells!" sang out the man on the lookout. It was Swanson's lookout -watch, and the Finn's wheel. - -"Riley, you will have to keep the Swede's lookout this watch. He is -dazed and stupid from the beating you gave him. There is danger of him -walking overboard." - -Swanson crawled over to the bench as if in terrible pain, muttering: "I -will get this Irish dog, and when I do, look out, I will kill him." - -The other members of the watch below were too busy dressing to pay much -attention to the fight, but one could see that they were proud of -Riley's work. - -"Ha, ha, an' it's kill me you would, me fine bucko, an' sure you might -if I had no eyes in me head. You dirty baste. Let me finish him, sir." - -"Riley," said I, severely, "get up on deck, and relieve the man on the -lookout, or I will place you both in irons." - -Riley went on duty very reluctantly, saying, "Begorra, sir, and it's -sorry you'll be for not letting me finish him." - -"Swanson," I said, "you will be all right in the morning. You have a few -bad bumps on your head, but a hard and tough man like you should not -mind that." - -I left him grumbling and whining and swearing vengeance, saying to -himself: "By Jiminy, I get even mit dem all." - -On the forecastle head Riley was pacing up and down, evidently very -happy and pleased with the night's work. He was humming an old ditty, -and sometimes breaking out singing: - - "Blow you winds while sails are spreading, - Carry me cheerily o'er the sea. - I'll go back, de dom, de dido, - To my sweetheart in the old countree." - -In the cabin the Captain was looking through the nautical almanack to -find a star that was crossing our meridian. - -"You know," speaking to me, "we must not allow sharks nor anything else -to interfere with the progress of the ship. I want to cross the Equator -about in 150 deg. west. I believe that I shall have to keep her a little -to the westward now. Ah, here I have it, the star Draconis, it crosses -our meridian at 1 hr. 15 min. Just give me your latitude by dead -reckoning." - -"Here you are, sir," handing him the latitude. "With this moderate -breeze she has made 110 miles since noon today." - -"It looks," said he, "as if she were going to beat her last trip to the -Equator. But, of course, there's the doldrums. One can never tell. -Sometimes a ship will run through and into the southeast trades, and -escape the doldrums. But that seldom happens to me." - -The next few days were spent sewing sails, the crew rattling her down, -cleaning brass-work and chipping iron rust from the anchor chain. A ship -is like a farm, there is always work to be done, and a sailor must never -be idle. It is the mate's duty to find work to keep them going. A mate's -ability is usually measured by the amount of work that he gets out of -the crew, especially when she sails into her home port. - -There the owners come aboard, and if they do not wring their hands, and -tear their hair, and sometimes tramp on their hats or caps, the mate is -indeed to be complimented. They will sometimes walk up to you and say: - -"Well, you had a fine voyage, I see," looking around at the masts, and -yards, and paint-work. "Do you smoke? Here is a very fine cigar, three -for a dollar." (More often it is three for ten cents.) - -I remember the old barque "Jinney Thompson." We were three weeks -overdue. When we finally arrived the owner was there on the dock and -fired every man aboard her. It seems that every day for three weeks he -had never failed to make his appearance at the wharf. On this day while -the tug-boat was docking us there he stood, white with rage. - -"Get off my ship, you damned pirates, every man, woman and child of you! -To think that I should have lost one hundred and fifty dollars on this -trip. Get off, damn you, get off!" - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -IN WHICH THE CAPTAIN WOUNDS HIS HAND - - -"No, sir, he won't stay down there," said the cook. "He caught a -flying-fish the other night; it lit on the deck forward. Since then he -just sits in the main rigging watching. When I get near him he runs up -aloft." - -"I must tell the mate," said the Captain, "to move the flour into the -spare room. Those damned rats will eat us out yet. Why don't you tie -Toby with the stores?" - -"I can't, sir, he won't let me near enough." - -This conversation was going on in the cabin while I was trying to read -Henry George. I went to sleep wondering how a single tax could be -applied to city property. I was not asleep long before I was awakened by -loud tapping on my door. "Come in," said I. The door opened. There stood -the Captain, pale and excited. - -"Would you mind tying up this hand for me? I stuck a marline spike -through here," pointing to the fleshy part between the thumb and -fore-finger of the right hand. - -"Just one minute, sir, I'll get some hot water." - -Fortunately there was hot water in the galley. - -"There you are, sir, put your hand in the bucket. No, it is not too hot. -There, see, I hold my hand in it." - -Satisfied that there was no danger of cooking it, he pulled the rag off, -and thrust his hand into the bucket. I noticed that there was no blood -to speak of. I said, "Captain, did the spike go through your hand?" - -"Hell, yes, man, about three inches." - -I suggested many remedies, such as washing it with saline solution and -bandaging with oakum and so on. But he would have none of them, and -insisted on having the rag tied around, assuring me that it would be -well in a day or so. He kept on deck most of the first watch, but was -evidently in great pain. - -"I think that we are running into the doldrums from the look of those -clouds to the eastward," said he. - -"We have one thing in our favor," I replied; "we should have a -three-knot current to the southward according to the pilot chart." - -"You should not rely on what those fellows in Washington put onto paper. -If you do you will never get anywhere." - -At five o'clock in the morning it was raining. There is no place in the -world where it rains as it does around the Equator; it seems as if the -celestial sluice-gates had gotten beyond control. We were becalmed, and -in the doldrums, with not a breath of air. Usually this lasts for five -or six days. - -During this time every one on board is very busy, catching water, -filling barrels, washing clothes, and working ship. The latter work is -hard on the crew, for you are always trimming ship for every puff of -wind that comes along. Pity the weak-kneed mate in the doldrums. There -are times when you tack and wear, and boxhaul ship every fifteen -minutes. The crew resent this kind of work, and while doing it they -curse and swear, and will do the opposite to what they are told. - -Here is where the old-school mate comes in. Obey orders. He sees that -they do obey. Lazy sailors breed discontent, and discipline must be -stern. If a member of the crew happens to be idle, he must by no means -appear to be. He must at least act very seriously, and look to windward, -as if beckoning for a breeze. There is an old saying among -sailing-ship-men: - - "When the wind is fair the money comes in over the stern, - When the wind is ahead the money comes in over the bow." - -so a sailor must never show that the unfavorable weather is making pay -for him. He must never whistle a tune, nor sing a song, but he is -privileged at all times during a calm to whistle as if he were calling a -dog, for if you don't get wind with the dog-whistling, you are not to -blame. I have seen captains standing for hours whistling for wind. Pity -the man who would smile or crack a joke on so serious an occasion. One -captain I was with, after whistling off and on all day without avail, -threw three of his hats overboard, one after the other, crying in rage, -"There, now, damn you, give us a gale." - -The wise mate knows his place in trying times like these. He never goes -aft, thereby avoiding serious discussions. He always makes it his -business to be very busy in the forepart of the ship. The worst time for -him is meal-time. It is not uncommon to finish eating without a word -being spoken. The cook is not exempt. Should the captain count more than -ten raisins in the bread-pudding, look out for a squall! - -At breakfast I ate alone. The Captain was walking around in his room. - -"How is your hand, sir?" I inquired. - -"It is very painful. I have just been washing it with a little carbolic -acid I found in a drawer." - -"I have taken off staysails, topsails and inner and outer jib, sir." - -He did not answer, but shut his door with a slam. I was worried about -his condition, but was helpless to do anything for him. He was the -stubborn type, with tight lips, and projecting cheek-bones. He believed -that what he could not do for himself no other could do for him. I think -that this applied only to strangers. As captain of a ship you are always -dealing with new faces, and never have much confidence in any one. For -instance if, in taking the altitude of the sun or a star, his reckoning -should differ from yours by a mile or so, you would always be wrong. The -same with longitude by chronometer in time. - -The loneliness of the sea must be responsible for this. And yet in their -home life, they are ruled and dominated by their wives and children. I -remember one old captain I sailed with in the China Seas. Fight? He -loved it, ashore and afloat, and was very proud of his ability, claiming -that he never took the count. The latter I know to be true. We left -ports while I was sailing with him, where much furniture was easily -adaptable for firewood. - -When in the home port where his wife was, if he had spent more than she -allowed him, I would have to make up the difference. She would come down -to the ship and say: "Herman, come here, I want you to do so and so." He -would look at me, but never ashamed, and say, "Well, what in Hell can I -do?" - -"But, Captain, I want your advice on so and so." - -"Never mind now," he would say, "till I steer her away. You know she -don't like you too well anyhow. She heard all about the fight we had in -Yokohama with the rickshaw men." Away they would go, arm in arm, a very -happy couple. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE BO'SUN LIGHTS--THE CAPTAIN'S DEATH - - -I was so worried about the Captain that I had no desire to sleep during -the forenoon watch. About eleven o'clock he came to my room saying: - -"I can't stand this pain, it is driving me wild. You take charge of the -ship. Take every possible advantage you can, until we run out of the -doldrums. Here are charts covering the South Sea Isles, and here," -pointing to a small box, "is the Manifest, and Bill of Health." While -looking at the latter I came into contact with his right hand. I was -surprised to find that he was burning with fever. - -"Captain, may I look at your hand?" - -He eyed me with the same suspicion as when I was suggesting treatments -on the previous day. But the stubborn nature of him was giving way to a -feeling of friendship and sympathy, a sympathy so noticeable in all -living creatures when their material existence is in danger. - -"Yes, you can look at it, if it will do you any good," holding the hand -out for me to take the bandage off. "I don't mind the hand so much as I -do this lump under my arm, it is so painful." - -With the bandage off I was horrified to see the condition of the wound. -It was turning black, and a fiery red stripe ran up the arm. He must -have guessed what was going on in my mind. - -"Yes," said he, "it is blood-poisoning, and a damned bad case. Don't -tell me what to do for it. I have tried everything I can think of to -prevent this condition." - -"Let us cut it open and keep it in hot water," said I. - -"Tie it up again," he replied angrily, "you are only adding insult to -injury." He turned to his wife's picture which hung at the head of the -bed, saying, "You understand, you understand. We may soon sail away -through the silvery seas to our Land of the Midnight Sun." - -I went on deck thoroughly alarmed at the Captain's condition and aware -that, unless a miracle should happen within the next forty-eight hours, -he would be dead of septicaemia. - -We were still becalmed;--not a breath to curl the blue roll. With booms -and sails swinging and wailing as she rolled and pitched in the trough -of the sea, the angry gods of the Celestial World belched forth their -wrath in thunder and lightning. This, coupled with the condition of the -Captain, made me feel, as never before, the utter lonesomeness of the -sea. It was useless, with the clouded skies, to try to get a position of -the ship for drift. She had made no progress by log for twenty hours. I -was anxious to know the course and speed of the current. - -In going forward to see what the crew was doing, I met Olsen coming aft, -holding a wet rag over his eye. - -He said, "I have had trouble with Swanson, he refuses to work ship. He -thinks it is not necessary to tack and boxhaul, he wants to wait for the -wind." - -Olsen had the real thing, if black eyes count in the performance of -one's duty. - -"Are you afraid of him?" said I. "If you are, keep away from him. You -will only spoil him, and make him believe that he is running the ship. -Here," and I pulled a belaying-pin out from the fife-rail, "Go forward -and work this on him." - -"No," said Olsen, "he is too big and strong for me. He told me that -there is no one on board big and strong enough to make him work. I -understand that he almost killed a mate named Larsen--" - -Here the cook interrupted, saying: "Mr. Mate, the Captain wants you in -the cabin." - -"Do you want me, sir?" - -"Yes, this pain is killing me, killing me, don't you realize how I am -suffering? Why did you leave me? Why don't you do something to relieve -me of this burning Hell?" - -I did realize that the poison was general, and that he was becoming -delirious. The unshaven face, the ruffled hair, the dry parched lips, -the wild staring. It was plain that for him Valhalla lay in the offing. - -"Yes, Captain," said I, "you are suffering, but strong men like you must -be brave. You, who for years weathered the storms of Seven Seas, must -now keep off the lee shore. The wind will soon be off the land. Then ho! -for the ocean deep." - -"You are very kind," he said, collecting himself to try to cheer me up, -"but it is no use. For I can see the lee shore with its submerged and -dangerous reefs, I can hear the billows roar, and watch the thunderous -sea pour its defiance on the ragged crags of granite. Yes, I am -drifting, drifting there." - -After cutting open the hand and arm, and bathing in salt solution, he -felt somewhat relieved, and decided that he would try to sleep. Leaving -him in charge of the cook, with instructions to keep him in bed, I went -on deck with a heavy heart, realizing that soon I should be responsible -for the crew and cargo. - -Old Charlie was at the wheel. "How is the Captain, sir?" - -"He is a very sick man, Charlie." - -"Look, look," he cried, "there he comes, lower and lower," and he -pointed to the maintopmast truck. "Great Heavens, he is going to alight! -Yes, yes; there he sits," and there, sure enough, sat the most beautiful -bird in the tropics, the Flying Bo'sun. - -I spent the afternoon sitting with the Captain, who was still sleeping. -At five o'clock I tried to arouse him, but found that he had lapsed -into a state of coma. I left Olsen and the cook looking after him while -I went to see to the ship. - -About eleven o'clock I felt very sleepy, having then been without sleep -for eighteen hours. In order to keep awake, I decided to walk on the -deck-load until Olsen relieved me. It was while thus walking that I went -asleep, and fell, or walked, overboard. - -The deck-load of lumber is always stowed with the shear of the ship and -flush with the sides or bulwarks. There is no rail or lifeline, and -hence the sudden plunge. Coming to the surface I was very much awake, -and swimming to the chain plates, I easily pulled myself out of the -water, and into the rigging, and up onto the deck. While I was wringing -out my pants, Old Charlie came creeping aft, saying: "Mr. Mate, -something is going to happen from his visit today." - -"To Hell with your Flying Bo'sun," I snapped, "you are always predicting -death and ghosts and so on." - -I was sorry that I had spoken to the old sailor this way, but after -falling fifteen feet into the ocean, and just, by the chance of a calm, -saving my life, I was in no mood to tolerate the re-incarnated souls of -drowned sailors that were living in Old Charlie's Flying Bo'sun. - -Charlie, much distressed at having the omens he loved so dearly so -lightly disregarded, slunk away in the shadow of the mainsail. - -Riley, the man on the lookout, was true to his trust, and no object in -the hazy horizon would escape the vigilance of his squinty left eye. -Evidently he was not carried away by the supernatural things of life, -but very much in the material, judging from his song: - - "Better days are coming to reward us for our woe, - And we'll all go back to Ireland when the landlords go." - -When Olsen relieved me on deck, I took his place with the Captain, who, -although unconscious, was still hanging to the delicately spun threads -of life. As I was sponging the dry and parched lips, I glanced at the -picture of her whom he loved so well. How beautiful it would be, if it -should come to pass as he believed, and she should pilot him away in -their astral ship to the shades of Valhalla! - -While my thoughts ran thus, I was suddenly conscious of a desert -stillness. Then creaking booms gave way to a gentle lullaby. The ship no -longer rolled and pitched in the trough of the sea. Everything below was -peaceful and calm. I could hear Olsen calling: - -"Slack away on the boom-tackle, and haul in on your spanker-sheet!" - -I knew then that at last we had the long-looked-for southeast -trade-winds. With the wind came taut sheets and steady booms, and on the -face of the dead Captain there was a smile as if saying: - -"Away with you to the tall green palms!" - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE SHOWDOWN--SWANSON TAKES THE COUNT - - -I dimmed the swivel light in the Captain's room, locked the door and -went on deck. Above, there was a fair breeze, and the sky was clear and -glittering with millions of stars. - -"What course are you steering?" said I to the man at the wheel. - -"South-southwest, sir." - -"Let her go off to southwest." I was anxious to take advantage of the -wind by getting all sail on her. - -"Where is the second mate?" - -"He is forward, sir, setting the jibs." - -Going forward, I shouted to Olsen: "Get the topsails and staysails on -her as fast as you can." - -"Aye, aye, sir. I am short-handed; Swanson refuses to come on deck. I -sent Russian-Finn John down to tell him that we had a fine breeze, and -wanted him to come up and trim ship. Do you know, sir, he kicked him out -of the fo'c'sle?" - -I took stock of myself. I was twenty-four years old, and weighed one -hundred and eighty pounds. The big brute in the forecastle, refusing to -work, whipping the second mate, and kicking his shipmates about, was -getting too much for me. I made up my mind that there would be two dead -captains or one damned live one. - -Going aft to my room, I got a pair of canvas slippers that I had made, -for with this brute I should be handicapped in bare feet. With the -slippers on, and overalls well cinched up around me, I went to the -forecastle, past Olsen, who was sheeting home the fore-topsail. - -Calling down the forecastle, I said: "Swanson, come on deck." When he -appeared: "I suppose you know that you are guilty of a crime on the high -seas?" - -He answered me back, saying: "I tank about it," and took his stand -obstinately at the foot of the ladder. - -The anger and passion of thousands of years was upon me. I forgot the -ship, forgot the dead captain. I skidded down the scuttle-hatch into the -forecastle, where he stood, awaiting me with a large sheath-knife in his -hand. - -"Are you going on deck?" I shouted. - -"You ----, ----, ----," flourishing the knife; "kap avay from me, I kill -you!" - -I noticed an oilskin coat hanging on the bulkhead. I must say that my -mind was working overtime. My height was five feet eleven, and he -towered above me like a giant. I was aware of the powerful legs and arms -of this brute, conveying the suggestion of second money to me. If I were -to trim this gorilla, it would require tact and skill. Otherwise I felt -that the dead Captain would not have much start on me. He took a step -toward me, saying: - -"You get on deck damn quick, or by Jiminy I cut your heart out!" - -Quick as a flash I seized the oilskin coat. As he raised his arm to stab -me I threw it over his head and arm, then jumped for him. After some -minutes' hard work I succeeded in wresting the knife from him, but not -without marks on my legs, arms and hands. The forecastle was so small it -was hard to do much real fighting. It was more rough and tumble, and -this kind of a battle favored the Swede. - -While slashing with the knife, he cut the belt that held up my overalls. -I was handicapped by these hanging around my feet, but fortunately -landed a right on his jaw, which sent him falling into his bunk. This -gave me a chance to kick free from the pants, and in so doing I kicked -one of the canvas shoes off. I can't remember when I lost the shirt, but -what was left of it was lying by the bench. He pulled himself from the -bunk saying, "I tank I go on deck." - -"Well," thought I, "there is not much fight in him after all." - -It was about twelve feet from the forecastle to the deck. When he -reached the deck I started up after him. When my head was even with the -deck, he stepped from behind the scuttle and kicked me in the forehead, -knocking me back to the forecastle. Had he followed up the blow I should -have indeed joined the dead Captain. - -But no, he thought that he had finished me for good. - -When I came to, I could hear strange noises around me. Some one was -washing my face, and saying: "And begorra, it is far from being -finished you are, me good man." It was Riley. - -Old Charlie voiced in, saying: "That is a bad cut on his forehead." - -Riley had no use for pessimists. "Ah, go wan with you, sure an it is -only a scratch he has. Now when I had me eye knocked out--" - -Here I got upon my feet, dazed, but with no broken bones. "Where is -Swanson?" - -"He is aft by the mainmast, sur, and be Hivins, it is a sight he is, -sur." - -"Riley," said I, "come on deck and throw a few buckets of salt water on -me." There is nothing so invigorating as salt water when one is -exhausted. - -After the bath, with its salty sting in my cuts and scratches, I was -ready for the cur again. He saw me coming up on the deck-load, and -straightened up as if he thought that there was still some fight left in -me. I noticed that he had a wooden belaying-pin in his hand. I took my -cue from that. - -Stalling that I was all in, and crawling aft to my room, I gave him this -impression until I was abreast of him, and then I was on him with a -vengeance. I snatched the pin from him, and finished him in a hurry. -When he cried for mercy, and promised that he would work, and work with -a will, I decided that he had had as good a trimming as I could give -him, and let him up. - -"Now, I want you to stay on deck, and work until I tell you that you can -have a watch below." - -Calling all hands, I said, "Men, our Captain died during the middle -watch. We will bury him at nine o'clock this morning." - -With the surprised and solemn look of the crew as they heard my -announcement, was mingled no mirth at my scant attire of one canvas -shoe. That was lost in their sympathy for him who was taking the long -sleep, and I doubt if they noticed it at all. - -Death on board a ship creates a hushed stillness. Amongst the crew Old -Charlie looked up at the mast as if expecting another Bo'sun to appear. -He seemed satisfied with his predictions. But Riley took a different -view. - -"Mother of God! It's fighting there has been going on with the poor dead -Captain laying aft there. Be Heavens, sir," pointing, "it's bad luck we -will be having for carrying on like this in the presence iv th' dead." - -Sending him after my overalls and shoe, I went to my room to look myself -over. My eyes were black, face cut, arms, hands and body cut and -scratched, and worst of all, was my forehead where the brute had kicked -me. I still carry this scar. I was somewhat alarmed with these open -wounds, and knew that I must be careful of handling the Captain. - -Hot breakfast, with its steaming coffee, did much to revive me, and for -the second time I was aware that the Socialist cook was a friend in -need. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -BURIAL AT SEA--AT WHICH RILEY OFFICIATES - - -At eight o'clock I called Riley and Old Charlie aft to the cabin. -"Riley," said I, opening the door to the Captain's room, "I want you and -Charlie to sew the Captain's body in this tarpaulin, while I go and find -something to sink it with. Roll him over towards the partition, then -roll him back onto the hatch-cover, then gather it in at both ends." - -"Aye, aye, sir, and shure it is meself that has sewed many av thim up." - -In the boatswain's locker I found plenty of old chain bolts and -shackles. I had one of the crew carry them to the weather main rigging. -While going down the companion-way to see how Riley and Charlie were -getting along with their sewing, I thought, by a sudden noise, that they -had begun to quarrel. - -"Where the divil did you ever sew up a dead man?" came in Riley's voice, -and "Damn you, pull that flap down over his face." Then I could hear -boots and glasses being thrown around. "Get out of here, you black -divil, it's eating your master you would be doing, pss-cat, pss-cat, you -dirty, hungry-looking tiger!" - -Then all was still for a few seconds. Then Old Charlie's voice saying, -"Mike Riley, this is a terrible calamity that has happened to us, the -loss of our captain. And Riley, this is not all. I am afraid there will -be more." - -"Ah, go wan wit your platting," said Riley, "Pull the seam tight around -his neck. That is the way. Now sew it with a herring-bone stitch. Hould -on a minute, Charlie, till I get me last look at him. Faith, and be my -sowl, he wasn't a very bad-looking man." - -Here I walked into the room, saying: "When you are finished I will get -you more help to carry him on deck. But leave a place open at the head -so that we can put the weights in." - -"Sinking him by the head is it you are, sir? Glory be to God, don't do -that. Let him go down feet first, sir. Be Hivins, if you put him down be -the head we will have the divil's own luck! I remember wan time on the -auld lime-juicer 'King of the Seas,' the second mate died. We weighed -him down by the head--begob, and it wasn't a week till ivery man av us -had the scurvy." - -"Riley," I laughed, "you are a very superstitious man." - -"It's you that are mistaken, sir. Sure an I'm anything but that, sir." - -The cook interrupted us to ask if he could help in any way. I told him -to help Charlie and Riley carry the body up on deck. Riley at once took -command. "Charlie, you take the head, I will take the feet, and, -Steward, you can help in the middle. Are you all ready? Up wit him, -then,--be Hivins isn't he heavy?" - -Charlie started towards the door so as to take the body out head first. -Riley promptly objected to this move, and propped the feet on the edge -of the berth while he asserted his authority. - -"And it's take him out be the head ye'd be after doing? Where in blazes -did you come from? Oh, you poor auld divil you! Whoever heard of takin' -a corpse out head first. Turn him around, bad luck to you, with his feet -out. Sure, an it's walk out on his feet he would, if he were on thim. -Niver do that, Charlie, me boy, if ye want to prosper in this life." - -We pulled two planks from the deck-load, and spiked cross-pieces on, -while Riley supervised the weighing-down. Then all was ready to commit -the body to the deep blue sea. - -While the second mate was back-filling the foresail and hauling the -main-jib to windward, to stop the ship for sea-burial, I fell to -thinking of our Captain. Here he was, in the prime of life, about to be -cast into the sea. No one to love him, no one to care, none but the -rough if kindly hands of sailors to guide him to his resting-place. As I -glanced around the horizon, and the broad expanse of the Pacific, I was -overcome by loneliness. Ships might come and ships might go, and still -there would be no sign of his last resting-place, no chance to pay -respects to the upright seaman, the devoted husband and father. The -silent ocean currents, responsible to no one, would be drifting him -hither and thither. - -The last few days and the terrible fight were telling upon me. - -I was astonished to look around and find that I was alone with the -dead. The only other person on deck was Broken-Nosed Pete at the wheel. - -I went forward and sung out: "Come forward, some of you, and lend a hand -here." - -"Aye, aye, sir; we are coming," answered Riley's brogue. - -There was something about Riley, in his simple seriousness and appeal to -my humor, that was a great help to me just now. They came aft, every one -of them, in their best clothes, with shined and squeaky shoes, looking -very solemn. "Here," said I, "take a hand and shove the planks out so -that the body will clear the bulwark rail when she rolls to windward." I -was about to give the order to tip the plank, when I was interrupted by -Riley saying excitedly: "Lord God, sir, aren't you going to say -something over him?" - -"Riley," I said as the crew gathered around, "I have nothing to say, -except that I commit this body to the sea. Up with the plank." - -"Hould on, hould on," cried Riley in despair. "Sure I wouldn't send a -dog over like that! I will read the Litany of the Blissed Virgin Mary, -and it don't make a damned bit av diffrunce whether he belaves it or -not. Hould on, me boy, till I get my prayer book." - -Riley returned from the forecastle cursing and swearing. - -"Howly Mother av Moses, they have ate the Litany out av me prayer-book, -and the poor sowl about to be throwed overboard." - -"What is the matter, Riley?" I asked. - -"Ah, the dirty divils! The rats has made a nest av me Holy Prayer-book!" - -"Sanctified rats--" I was beginning profanely, when fortunately the cook -interrupted me. - -"What good will a prayer-book do him now? Your prayer-books, and flowers -and beautiful coffins are only advertisements of ignorance. The man of -thought today throws those primitive things away, or sends them back to -the savages. You men will in time come to believe in a Creative Power of -Organization, or a Material Force, but in your present state of -ignorance you are carried away by a supernatural power destined for the -poor and helpless." - -While the cook was talking Riley was taking off his coat, and rolling up -his sleeves. "It is poor and helpless we are, are we? You durty, fat, -Dutch hound. Take back what you were saying," as he grabbed him by the -neck, "or be me sowl it's over you go before the Owld Man. It is -ignorant we are, and savages we are. Take that," hitting him on the jaw. -"Be Hivins and I'll not sail wit a heathen. Come on, me boys. Over wit -him." - -"Here, Riley," I said, "this must stop. Don't you know that you are in -the presence of the dead? Every one has the privilege of believing what -he wants to." - -"He has that, sir, but begorra, he wants to keep it to himself." - -"Men," said I, "we will raise the plank. While we are doing it let us -sing, 'Nearer, my God, to Thee.'" - -While we were singing the beautiful hymn, the old ship we loved so well -seemed to feel this solemn occasion. Although held in irons by having -her sails aback, she did salute to her former captain by some strange -freak of the sea, coming up in the wind, and shaking her sails. - -Before we finished the singing the cook was leading in a rich tenor -voice, and by the time that the last sound had died away, our Captain -had slid off into the deep. - - * * * * * - -"Let go your main jib to windward, haul in the fore-boom sheet." To the -man at the wheel, "Let her go off to her course again." - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -ASTRAL INFLUENCE--THE CREW'S VERSION OF THE UNKNOWN - - -With these orders the crew, although silent and solemn, went about their -various duties in their shiny and squeaky shoes, the only remaining sign -of what had come to pass. - -I told the steward to throw all of the Captain's clothing overboard. He -protested, saying, "Surely, sir, you won't destroy his blankets?" - -"Oh, yes, Steward, there are enough germs in those blankets to destroy -all of Coxey's Army." - -This mention of Coxey's Army was a mistake indeed. He changed at once -from the comparative refinement that the hymn had wrought in him, to the -fiery rage of the soap-box orator. - -"They were the men," he thundered, "who make life possible for you and -me. Otherwise we should be ground in the mill of the lust and greed of -capitalism." - -He started to lead off on the subject of equal distribution, when I -interrupted: - -"Steward, this is no place to expound your theories of Socialism. You -have done much harm since you came aboard this ship. Here," pointing to -Swanson, who was slowly recovering from his battle for supremacy, "is a -man who was led to believe from listening to your radical doctrines that -work was not a necessary element in his life. Living in your world of -thought, he gained the impression that refusing to work and disobeying -orders was a perfectly natural thing to do. Now let me impress you with -this thought--while you are aboard this ship with me, I'll not tolerate -any more of your ill-advised teachings to the crew." - -Later, while he was throwing the Captain's bedding overboard, I could -hear him say: - - "... To the vile dust from whence they sprung, - Unwept, unhonored and unsung." - -December 20th, 1898. Our position of ship at noon today was four miles -north latitude, longitude 147 deg. 19" west. In looking over the chart -I found that the course had been laid out by the Captain before his -death. Although now seventy miles to the eastward of it, I decided with -favorable winds to follow this line to the South Sea Isles. - -It was while doing this work that I fell to pondering my -responsibilities to the owners, the crew and the consignees. We were -carrying about five hundred thousand feet of select lumber to Suva, Fiji -Islands. I had never visited these islands, but had read of their -submerged reefs and tricky currents. Up to this time I had taken my -responsibilities negatively, being of the age when one is not taken -seriously, and I must say being rather inclined to lean on those higher -up. This latter is, I believe, very destructive to one's self-confidence -and determination, those qualities so necessary in fitting one for -leadership both by land and sea. - -In cleaning up the Captain's cabin I was deeply impressed with his -remarkable sense of order. His best clothes were lashed to a partition -to keep from chafing by the roll of the ship. The ash-tray was fastened -to the floor across the room and opposite the bed, and there also stood -tobacco, matches, cigars and spittoon. When using these things he would -have to get up and move clear across the room from his writing-desk or -bed, which seemed out of place for a sailorman. - -(Captains whom I sailed with usually disregarded any and all sense of -order, preferring not to interfere with the laws of gravity, -particularly when chewing tobacco. But if these same white shirts -happened to leave the hand of the sailor who washed them with any -remnant of stain, His Majesty could be heard swearing all over the -ship.) - -For the past three days everything has been going beautifully, with the -wind free and fair. We are clipping it off at ten knots an hour. - -Tonight I noticed that the man at the wheel acted rather queerly, and -was not steering at all well. The men looked continually from left to -right, acting as if they feared that some one was going to strike them. - -It was during the middle watch that I heard a conversation in the -forecastle between Riley, Old Charlie and Broken-Nosed Pete. Charlie was -trying to convince Pete by saying: - -"You may not understand, but it is true, none the less. Look at me in -the 'Mud Puddler.'" - -The suspense of this argument was evidently getting on Riley's nerves. -He interrupted with, "Damn it all, man, I tell you he is back on the -ship. Haven't we all heard him prancing around in his room? Upon my -sowl, I have felt him looking into the compass. Oh, be Hivins, me good -man, you will see him soon enough." - -Here Old Charlie once more took the floor. "Riley," said he, "I believe -that he has come back to warn us of some danger." - -"Divil a bit av danger we will be having." This with bravado. - -"You know he may have come back to find his knife. You remember when you -sewed him up you found it in his bed." - -"Ah, go wan, you durty ape, didn't I throw it overboard with him?" - -"It may be he wants to talk with some one." - -"Be Hivins, shure I don't want to talk wit him. Why sure'n I don't know -the man at all. I niver shpoke a wurd to him on this ship." - -"Well, it does seem that he is trying to manifest himself to you more -than to any one on this ship. Why not ask him if you can help him in any -way?" Evidently this conversation was getting too creepy for Riley for -he changed the subject, declaring with great feeling that he had never -seen a more beautiful night, and so near Christmas too. - -But Charlie was not to be put off that way. - -"Riley," he said, "can't you feel him around here at this moment?" - -"Ah, go wan, to Hell wit you, sure'n you will have him keepin' the -lookout wit you the next we hear." - -I was so much interested in what I had heard that I jumped up onto the -forecastle head. I came upon them so suddenly that Riley jumped back -exclaiming, "Hivinly Father, and what is this?" - -He seemed greatly relieved when I spoke and said artfully: - -"Isn't this a beautiful night? See how large and bright those stars are -there," pointing to the Southern Cross. "You men seem to have some -secret about this ship,--what is it?" I continued, as my remark met with -no response. - -Old Charlie cleared his throat, and, looking towards Riley as if for an -approval, said solemnly: "Things are not as they should be aft." - -"What is it? Aren't you being treated well? Aren't you getting enough to -eat?" - -"Oh, it isn't that at all, sir," broke in Riley. - -"Hold on, Riley, let me explain," and Old Charlie once more cleared his -throat. - -"As I was saying, we believe that the ghost of the Captain is back on -board," tapping the deck with his foot. - -I felt that a word of encouragement was necessary if I expected to be -let in on the mystery. "Well," said I, "that is nothing. Men who have -been taken suddenly out of this life may perhaps have left some -important business unfinished, and the most natural thing in the world -is for them to find some one whom they can converse with." - -"That's just what I was telling Riley, sir, that very same thing, and -you know Riley seems to have more influence with him than any one so -far." - -"Influence is it?" said Riley, "and shure, sir, he is a stranger -intirely to me." - -"Tell me about it, Riley." - -"It's a damned strange thing, sir. Well, it was me watch from ten to -twelve. I was just after striking six bells, when I takes a chew of me -tobacco, and ses I to myself I had better be careful where I spit -around here. I know, sir, you don't like tobacco juice on the -paint-work. Reaching down to locate the spit-box to make sure that I -could do it daycently, be me sowl, sur, something flipped by me. -Shtraitening up, ses I to meself, ses I, 'Be Hivins, and it must be the -blood running to me head.' I took a look at the compass, and she was one -point to windward of her course. You were forward, sir, taking a pull on -the forestaysail-halyards, and I ses to meself, 'Sure an if he comes aft -and catches me with her off her course he will flail me like he did the -big Swede.' Ah, an shure it is the fine bye he is now. There's the -Squarehead so rejuced he even offers to wash me tin plate for me. Well, -I got her back on her course, when all of a sudden I heard the divil's -own noise in the Captain's room. Ses I to myself, ses I, 'Mike Riley, -don't be a damned fool and belave iverything you hear.' But look as I -would I could not keep my eyes from the window of the Captain's room, -whin lo and behold, I got a glimpse of his face looking out at me. -'Hivenly Father,' ses I, 'give me strenk and faith in yous to finish me -watch.' Glory be to God, sir, I lost me head, and it's hard up wit me -helm I was doing, when you shouted, 'Where in Hell are you going with -her?' Be Hivins, and I was going straight back with her." - -During this story Broken-Nosed Pete kept edging closer, seemingly -impressed, and about to become a convert to Riley's sincerity, while Old -Charlie was just revelling in the details of the apparition, and at -times, thinking that Riley was not doing justice to his subject in -creating the proper amount of enthusiasm, would interrupt by saying, -"There you are now. Just as I was saying. One couldn't expect anything -else,"--and so forth. - -These remarks seemed to resolve any doubts that may have existed in -Riley's mind of the genuineness of the face at the window. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE COOK'S WATCH--MATERIALISM VERSUS ASTRALISM - - -I had the key to the Captain's room in my pocket and knew that no one -was in there, but Riley's story had taken such a serious trend that I -decided to withhold the news from them. - -"Well, Riley," I said carelessly, "you are easily frightened, when Toby -can scare you like this." - -Here they all jumped toward me, and started to talk at once. Charlie, -calling for order, decided that now was the time to fix me forever. He -introduced Broken-Nosed Pete, who had always been inclined to be -skeptical, to put the finishing touches on Riley's story. - -Pete, I may state, when he was rational, was unaffected in his speech by -the rather unusual list of his nose. But tonight, moved by powerful -feelings, he threw convention to the winds, and spoke in loud nasal -tones, and with gestures befitting an orator. - -"Go on," said Charlie, pushing him forward, "tell him, Pete." - -"I had just called the watch below," he began, "and was taking my smoke -and a bite of lunch. By that time it was eight bells. I was pulling down -my blankets about to turn in, when I sees Riley coming down the scuttle -with his cap in his hand and very warm looking. 'Is Toby in here?' ses -Riley. 'He is,' ses I. 'He is over in Russian-Finn John's bunk.' 'Holy -Mother of God,' ses Riley, 'get me a drink of water, 'tis fainting I -am.' 'What's wrong, Riley?' I asks. 'Oh, be Hivins,' ses he, 'I have -made the mistake of me life by ever shipping on this dirty old -graveyard.' As for the rest, sir, you have heard it from Riley." - -"Was Riley scared when he came into the forecastle?" I asked. - -"Yes, sir, he swore horribly, and threatened to kill anybody who put out -the light." - -"Well, we will all have some fun catching this ghost of yours. I will -give an extra day's leave in Suva to the man who helps me. What do you -say to that, men?" Charlie volunteered willingly. Pete was rather shy. - -"Riley, let us hear from you." - -"What is it you want us to do, sir?" - -"I want each of you to take one hour watches in the Captain's room from -twelve to four." This was too much for Riley. - -"Be Hivins, sir, if ye offered me a year's leaf in a Turkish Harem to -stay five minutes in the auld haunted room, I wouldn't take it, for as -sure as me name is Michael Dennis Riley he is rummaging around there." - -The news of the ghost soon spread over the ship, and formed the sole -topic of conversation of the crew. Even the second mate, whom I thought -immune, was going around the decks looking bewildered, as if -anticipating the immediate destruction of ship and crew. - -The Socialist cook was much interested in our astral visitor, and I -thought how happy it would make him to sail away on the wings of a new -law that would revolutionize both physics and chemistry. - -"Yes," he said, "you can trust me to keep watch from twelve to two -tonight in the Captain's room. I am very much pleased indeed to have -the opportunity. I have for years been fighting the mechanical and cheap -manifestations of mediums and seers." He picked up his apron and wiped -his mouth, to interrupt the line of march of tobacco juice which, having -broken the barriers, was slowly wending its way down his chin. - -"Let me tell you," he said. "A material law gives us life. The same law -takes it away. All material life," stamping the deck, "ends here. From -the clay there is no redemption." - -At one o'clock in the morning the cook called me. - -"What do you want, Steward?" said I. - -"There is something in the Captain's room. Something I can't understand. -When I am in the room with the light out, I am conscious of some one -with me. And yet when I turn on the light that feeling leaves me. Then -when I turn out the light and lock the door and sit here by the -dining-table I would swear I could hear the sound of footsteps walking -around, and the moving of chairs. I tell you, sir, it is mighty -strange." - -"Are you sure that the sounds you heard were not made by the second mate -walking on the deck above?" - -"No, sir, not at all. He agreed to stay forward on the deck-load till -four bells." - -"How about the man at the wheel?" said I. "He could walk around on the -steering platform and produce such sounds as you heard in the Captain's -room." - -"Again you are mistaken. The man at the wheel is too scared to make any -move but a natural one, such as turning the wheel, and that movement -produces no sound down here in fair weather like we are having." - -The cook was truly mystified. He was anxious for me to realize the -importance of his investigations in the Captain's room, yet with it all -he held fast to his materialistic ideals. - -"Cook," said I, "you are taking this thing too seriously. I am certain -that I have solved this mystery. Riley is certain that it is not Toby, -the cat. Now you come along and are ready to prove that the sounds or -walking you have observed were not produced by a material power from the -deck above." - -"I mean," replied he, "that this walking in here was not produced by any -action of the second mate or the man at the wheel." - -I told him that nevertheless I had the mystery solved, and I would prove -it to him. "We have in the lower hold one hundred thousand feet of -kiln-dried spruce boards one-half inch thick, and twenty-six to thirty -inches wide. They vary in length from eighteen to thirty-six feet. The -after bulkhead does not run flush with the deck above, and there are -ends of boards that project over and into the runway. With the easy -movement of the ship, this will produce a metallic sound that will cause -vibration at a distance, and more distinctly under the Captain's room." - -At this the cook became very indignant, and told me that my theory was -not correct at all. - -"Haven't I spent a half hour in the lazarette looking and listening for -just such sounds as you describe?" - -"Are you sure that there are no rats in his room?" - -"If there are, I fail to find them. I have placed cheese around the room -to convince myself. On examination of the cheese I couldn't find a -tooth mark." - -"But why are there no sounds of walking in there now?" - -"That is what baffles me," said the cook. "Since we have been talking -there has not been a sound from that room." - -I sent him to turn in, assuring him that I would sit in the room for an -hour or so to see what would happen, and to try to solve a mystery that -was beginning to try even my seasoned nerves. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -HIGHER INTELLIGENCE--A VISIT FROM OUT THE SHADOWS - - -When the steward had gone forward to his bunk, I got a lunch, and was -about to sit down by the dining-table to eat it, when I saw the door of -the Captain's room open wide. - -Then, to my utter amazement, I saw the chair that the dead Captain had -sat in for years swing around upon its pivot ready to receive a visitor. -I was so startled by the wonderful unseen force that I forgot my lunch -and was starting to close the door in the hope of another uncanny -experience, when I was halted by a cry from the deck above. - -"Hard to starboard, you damned fool. Are you trying to cut her in two -amidship?" shouted the second mate. - -"Hard over she is," rang out from the man at the wheel. - -Instantly I was on deck. The second mate was over in the lee -mizzen-rigging. "What is it, Olsen?" I asked. - -"A full-rigged ship away two points on the starboard bow." - -To the man at the wheel I said: "Put your helm down and pass to windward -of him before you jibe the spanker over, or you will knock Hell out of -these old sails." Then to the second mate: "Why do you have to sail all -over the ocean to get by that old pea-soup hulk? Don't you see that he -has the wind free? Luff her up half a point," I ordered the wheel-man. - -We passed so close to windward that we took the wind out of his lower -sails. The moon was in the last quarter, and we could see plainly the -watch on her deck, and hear the officer swear at the helmsman, saying: - -"Keep her off, you damned sheep-herder, or you will cut that mud-scow in -two." Then he shouted over to me: "It is the captain of an Irish -locomotive you ought to be, you thick-headed pirate, trying to run us -down! What's the name of your ship, anyway?" - -"Hardship loaded with Poverty," I replied with sarcasm. - -As we passed each other the voice of the angry officer grew fainter and -fainter, then was lost in the stilly night under Southern skies. - -I was amused at the expression of the officer on board of the Yankee -clipper, when he spoke of me as the captain of an Irish locomotive. -There could be no greater insult to a self-respecting sailorman than -this phrase. It means that you would do much better carrying a hod or -wheeling a wheelbarrow than handling a ship. I had sailed in those -down-east ships and knew their language. They never intend to give one -inch on land or sea. Hard luck indeed for the sailor who does not know -how to fight, or who shows a yellow streak! - -While thus meditating on the cruelties of the old oak ships and thinking -what wonderful tales they could tell, my thoughts were suddenly -interrupted by a consciousness of fear. Something warm was moving about -my feet. On looking down I beheld Toby rubbing his black fur against my -feet and legs.... - -On getting my position of ship at noon today, I noticed the crew -tiptoeing around as if they were afraid of disturbing some sleeping -baby. I spoke to Riley, asking what all the hush was about. - -"Oh, be the Lord, sir, it is getting turrible on this auld graveyard of -a ship. Begorra, we are shure av it now. Auld Charlie seen him prancing -up and down the poop deck wid a poipe in his mouth. 'Tis turrible days -we be having. The cook said that he proved it himself beyond a question -of a doubt that the old bye himself is back on her." - -"Well, Riley, I am going to make the Old Man show down tonight. It is -put up or shut up for him." Laughing a little at my own fancies, I went -aft to the Captain's room, and sat down to watch, to continue to -investigate this mystery that was so upsetting the morals of the crew as -to endanger their efficiency. - -I left the door to the dining-room half open so that the light hung from -the center of the ceiling threw its sickly rays into the room. I could -hear the man at the wheel make an occasional move with his feet. Then -all would be still again. One bell rang,--half-past twelve. - -Suddenly the door slammed with a terrible bang. I knew that there was -no draught in the Captain's room to close it in this manner, and I must -confess that I was considerably startled. Then I was conscious of some -one moving a small stool that stood across from me, over towards the -safe at the foot of the bed. I put out my hands to catch the visitor, -and not finding anything but air, I reached out and pulled the door -open. - -To my amazement, the stool had been moved to the safe. I was so unnerved -by this that my one thought was to get away, and I went into the -dining-room, and unconsciously lit my pipe. When my thoughts sorted -themselves it became clear to me that I had been singled out by Destiny -to have the privilege of meeting a great and new and unseen Force. If -this were so great as to be able to move furniture at will, why, thought -I, could it not be harnessed to our material uses? Why could it not be -developed to get sails and discharge cargoes? Surely, it would -revolutionize the forces of the air and earth, as we know them now. - -While these thoughts were taking shape in my mind, I was brought up -with a start by hearing three loud and distinct raps on the door of the -Captain's room. - -I shook the ashes out of the old corn cob pipe, and entered the room, -closing the door behind me. This time I beheld still greater marvels. At -the head of the Captain's bed appeared a small light, giving forth no -rays, but moving around in the direction of the safe at the foot of the -bunk. There it stopped about a minute, then moved over to the desk and -gradually disappeared. - -"Ah," said I, "you are getting too much for me. Move some more furniture -or that safe around this room so that I may alight upon a plan to -harness your great power to hand down to future ages." - -At that I must have gone to sleep, for I was conscious of nothing more -until I heard the cook coming aft with coffee. He was anxious to hear my -experience during the middle watch. I told him that there had been no -occurrence that was not natural, but that I might have news for him -soon. - -"Steward," said I, "tomorrow is Christmas Day. I want you to prepare a -good dinner for all hands." - -"Oh, yes," he replied, "I have had plum pudding boiling since yesterday. -I am going to open a few cans of canned turkey. That, with the cove -oyster soup and canned carrots will make a good dinner. I have had a -little hard luck with my cake. I forgot to put baking powder in it. But -I think that they can get away with it, as there is an abundance of -raisins in it." - -Christmas morning at half-past twelve found me waiting in the Captain's -room listening to rappings on the desk. At times these were loud and -then again very weak. I opened the door and turned up the light in the -dining-room so that there might be more brightness in the Captain's -room. I wanted to see and hear whatever vibrations might be caused from -the rappings. As I drew near the writing desk the rapping was centered -on the middle drawer. Then it would move to a smaller drawer on the -right-hand side and tap very hard. With a shout of joy I sprang to the -light at the head of the bed, and lit it. - -"At last," I cried, "at last!" - -I was satisfied that there were rats in these drawers, and in order that -they should not get away I armed myself with a club. I started to pull -out the smaller drawer very carefully so that the rodent should not make -his escape. To my astonishment I found it locked. I held my ear close to -it, but could not hear a sound. Then I proceeded to open the middle -drawer with the same caution, but found it open, and nothing in it but a -small bunch of keys. My curiosity being aroused, I decided to look for -the key on this ring that would open the smaller drawer. After many -trials I found one that would fit the lock and on opening it I found, -neither the animal, which in spite of my senses' evidence I half -expected to see there, nor any other expected alternative, but, most -surprising of all, a pair of tiny baby-shoes with a lock of yellow hair, -tied with pink ribbon, in each of them. - -Back of the shoes was a jewel box, and in it a wedding-ring. Also, -wrapped up in paper, was a will made by our late Captain two days before -his death. This stated that he had an equity in an apartment house in -San Francisco, which he wanted his boys to have. Evidently he had -acquired this equity during his last visit to San Francisco. It also -stated that there should be no delay in forwarding this will to the -above address in West Berkeley, California, U. S. A. - -With the discovery of the Captain's treasures, this essence of his -personality so revealed, I was carried out of my skepticism for the -moment, into feeling his presence beside me, waiting for my word as a -friend awaits the voice of a friend. Half unconsciously I spoke aloud: -"You have shown me, and I shall obey. You have only to call upon me. Do -not be anxious for your ship. I will tell your boys." - -"A lonely, lonely Christmas," echoed back vaguely, whether from Beyond -or from the storehouse of my imagination, I do not know. - -As I replaced his things and started for the deck, the cook's words -echoed and re-echoed in my memory, "Does it end here?" - -On deck Old Charlie was steering. Looking over the rail at the log, I -found that she was cutting the distance to Suva at the rate of nine -knots an hour. The breeze was warm, the turquoise sky studded with -diamond stars; the three especially bright ones known as the Sailors' -Yard were shining in all their splendor. - -Away to the south the Southern Cross twinkled and glittered, and was so -majestic in its position, that it seemed to command obedience from all -other celestial bodies. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -CHRISTMAS DAY--OUR UNWILLING GUEST THE DOLPHIN - - -While gazing into the Infinite, analyzing the experience through which I -had just passed, and wondering where lay the Land of Shadows, my -dreaming was suddenly changed to material things by hearing a terrible -fight in the fore part of the ship. Jumping up on the deck-load, and -running forward, I could hear Riley shout: - -"Club him, you old hen-catcher, you, before he goes through the -hawsepipe. That's the way, that's the way. Shure, bad luck to you, you -have missed him. Stand back there, stand back there, let me have at him. -There he goes again under the lumber. Get me the bar, Pete. Look out, me -byes. Shure and be Hivins out he comes again. Strike him between the -eyes, Pete. Give me the bar, Pete. Shure'n you couldn't shtrike the -sheep barn you was raised in." - -"What's all this row about?" I asked. - -"Ah, shure, sir, it's me auld friend Neptune would be after sendin' us a -Christmas present. He is as fine a bonita as iver greased a mouth, but -it's the divil's own toime we have had sub-duin' him." - -"Bring him up on the deck-load and let us look him over." - -"Riley," said I, when they had the great fish stretched out before us, -"that is a dolphin, and no bonita,--notice the wedge-shaped head, and -broad tail. No doubt he was cornered by a school of sword fish, and this -fastest fish that swims the ocean had to make a leap for life by jumping -aboard our ship. Bring the lantern here, and you will see him change to -all colors of the rainbow while he is dying, another proof that he is a -dolphin, that is, if he is not already dead." - -"Be Hivins, and it's far from dead he is, look at the gills moving." -Surely enough, we watched and the beautiful colors came, brilliant blue -and green and shaded red, and again I wondered, and it seemed to me that -in the passing of the human life there might be just such a color -change, invisible to those who are left behind. - -Dismissing these thoughts once and for all from my mind, I entered into -the long discussion incident to the settlement of claims on the dead -dolphin, as to who had discovered him, etc., etc. Broken-Nosed Pete was -sure that he had seen him first, very much to the disgust of Riley, who, -however, could not deny that his one eye was usually cocked to windward. - -I then turned to the men and told them that they need no longer be -afraid of the ghost in the Captain's cabin. - -Riley spoke up: "And, shure, sir, you wasn't thinking that it was meself -that was scared?" - -"Why do you carry the belaying-pin aft to the wheel with you, if you are -not scared?" said Pete. - -"Go wan, you broken-nosed heathen, it's the likes of me that knows the -likes av you. You degraded auld beachcomber, haven't I slept in ivery -graveyard from Heath Head in Ireland to Sline Head in Galway? Divil a -thing did I see only Mulligan's goat." - -Riley was about to launch away with Mulligan's goat when I interrupted, -reassuring them and telling them that there was no need of carrying -belaying-pins to kill the ghost, for it had departed for shores unknown. - -"Good luck to it," said Riley, highly pleased, "and more power to it. -And shure it is sinsible it is to lave on this howly Christmas morning. -I remimber one time on an auld side-wheeler running between Dublin and -London, it was twelve o'clock--" - -Riley's story was cut short by the man at the wheel ringing eight bells, -four o'clock. Pete went off to clean the fish, and the others to their -watch below, while I turned in, leaving Riley alone with his -side-wheeler. - -The sentiment of Christmas amongst sailors on the sea makes it a day of -strict observances. No work is done outside the working of ship, which -is steering or keeping lookout. There is no mat-making, model-making nor -patching old clothes in their watch below. They dress in their best -clothes, and for those that shave a great deal of time is spent in this -operation. No stray bristle has a chance to escape the religious hand of -a sailor on a day like this. - -It is also a day of letter-writing, with good intentions of forwarding -them at the first port, but somehow in the general confusion when in -port, they are lost in a whirlpool of excitement. Considering a sign -between the ship and the post office reading "Bass' Ale," "Black and -White" or "Guinness's Stout," imagine any poor sailor doing his duty to -the folks at home! For the moment those glaring and fascinating signs -are home to him. - -But today is too full of sentiment for him to think of alluring public -houses and pretty barmaids. It is given up to religious thoughts with a -firm resolution to sin no more. - -The spirit of the day had even taken hold of the Socialist cook. In -serving dinner I noticed that he had on a clean apron and a white -jacket, a great concession for him. I was much attracted by his brogans, -which were much too large, and had a fine coating of stove polish to -enhance their charm. - -"Why have you set a place for the Captain, Steward?" said I. - -"Oh, just out of respect for him. You know he wasn't such a bad man -after all. Beside, it will make the table look more like a real -Christmas dinner. You can just suppose that your invited guest has been -delayed, and you can go on with your dinner." - -I was beginning to like our cook more and more. It seemed that beneath -the hard crust of materialism, there was something very like love and -loyalty. - -The German noodle soup, the canned turkey, and the plum pudding to top -off with was a very befitting dinner at sea. Of course, one must not -indulge too freely in plum pudding, especially when its specific gravity -exceeds that of heavy metals. This hypothesis was proven to me later in -the day. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -CRIMP AND SAILOR--THE COOK'S MARXIAN EFFORT - - -The cook was pleased with my investigation of the Captain's room. "Don't -you know," said he, "I was impressed with the unusual sounds there? I -was beginning to relinquish my hold on the Material, and to give way -more to the unknown and unseen things of life. But you can see that we -are all creatures of imagination. There are no limitations to it, -especially with those who are superstitious. Now I can plainly -understand how such sounds could be produced by rats, just as you say." - -He took his stand in the pantry, and continued, from this point of -vantage. "It is a shame," he shouted, "that there is so much -superstition in the world. If there were not so much, the capitalist -would not have the opportunity to exploit his ill-gotten goods on the -highways and byways of our economic system." - -Stirring something in a glass, no doubt extract of lemon, he tipped it -to his lips and swallowed it with a grunt of satisfaction. - -"With such ignorance in the world," he said, "how are we to combat this -scourge of humanity? Let me say here," shaking his fist at me, "the only -solution is education without discrimination. With this useful weapon we -can equalize the scales of justice. Without it we continue to be slaves -to the old and new masters. Take, for instance, the ignorance and -superstition of our crew forward. While they are hunting for ghosts the -parasites are picking their pockets. What can society expect of them? No -wonder they are a prey to apparitions at sea and crimps ashore. Once we -were homeward bound from New Zealand to Frisco. The crew, as usual, -consisted of many nationalities. She carried twenty-four seamen forward. -I frequently talked to these men evenings about joining the Socialist -Labor Party, much to the disgust of the Captain. Well, they all agreed -that when they should reach San Francisco they would join the -organization. I believe that they really intended to, but you know the -sailorman ashore scents the rum barrel, and becomes an easy prey to the -crimp and boarding-house runner. Two days after our arrival in that -wicked city we were paid off by the U. S. Government. I waited until the -last man had his money. 'Men,' said I, 'come with me to our hall and -join the one organization that is going to redeem the world.' - -"The crimp runners were pretty well represented, as they usually are -when a ship pays off. They tried every possible means to entice the men -away, telling them that they would not have to pay for room or board, -and that furthermore they could pick their own ship when they felt like -going to sea again. The latter is considered a great concession to a -sailor. But the crimps do not stop there. They have old sailors who are -kept with them for years, who make it their business to know as many as -possible of the men who follow the sea. We had an Irishman in the crew, -and this lost the day for me. Just as we started for the hall, out of -the crowd strolled a seasoned veteran of the sea. With a shout of joy he -fell upon one of our crew, crying: - -"'If me eyes don't deceive me, I see Jamey Dugan. Dead or alive, I shake -hands with you.' - -"Whether Dugan knew the greasy beachcomber or not, I knew that the bunko -steering talk would get him. It was very flowery. - -"'Why, certainly, you remember me. In Valparaiso. You were in the good -old ship so-and-so.' - -"I could see that there was no time to lose if I expected to reach the -hall with all of them. I mounted a fire-hydrant near by, and pleaded -with them, telling them that this crook who had hold of them was nothing -but a hireling of the crimp, and tomorrow, all of their money being -spent, they would most likely be shipped off to sea in any old tub whose -master offered the most money to the boarding-house keeper. - -"My pleading was in vain. They kept edging away as if I were a wild -beast of the jungle. The influence of the gangster was getting stronger. -Again I beseeched and implored these men of the sea to come with me. -They only started to move away. It was with a sickened heart that I -stepped down from the hydrant. I had no chance with this barnacle of the -sea, for they were already starting in his wake for Ryan's saloon across -the street." - -The cook, lamenting his loss, started to stir up another lemon-de-luxe. -Taking advantage of the opportunity, I stole up on deck to relieve the -second mate for dinner. He must have thought that I had foundered on the -noodle soup and plum-pudding. - -The cook and I may not altogether have agreed on the social things of -life, but I was with him heart and soul in his fight for better and -cleaner conditions for sailors ashore. I, too, know the crimps, and had -suffered more than once from their dastardly methods of making money. - -They were always on the lookout for anything that resembled a sailor -when a ship was ready to sail, and a short-handed captain would offer -one of them fifty or a hundred dollars a head blood-money. With that -would go from one to two months' advance in wages to the unfortunate -victim, which eventually fell into the crimp's hands also. He would not -stop even at murder if necessary to fill the required quota. - -What if he did ship a dead man or two? They were not supposed to awake -for at least twenty-four hours after they were brought aboard. By that -time they were under way, and the curses of the captain were lost in -sheeting home the upper topsails. - -The mate, on the other hand, took a lively interest in restoring the -sleeper to life. After he had spent some time clubbing him, and trying -every method known to the hard-boiled mates of former times, he would -find a belaying-pin, and beat the drugged man on the soles of his shoes. -This was the final test. If he did not respond to it, the officer would -report to the captain that one of the crew who had just come aboard was -dead. Cursing and swearing, the captain would say: "How do you know that -he is dead?" - -"Well, Captain, I have awakened a great many of them in my time, and -there isn't a kick in this fellow." - -"Did you try the mirror?" - -Holding the mirror at his mouth, to see whether by chance there might be -precipitation was the last act. It would never occur to them to feel for -the pulse, probably because their hands were too heavily calloused to -permit of it. Furthermore, it would never do to lower the mate's -dignity in the presence of the crew by so gracious an act. - -"No, sir, I have not tried the mirror yet. I am thinking that you have -booked a losing." - -"Booked Hell," the captain would shout, "Here, take this drink of brandy -and pour it into him, then hold the mirror over his mouth. If that -doesn't work, throw him overboard." - -Those who were shanghaied were not usually sailors. One would find -tailors, sheep-herders, waiters and riff-raff of the slums, who had -fallen prey to the greed of the boarding-house keeper. - -When one did respond to the mate's treatment, he would awake to a living -Hell, until the next port was reached, which would take three, four or -even five months. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -THE MONTANA COWBOY--A HORSE-MARINE ADVENTURE - - -There are instances where the Captain and mates of the old time sailing -ships have had cause to regret their methods of procuring sailors from -the crimps. - -When a drugged and shanghaied sailor comes on board the mate looks him -over for dangerous weapons. - -If he has a sheath knife the mate breaks the point off. If a gun, he -takes it aft to the Captain. When the drug-crazed man comes to he is -easy to handle. If he should show fight, a crack over the head with a -belaying-pin will send him down and out. When the stars disappear and he -comes back to earth again, he is very responsive, and willing to scrub -decks or anything else that is desired of him. - -A Montana cowboy, seeing the sights in a Pacific port, fell a prey to -the crimps. Blood money was high. One hundred and fifty dollars was not -to be laughed at, when it could be had so easily. The cowboy was given -the usual dose of knock-out drops, then thrown into a boat, and rowed -off to the ship, which was lying at anchor. When the boat came alongside -the ship, the crimp shouted: "Ahoy, Mr. Mate, I have a good sailor for -you." - -The mate never expected shanghaied men to walk up the gangway. He knew -what to expect, and usually gave them the allotted time, about -twenty-four hours, to sleep the drug off. - -"Are you sure he is a good sailor?" said the mate. - -"Oh, yes," replied the crimp, "he is an old-time sailor, we have known -him for years. He has been sailing to this port in some of the best -ships afloat." - -The mate called some members of the crew to get the tackle over the side -and yank him aboard. The cowboy was heavy, and he did not yank aboard as -easily as some of the other drugged men, very much to the astonishment -of the old-time sailors. - -They know by the weight on the tackle fall how to guess what the -vocation ashore has been of this latest addition to their number. If the -drugged man is a light-weight, he is proclaimed a tailor, if medium -weight he is a sheep-herder, and so on. - -But they could not find a suitable vocation for this cowboy who was so -damned heavy. After long, long pulls, and strong, strong pulls, he -landed on deck as limp as a rag. The mate rolled him over with his foot, -and seeing that he had no weapons of any kind ordered him thrown on the -hatch to sleep it off. - -The crimp had relieved him of the cowboy hat, but not the riding shoes, -very much to the disgust of the mate, who remarked: - -"I have sailed in many ships and with all kinds of sailors, but I will -go to Hell if I ever saw a sailor with as long heels on his boots as -this fellow has." - -Nevertheless he impressed the mate as being a sailor. He had the desert -and mountain ruggedness and complexion, and not the sallow dyspeptic -look of the tailor, which mates and crew despise so. When the anchor was -up, and they were standing out to sea, the mate undertook to awake the -cowboy with a force pump. - -After the salt water had been played on him about five minutes, he -awoke, and realized that he was on board of a ship. He inquired of the -mate how he got aboard, and where he was going. The mate answered him -very sharply, saying: - -"You get up, damn quick, and loose the main-upper-topgallant-sail if you -want to get along well and happy in this ship." - -He might have been talking the dead languages for all the cowboy knew -about upper-topgallant-sails. He rubbed his eyes, and pulling himself -together realized that this was not a dream after all, but a stern -reality. After looking over the ship and feeling the roll, he eyed the -mate with suspicion, saying: "See here, stranger, haven't you made a -mistake? Tell me how I came aboard this here ship." - -The mate thought the new sailor was having a joke at his expense. -Stepping up to him he said, "Damn you, don't you dare to joke with me, -or I will break every bone in your body." - -"Let me tell you, stranger," said the cowboy, "I want you to turn this -here thing around 'cause I must be a hitting the trail." - -This was too much for any good mate to stand, especially when the -members of the crew were highly pleased with the new sailor's remark. -The mate pulled off his pea-jacket, and tightening his belt, remarked: - -"I guess I will teach you how to respect your superiors while you are on -board this ship." - -The cowboy, seeing that the mate meant business, pulled off his wet coat -and vest, also the black silk handkerchief that was tied in a very -fashionable knot around his neck and remarked, "Stranger, you be mighty -keerful how many bones you break in my body." - -Here the mate made a lunge for him, which the boy ducked, and with an -upper-cut he sent the mate to the deck in a heap. The mate got up and -started for a belaying pin. The crafty range rider was upon him in a -second with a left hook to the jaw. The mate went down, and stayed down -for some time. Then the second mate, third mate and captain came to the -rescue of their first mate. The mates were knocked down as fast as they -could get up. The Captain called the crew saying, "Arrest this man and -put him in irons for mutiny on the high seas." - -This the crew refused to do, because the way this new sailor could use -his hands was not at all to their liking, and they were not anxious to -take on any rough stuff so early on the voyage. - -The Captain, flushed with rage, ran to the cabin shouting: - -"I will get my gun and kill this mutineer." The mates picked themselves -up and the two went after guns. The cowboy, turning to the sailors, -said: - -"Here, you critters, get behind a sage bush or something,--get out of -range and get out damned quick, for there is going to be Hell shot out -of this here ship in about a minute." Reaching down in his riding boots -he pulled out two forty-fives and backed over to the starboard bulwarks -to await the signal from the cabin. - -He did not have to wait long. The Captain came roaring up the -companion-way, thinking that the new sailor at the sight of the gun -would run and get under cover. But not so with this one, far from it. -There he stood, a plain and visible target for the Captain's and mate's -guns. While the Captain was running along the lee alleyway of the -bridge-deck, the cowboy called to him, saying: - -"Can you kill from the hip, Mister? If you can't you'd better get close -and shoot straight." - -The Captain was too angry to utter a sound. It was bad enough to knock -his three mates down and out, without heaping insult upon insult by -asking if he could shoot straight. The blow he had got on the jaw from -this untamed sailor he considered enough to justify him in killing on -sight anyway, for it would be days before he could bring his jaws -together on anything harder than pea soup or bread pudding. - -With these maddening thoughts twitching his nautical brow, he swung from -the bridge-deck onto the main deck. There in front of him stood the new -mariner leaning against the bulwarks with his hands behind his back. The -Captain's gun was swinging at arm's length in the right hand, but not -pointed toward the cowboy. - -This code of ethics pleased the cowboy, for he remarked to the Captain: -"Remember you draw first, and if you have any message for the folks at -home now is the time to send it." - -Hearing the mates coming, the Captain took courage, and raised his gun -as if to shoot, when a shot rang out and his right arm fell limply to -his side. With a spring of a wild animal the cowboy changed for a new -position. He jumped onto the main hatch, where he could command a view -of the ship fore and aft. No sooner had he changed to his new position, -than the mates appeared on the main deck and ordered him in the King's -name to surrender or take the consequences. - -"I don't know anything about your kings," remarked the cowboy, "but I do -know I'm going back to my ole horse and I'm going mighty quick. Let me -tell you, strangers, I want you to turn this here ship back. I'll give -you five minutes to make up your minds." - -The Captain broke the silence by ordering the ship back to port, saying, -to save his dignity, that he could never go to sea wounded as he was, -and was also anxious to bring this sailor to the bar of justice for -mutiny and attempted murder on the high seas. - -"Before you obey the orders of your boss here," said the cowboy, -addressing the crew, "I want your guns. You know it is dangerous for -children like you to be handling something you don't know much about." - -Evidently the Captain was in great pain, for he commanded the mates to -give up their weapons, which they did very reluctantly after the ship -had tacked and stood in for port again. To make matters worse, the -cowboy walked the weather side of the bridge-deck, and practically -commanded the ship until she dropped anchor. - -Then the police boat came off and took captain, mates and cowboy ashore -to the hall of justice, where the new sailor put a kink in the crimp, -sending him for five years to the penitentiary for drugging and -shanghaing him. He also caused the Captain and first mate to exchange -their comfortable quarters aboard ship for uneasy cells in jail; six -months for the mate and a year for the Captain.... - - * * * * * - -The old Hell Ships have passed away into the murky horizon, to be seen -no more, and with them have gone the old sailors, some to the Land of -Shadow, others to pass their remaining years working ashore, and many to -that most coveted place on earth, Snug Harbor. A new age has dawned -upon the mariner of today. He sails on ocean greyhounds, where there are -no yards to square, no topsails, no tiller ropes to steer with. He -doesn't have to sail four years before the mast to learn how to become a -sailor. Steam, the simplified, has made it pleasant and easy for him. He -no longer requires the tin plate and hook pot, nor has he any place for -the donkey's breakfast. (The latter used to be supplied by the crimp and -consisted of a handful of straw tucked into a cheap bed tick; that was -the sailor's bed in the old days.) - -Today he is supplied with everything necessary for his comfort, even to -five hundred cubic feet of air space, and food as good as he was likely -to get ashore. - -The cracker or hardtack hash was an art years ago, and required the -skill of a French chef. It is even possible that the French chef would -not have scorned what the old sailor discarded in making this sumptuous -repast. The first process of this delicious dish was to economize for -days to save enough hardtack. Secondly, it was necessary for it to soak -at least forty-eight hours. By that time you were sure that all living -creatures had forsaken their pleasant abode for a breath of fresh air or -a swim around the hook pot. - -When you were satisfied that the hardtack was malleable, you would mix -in what salt horse you could spare without stinting yourself too much, -and anything else that happened to be around. Then came the supreme -task, getting a concession from the cook to bake it. It required much -study as to how to approach the "Doctor," for this was his title in -important functions. Should he be so generous with you as to grant an -interview for this noble concession, you were to be complimented, and -considered in line for promotion to the black pan. It is only a brother -in death that could share the remnants from the Captain's table. Hence -the black pan. - -The sailor of today no longer need covet the crumbs from the captain's -table, he is fed a la carte and waited on by uniformed waiters; even his -salary is more than captains received twenty to thirty years ago in -sailing ships. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE FRAGRANT SMELL OF THE ALLURING PALMS - - -Away to the westward the sun was sinking into the deep, with small -fleecy clouds guarding the last bright quivering rays as if giving a -signal to make ready for the lovely night. So Christmas had come and -departed with the setting of the sun. - -I was thinking of him who had also departed so suddenly to the land of -eternal rays, and wondered if the great Nazarene should not have said, -"Peace to those who have passed away, and good will to those whom they -have left behind." - -For the next ten days the wind held steady, and one could see from the -restlessness of the crew, particularly Dago Joe, that we were nearing -land. I had sent a man aloft to see if he could pick up Wallingallala -Light. I was sure that if our chronometer was right we should pick it up -about two o'clock in the morning. I decided to sail through Namuka -Passage, thereby cutting off the distance to Suva about three hundred -and fifty miles. Otherwise it would be necessary to sail to the -southward of the Archipelago, and the danger of the latter course was -the southeast trades, which usually die out twenty degrees south of the -Equator. - -As Suva lay 18 deg. 22', I was sure I could hold the wind through the -Passage, if I could keep away from the uncharted coral reefs which are -so dangerous to navigation among those islands. At half-past three in -the morning Broken-Nosed Pete sang out from the foretop, "A light on the -port bow." I took the binoculars and ran up the mizzen-rigging. There -was the long-looked-for light. - -I changed the course after getting bearings on the light, and headed her -for Namuka Passage. After entering the Passage it was necessary to -change our course from time to time, and this had to be done by log and -chart, in order to avoid the projecting reefs which jutted out from the -island. Many of these reefs extend from three to five miles from each -island. The navigator never loses his position of ship, and great care -must be taken in making allowances for currents. - -About six o'clock we were well into the Passage and abreast of Boscowen -Island, better known as Cap Island. Away to the southwest lay Vite Vuva, -which was the island we were bound for. The wind was freshening, and -when passing an island great gusts of wind would swoop on us, which made -it necessary to take in our staysails. - -The fragrant smell of the alluring palms was beginning to fascinate the -crew, with the exception of Riley, who wore a rather troubled look. When -I asked him if he was sick he replied in the negative, "Sick would you -have me? Shur'n the divil a bit is it sick I am. Auld Charlie has been -telling me it's cannibals there are on these islands, but shure I don't -belave a wurd that old wharf rat says." - -"Well, Riley," said I, "Charlie may be right. No doubt somewhere in -these islands there may lurk a few sturdy savages who wouldn't hesitate -a moment to recommend that a man like you be cooked and served table -d'hote at one of their moonlight festivals. They much prefer the white -meat to the dark, and you will admit there are some choice pieces in -you." - -"There are, me bye, but I'll be keeping meself intact and the divil a -man-eater will iver lay a tooth in me, if Michael Dennis Riley knows -anything." - -"Stay close to the ship," said I, "and don't wander too far afield and I -doubt if there is much danger, as long as you keep sober and have your -eye peeled to windward." - -"Be Hiven, sor, and that is what I will be doing. As for keeping sober, -shure and that is aisy for me. It is only on rare occasions that I ever -take a drop of the crayture. Begorra, and it's the pledge I'll be taking -while I'm amongst these heathen." - -The speed we were making did not encourage me in the least. We were -logging eleven knots, and if she kept this up we would be off Suva -Harbor about two-thirty in the morning; then it would be necessary to -lie off Suva till the pilot came aboard some time during the forenoon. -The chart showed it was about seven miles from the entrance of the -channel between the coral reefs to the harbor. As there were no -tug-boats here, I figured that by the time the pilot rowed off to where -I should be in the offing, it would indeed be late in the morning. But I -was much worried at having to spend a night dodging these dangerous -reefs which were not even marked by a bell-buoy. - -Towards evening, while passing between two islands, the wind fell very -light. The channel was narrow, and it looked for a time as if we were in -danger of drifting onto the south reef of Vite Vuva Island. What little -breeze there was carried to our ears the enchanting voices of the -natives singing their island songs. The cook was coaxing Toby to indulge -in age-old brisket, but without success, and turning to me he said, -"What a pity it is that our world isn't full of song and laughter like -that of these happy natives. Their day of toil is over, and with it -comes the song of happiness. There are no landlords here to dispossess -you, no licensed thugs hired by crooked corporations to club you while -you are working for the interest of the downtrodden. I tell you that -some day the world will be just such a place to live in as these isles, -no worries, no troubles and damned little work." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -SUVA HARBOR--THE REEF AND THE LIGHTHOUSES - - -As we nosed by the reef, and got the island on our beam, the wind came -to our rescue, and with staysails set I laid a course for Suva Harbor. -At one o'clock we picked up Suva lights, the two lighthouses which -marked the entrance to the harbor. One light is about on sea level, the -other has an altitude of some two hundred feet, being back and up the -hill and in direct line with the first. When these two lights bear due -north you have the channel course into Suva Harbor. - -When I had these lights in range I decided to run in and take a chance, -rather than stay out and wait for the pilot. Another reason why I was -anxious to get in was that the barometer was falling and it looked like -rain. This being the hurricane season, I was not at all pleased with -the mackerel skies of the early morning. The channel is very narrow -between the reefs, and great care must be taken in steering one's -course. - -After jibing her over and pointing her into the channel, I had -Broken-Nosed Pete take the wheel, with instructions that if he got off -the course his neck would be twisted at right angles to his nose. Pete -was a good helmsman, and could be trusted in close quarters like those -we were about to sail through. - -Until we passed into the harbor my interest in the schooner "Wampa" -could be had for a song. With waves breaking on either side of us as we -were passing through, and expecting every moment to strike the reef, -moments seemed like centuries, and not to me alone. The only sound that -came from the crew was from Riley, and he did not intend it for my ears. - -The noise of the breakers to windward was not so bad for Riley and his -one eye, but to have it repeated on his blind side was asking too much -of an honest sailor. He shouted to Old Charlie, "Glory be to God, -Charlie, and it's drowned we will be in sight of land. In the name of -the Father, what made him attempt it on a night like this? Look, look, -Holy Saint Patrick, look at the breakers. Ah, and it's high and dry -we'll be. Bad luck to the day I ever set foot on this auld barge! She -isn't fit for a dog to sail in." - -The harbor end of the reef was marked by a light on a small cutter, -which was so dim that one would almost have to have a light to find it. -After rounding this insignificant light we had deep water and a large -harbor. - -Just as day was breaking we dropped anchor, after an eventful voyage of -fifty-four days from Puget Sound. At eight o'clock an East Indian doctor -came on board, and lining the crew up for inspection, required every man -to put out his tongue. From the looks of the above-mentioned he seemed -pleased with the health of the crew. He left, after looking over the -official log book to make sure that the Captain had not been murdered. - -The customs men followed him aboard, and being assured that we were not -pirates, departed to where the brandy and soda offered a more tempting -interest. As I expected, the pilot came alongside about nine-thirty, -very much disgusted to think that I should dare to run the channel -without the guidance of his steady head and hand. - -Had he not been here for fifteen years doing this work which required -skill and courage, piloting ships of all nations into and out of this -dangerous channel? What was it to him (with a clinking glass), whether -the conversation took the shape of the battle of Balaclava or the -bombardment of Alexandria? Let the ships lay in the offing and await his -pleasure. They were helpless without him, and must await his guidance to -reach safe anchorage. - -He scrambled over the side, and adjusting his monocle to look me over, -said in an accent that would make a cockney cab-driver take to honest -toil, "Ahem, ahem, where is your captain?" - -"He is somewhere around the Equator in 145 deg. west longitude," I said. -"Ow, ow, I see. He abandoned the ship, I suppose." - -"Yes," said I, "he left much against his will. It is rather strange, is -it not?" - -"Well, I'll be blowed to think he should have departed in this manner." - -Riley, who was coiling down the main boom tackle fall, was more -interested in the English pilot than in coiling ropes. The last remark -of the pilot re-echoed back from him in words not befitting this high -command. - -"Shur'n it's more av them that ought to be laying at the bottom of the -sea with a mill stone around their neck." - -The way Riley's one eye would alternate from the pilot to the little -town across the harbor, and the way his lips twitched suggested to me -what was going on in his mind. To think he had sailed seventy-five -hundred miles to find a specimen like this! "To hell with the pledge and -Cannibal Isles, isn't the sight of this enough to drive any poor -Irishman into swearing allegiance to John Barleycorn for the rest of his -life?" - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -INTRODUCING CAPTAIN KANE, MRS. FAGAN AND MRS. FAGAN'S BAR - - -After convincing the pilot of the Captain's death, I was given a severe -reprimand for coming into the harbor alone. When he went ashore I had -the small boat lowered, and, putting on a pair of the dead Captain's -shoes, also his shirt and pants, I had Broken-Nosed Pete row me to the -landing place on the wharf. - -I wanted to look up the consignee and see where he wanted the cargo of -lumber. There were a few cutters anchored in the harbor, but no ships. -As we neared the wharf, I noticed a neat and clean little steam cutter -lying along the south side of the wharf, and judged from the three-pound -gun on her deck that she was a revenue cutter. On the wharf stood many -natives, male and female. I was particularly attracted to the native -men, who were wonderful types of physical development, standing six -feet or more, with broad shoulders and deep chests. The muscles ran -smoothly in their arms and legs, and their tapering thighs and agile -feet made a picture seldom seen in the northern latitudes. They had no -worries and troubles in dealing with the tailors and dressmakers. Adam -and Eve fashions still prevailed here, although some of the more -prominent wore a yard or two of white linen instead of the fig leaves. -This, contrasted with the shiny dark skin and the white-washed hair, -which had a vertical pitch, rather distinguished them in appearance from -their more humble brethren. - -Broken-Nosed Pete was so fascinated by "the female of the species," that -he forgot to moor the boat. As the latter was drifting away from the -wharf I gave him instructions to be more prudent,--to make fast the -boat, and remain there until my return. Evidently Pete was not looking -for this rebuke, for he answered in a voice that could be heard the -width of the harbor saying, "Aye, aye, there seems to be a hellish -current, sir." - -As I started to walk up the wharf I was met by a young man wearing a -Palm Beach suit. "You are the Captain of the 'Wampa,' I believe," said -he, "I represent Smith & Company here, and your cargo is consigned to -us." After showing me where the lumber was to go, he told me that I -would have to raft it ashore. This was rather discouraging to me, as the -distance was about one mile from the ship and I had never had any -experience with work of this kind, but on account of shallow water at -the dock I had no other alternative and decided to raft the cargo ashore -as he directed. - -He invited me to his office, telling me that he believed there was mail -there for the ship. In passing a hotel at the end of the wharf he -suggested a highball, which was served in due course by a red-headed -Irish barmaid. I was then introduced to a number of Hibernians, -noticeable among whom was a very fat and blubbery looking creature with -an unusually large nose. His black beard was streaked with gray, his -mouth had a sort of an angular twist, and in opening it one could see a -few stray tusks, so solitary that it seemed they must be quite conscious -of the old surroundings. The shirt, with its nicotine and other stains, -was open at the neck, displaying a black and long-haired breast. This he -seemed to be very proud of. - -After telling me that his name was Captain Kane, and that he was the -Captain of the "Pongon," the revenue cutter which I had noticed lying -alongside the wharf, he put his hand to his breast and began to twist -the black hair. This was probably an act of official dignity as Captain -of the "Pongon," and representative of the British Government in the -Fiji Archipelago. I got the mail, which consisted of three letters, one -for the cook, and one for me from the owners, instructing me to proceed -home in ballast to San Francisco. The other was addressed to Nelson, the -Dane. When I got back aboard the ship it was noon, and raining as it -knows how to rain in this country. It was not dropping down, but a -continuous stream as if running through a sprinkler. - -The afternoon was given to taking off deck-lashings and getting a line -ashore in order to be able to pull the raft to the wharf. This operation -used up almost all the rope on the ship. - -About seven o'clock the crew came aft to say that they were going -ashore and wanted some money to spend. Oh, no, not at all for whiskey, -just a few necessary things such as socks, tobacco and handkerchiefs. -(Whoever heard of a sailor buying a handkerchief while the ready oakum -is to be had for the asking!) I assured them that tomorrow I would draw -on the owners, and give them one pound each to spend on these luxuries. -They went forward growling and grumbling, and not at all pleased with -this proposition. I believe that Broken-Nosed Pete's description of what -he had seen at the wharf weighed heavy on their minds. - -In the morning we started the raft by taking four long two-by-sixes and -lashing them at the ends, thus forming a square, then launching it over -the side, and making it fast to the ship. We started to stow the lumber -on the ship, running the boards fore and aft, then athwart ships. After -having stowed a few tiers, the raft took shape, but great care had to be -taken in starting it, as it was hard to keep the first boards from -floating away. The raft could not draw over six feet, otherwise we could -not float it ashore, but with this draft we could raft twenty thousand -feet ashore and escape the shallow places in the harbor. - -I went ashore towards noon to hire ten natives to help unload cargo. -Much to my surprise, the native Fijian is a man of leisure and not of -toil. Shell-fishing is good, and the yams and bananas are within easy -reach, so this gentleman prefers to bask in the sunshine rather than to -work for a paltry shilling. - -I was about to go to the office of Smith & Company to see what they -could do for me about getting help, when I espied Captain Kane strolling -up the wharf. From the way his legs were spread apart one could see that -his cargo was something different from lumber. As he approached me I -noticed the cigar was so short that it was singeing his black beard and -mustache. He greeted me warmly, saying, "How's she heading, sonny?" and -insisted that I join him in a glass, as he usually took one about this -time of day. - -On the way to the hotel I told him how hard it was going to be for me to -get help. He stopped suddenly, and, turning around to look at the harbor -as if to make sure that there were no blockade runners in the offing, -he fanned himself with his cheese-cutter cap, then turned towards me -saying, "Why, man alive, I can load your ship down with coolies. Do you -see those," pointing to a couple of small men, "they are our workers -here. They come in from the Solomon group. I will get you as many as you -want for two shillings a day and meals. As for these natives, they are -damned lazy scoundrels, that's what they are, they won't work at all if -they can help it." - -Mrs. Fagan greeted us with a smile, asking us in the good old Irish way -what our pleasure might be. Her red hair was much in need of combing and -lacked the delicate wave of the tonsorial artist. We were joined by the -pilot, who was on his way to give his boat's crew a little excursion -around the harbor. "One must keep them in practice, you know. Goodness -knows when a coolie ship may heave in sight, and I must be there to -guide her in. Oh, yes, I must do my duty rain or shine." - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -REMINISCENCES OF OLD CLIPPER DAYS - - -One could see from the yawn and grunt that Captain Kane gave, that if -the pilot went on talking he would disregard all rules of the road and -make it a head-on collision. How could he respect this thing, that -called itself captain and pilot, when all he commanded was an open boat -with a few black oarsmen; "It is practice you want," said Captain Kane, -raising his glass and draining the last dregs from Mrs. Fagan's -highball, setting the glass down on the bar with a bang that seemed to -further derange Mrs. Fagan's red hair. - -She turned around exclaiming, "May the Lord save us and what was that?" - -"Let me tell you," said Captain Kane to the pilot, wiping his mouth, -"that I don't think you know Hell about doing your duty. Here's a -man"--patting me on the shoulder--"that squared away and ran the reef -while you were asleep, yes, damn you, asleep. You talk about duty!" The -little wisp of hair on Captain Kane's head no longer lay in quiet -repose, but started to ascend as if controlled by the angular motions of -his hands and feet. The illuminating light in his bleary eyes continued, -and he said in a voice that sounded like the rolling surf, "Fifty years -ago, running between Ceylon and the United Kingdom, in the old tea -clippers where our topsails and top-gallant sheets were locked with a -padlock, and where we got a bonus from the owners whenever we carried -away a sail. Those were the days!" - -He brought his clubbed fist down on the bar with such force that he -jarred many of the glasses that were arranged around the beer pump -handles. Mrs. Fagan whispered to me that the Captain was not himself -today at all, at all, that he seldom gave way like this. "You talk about -duty to me," Captain Kane continued, "but I've seen the time when every -damned man of us were tied to the rigging during a typhoon. Never a reef -nor a furled sail, while the Captain held the padlock keys. Oh, boys, -those were the days, and you come around here talking to me about your -duty. Go on with you now before I forget that I am Captain of His -Majesty's ship 'Pongon.'" - -The pilot was much distressed by this outburst of anger from Captain -Kane. As he adjusted his monocle with trembling fingers before replying, -a side door opened and Mr. Tim Fagan, proprietor of the Pier Hotel, -greeted us with a grin, saying, "'Tis a foine day we be havin', men, and -how are you all this morning?" - -The contrast between Mr. and Mrs. Fagan was interesting, and one could -see that the eugenic situation had not yet reached south of -twenty-three. - -His costume was that which is worn by the English lodge gate-keeper. He -stood about five feet four, in the long stockings and the knee pants, -the spiral legs, the number ten boots. This rig was coupled with the -fringe of a beard extending from ear to ear, partly displaying a small -chin and upper lip. Such an upper lip is seldom seen outside South -Africa, but with him it had assumed such vast proportions that there was -little to see of the face. The wart or button that was intended for a -nose was pushed up the face and in line with the gray eyes. The mouth -was in contrast to the upper lip, but its expansion was lost in the -sandy stubble of the side whiskers. - -Mrs. Fagan looked adoringly at her beloved spouse and said, "Tim, it's -yourself that will treat the gintlemen." - -It was with great difficulty that Captain Kane reached a small shack -made of bamboo poles and palm leaves. On entering we were confronted -with a sight long to be remembered, for there, sitting around in a -circle were fourteen natives of the Solomon Islands chewing kara root, -which, after much masticating, they spit into a large earthen-ware dish. -The kara root when properly masticated is then collected, put through a -sort of churning process and made into a drink which is known as Fiji -grog. It resembles oatmeal water, which is a familiar drink among our -northern harvest hands, but lacks its obvious peculiarities. The natives -greeted the Captain with a salaam-san and proffered him a cup of the -thick and slimy substance. The Captain refused, saying that it was near -his lunch hour and he preferred not to indulge on an empty stomach, -which I was pleased to see, for if he had taken aboard some of this -mysterious looking cargo and mixed it in his watertight compartment -there would have been a vacant chair at lunch on board His Majesty's -ship "Pongon." - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -UNLOADING CARGO--AGAIN THE MASTER--NATIVE POLICE - - -I had no difficulty in hiring ten of the little men, and took them off -to the ship to work cargo. In the afternoon we hauled a raft of lumber -ashore. I was greatly encouraged with this process of unloading; of -course it lacked the noise of the steam winch and the occasional -profanity of the Frisco longshoremen, but this was the South Sea Isles -where work was a pleasure. - -I drew thirty pounds (a hundred and fifty dollars), remembering that the -crew had some "purchases" to make that evening. After supper they came -aft, dressed in their best clothes, and repeated their demands of the -evening before. - -After giving each member of the crew forward one pound, and the second -mate and cook two pounds, they got in the boat and pulled ashore, -leaving me and Toby, the black cat, to guard the ship. I remained long -after sunset on deck listening to the natives singing and playing their -guitars. The sound, mingled with the noise of the surf breaking on the -reefs beyond the purring of Toby, created a lullaby that would soothe -the wildest intellect. - -Leaving Toby on deck to play with the cockroaches, I went aft to the -cabin to make the report of the day. While thus working I was -interrupted by a strange noise in the Captain's room. I thought it was -Toby going his rounds, but upon investigation I found that he was on -deck and sitting by the galley door. I was busy with an example in -proportion. If it took one day to unload twenty thousand feet of lumber -how many days would it take to unload five hundred thousand? I seated -myself at the table again, but was brought up with a sudden start on -hearing three loud and distinct knocks on the dead Captain's door. I -found myself saying, "Yes, Captain, I will attend to it at once." - -In my excitement of the past few days I had forgotten to mail the dead -Captain's last will to Berkeley, California. I jumped up and opened the -door leading to his room. Lighting the light and going to a small -drawer in the desk, I took out the will, also the little shoes, and the -pink ribbons, and yellow curls, and started ashore to mail them to the -above address in the U. S. A. I did not stop now to write the letter, -which I knew must also go, and which would be so very hard for me to -write. - -I made the small boat fast at the landing, and hurried to where I could -get stamps, for I was bound that these packages should leave on the next -north-bound steamer. - -As I neared the Pier Hotel I was surprised to see Riley standing outside -the door talking in a loud and profane voice. In passing him I could -hear him say, "Ah go-wan, you dirty Connemara crook, shur'n I knew your -father, he used to eat swill out of the swill barrels." - -With this a chair came bouncing through the door, which increased my -speed for the Post Office. Evidently, Mr. Fagan and Riley had been -having some political argument, for in the distance he was shouting, -"Parnell was a gintleman and a scholar!" - -Riley's shouting was evidently disturbing the peace of the harbor, for a -great many of the natives, men and women, were running towards the Pier -Hotel where he was holding forth. - -As I walked to the more thickly settled part of the town I stopped and -asked a white man where the Post Office was. On being told it was down -by the Club Hotel, the anxiety to relieve my mind of this obligation -caused me to put on more speed, and I shoveled along in the Captain's -heavy and much too large boots. Arriving at the Club Hotel I was -informed that the Post Office was closed. The genial host, a thick -heavy-set Australian, supplied me with stamps, paper and envelopes, and -I wrote to the owners telling them of the Captain's death, and sent the -package in their care, with instructions to forward it to the proper -address. - -I felt greatly relieved of my responsibility to the Captain and owners -when the host assured me that he would take care of the postage in the -morning. Becoming suddenly conscious of the real picturesqueness of -these islands and anxious to see the natives at closer range, I called -up all the old beach combers in the hotel to have a drink. This seemed -to please the proprietor, for he shouted, "Come on, men, breast the -bar!" - -I noticed Broken-Nosed Pete in the corner having a very confidential -chat with a villainous-looking man. They were so occupied that they -failed to hear the cheery command of the proprietor. The attractive -barmaid was very much annoyed at my ordering ginger ale, turning around -and looking at herself in the glass and adjusting her white crocheted -cap as if to make sure that she was really awake and not dreaming. -"Whoever heard of a sailor drinking ginger ale," she might have said, -"haven't they come here from the four corners of the earth always -thirsty for the rum that makes them merry and gay? Besides, you can -never loosen up a man on ginger ale." - -His spendings in the rum shops in this case are not at all to the liking -of the pretty barmaids, who flatter themselves that they get the last -penny from the sailor just off the sea. I was reminded of the time by -seeing an old-fashioned clock hanging to the right of the bar, when -suddenly a trap door on top of the old clock opened, and a cuckoo hopped -out cooing the hour of eleven o'clock. So absorbed had I been in meeting -with the old shell-backs, who were lined along the bar at my expense -drinking Old Tom and soda that I became oblivious both of the flight of -time and the slow trickling away of my money. I made a hasty getaway for -the open. - -Outside the night was warm and everything peaceful and tranquil. The -rolling hills to the eastward were illuminated by the silvery rays of a -rising moon. The occasional hum of the disgusted mosquito who had missed -his mark was all that seemed to disturb the peace of this quaint Fijian -town. The moon took flight, squeezing and pushing her way through the -far-off stately palms. As she began to throw ghostly shadows from the -native house tops, I felt the fascination of these islands as never -before. The soft trade winds, the silvery rippling waters, the lullaby -from the reef beyond, the cooing and gurgling of the surf as it played -upon the coral beach below, were enchanting. - -The distant call of the native boatman shoving off with his cargo of -vegetables and fruits for early market, caused silvery threads of sound -in the night, and a parrakeet chattered as he gave way to a more worthy -rival. The tune of the sea-gull reached me as he dove from on high and -missed his wiggling fish. - -While listening to these strange and interesting sounds, I was rudely -interrupted by boisterous laughter coming from the direction of the Pier -Hotel. I thought of Riley, and hastened there, thinking that his -political argument must have taken a serious trend. - -Much to my surprise Riley was not to be seen, but there stood the -Socialist cook, perched high on a dry goods box with a large mug of ale -in one hand and a black cigar in the other. There were a few native men -and women standing around, evidently much amused by the cook's gestures. -Back of him, beside a sickly and yellow oil lamp, stood two natives -dressed in loose tunics, whose sleeves were cut off at the elbow. They -also wore short skirts coming down to the knee, and below that was -nature's own. What attracted me most was the coloring of this strange -uniform. - -As I edged closer I noticed that this kilty-look-costume was a very dark -blue, but the trimmings were getting on my nerves. The wearers were -standing with one side to the oil lamp, and from this angle I could see -that the dresses were trimmed with red borders about three inches wide -above the neck. The cut-off sleeves also had their share of this Satanic -display. The short petticoat was more conspicuous. This, contrasted with -large feet and yellow legs, showing the blood-red border on the indigo -skirt, was a coloring seldom seen in any man's country. - -As they whispered to each other I noticed that they had long clubs -belted onto their hands. The cook, between a puff on the black cigar and -a drink of Bass' Famous was decrying the British government for making -slaves of them. After much persuasion I took the cook in tow for the -ship. I did not like the look of His Majesty's Fijian policeman, -especially since I was so much dependent on early breakfasts for both -the crew and natives. - -At the row-boat the cook hesitated, saying: "Just one more before we -part." When I answered him in the negative he straightened up and -squared his shoulders, saying: "To Hell with monarchies; I shall give -them the ballot to do with as they may." The ginger ale in this -instance was more powerful than the famous Bass' ale and I shouldered -the cook easily up the gangway. I noticed as I did so that the cat-boat -was not alongside. Evidently the crew was still enjoying Fiji -hospitality. This was proven on reaching the deck, for the only sound -that greeted us was Toby purring and wagging his black tail, happy in -the knowledge that even a drunken cook was preferable to the lonely -swinging anchor light on the forestay. - -I left the cook, after assuring him that I would lend my assistance in -starting a socialist colony on one of these islands. From the way he -tumbled into the bunk there would be little time consumed in making his -toilet in the morning. Perhaps it was just as well if one denies the -claims of bedbugs, cockroaches and mosquitoes. They had waited patiently -for the past six hours for just this event. What a wonderful opportunity -they would find in this fat and blubbery creature lying there in an -ecstasy of bliss, with not a groan to disturb their peaceful recreation. -Only a matter of a slight incision on a choice part, then insert the -valve and turn on the centrifugal pump and all would be done to their -great satisfaction. But this slumbering animal was now done up in -impenetrable strata of clothes, which ruined their sport. - -Removing the hat and loosing the black and red tie from around his neck, -I blew out the light, and left him to determine a battle for the -survival of the fittest. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -SHORE LEAVE--THE WEB-TOED SAILOR--THE MISSIONARY SHIP - - -I was wondering whether to go ashore to look for the crew, when I heard -the second mate's voice saying: "Easy on your port oars. Give away hard -on your starboard." As they came alongside the gangway I could see Riley -and the Russian-Finn asleep in the bow of the cat-boat. Dago Joe was -missing, and the others had had about all the rum they could stand. I -gave the second mate orders to leave Riley and the Russian-Finn in the -boat, as it was dangerous to try to get them on board while they were so -drunk. Swanson spoke up, saying: "To Hell with you, we do what we damned -please." - -I was rather upset by this remark coming from the big Swede. I should -have thought that he would have had enough of fighting on the trip -south. Evidently the booze was working on him and he was intending -revenge. I stepped over to the pin-rail and pulled out a wooden -belaying-pin. Booze or no booze, I was going to make this brute respect -me if I had to resort to old-time methods. Running down the gangway, I -ordered all that could walk up to get there damned quick and pointed to -Swanson, saying: "You will be the first to leave the boat." As the ship -swung with the outgoing current, the moon revealed the expression -of hatred on Swanson's face. The high cheek bones, the knitted -viking-brows, the large cruel mouth, showing the irregular and -vicious-looking tusks, the eyes no longer blue, whose pupils were so -enlarged that the color had disappeared,--all this gave him just the -look of a wild animal at bay. - -Swanson jumped from the stern-sheets to the center of the boat, -shouting: "Shove her off and we will go ashore again, and you may go to -Hell." As he reached for the boat hook to shove her off or to use it on -me if it should come handy, I did not wait for him to decide. Jumping -into the boat, I knocked him down and ordered the others aboard. - -Whether my sudden irruption amongst them with the belaying-pin was a -counter-irritant for the booze they had within them or not I don't -know. But the boat was cleared in two minutes, leaving Swanson, Riley -and the Finn lying in the bottom. The second mate, although trying with -a thick tongue to proclaim his innocence of having had even a glass of -ale, was making heavy weather of it while going up the gangway. I -reached for the water dipper and poured the salt, but warm, sea water -over Swanson. After a few applications of this stimulating treatment he -arose to his feet saying, "I tank I go on board now." I followed him up -the gangway and forward to his bunk to make sure there would be no -tricking from this brute. I remembered the cowardly kick on my forehead -and resolved if there was any kicking to be done I would do it. - -Walking aft, I heard splashing as if some one was overboard. On reaching -the gangway I discovered that the Finn was missing from the boat. Ahead -of the cat-boat lay a raft of lumber, and on the outside of it I could -plainly see bubbles coming up, and wondered if this could not be the -action of a vegetable gas. - -But to my horror the Russian's head popped out of the water, and with it -came a blood-curdling scream as he writhed about in his death -struggles. Instead of making for the raft, he was fanning and kicking -the water away from it. - -I dropped the belaying-pin, and, slashing the shoe strings of the -Captain's boots, jumped out of them and overboard after the drowning -Finn. As I swam near him his hands went up and with a shriek he sank -below. After several attempts at diving, I finally caught him by the -arm, and arose to the surface. Swimming over to the gangway, I caught -hold of the boat painter, and, throwing his arms over the rope, I -managed to crawl onto the lower platform, then pulling and struggling -with this dead burden, I gradually made my way to the deck. - -I dumped him down on the break of the poop and ran for the cook's pork -barrel. It wasn't that I was so terribly interested in this lifeless -thing, but I was interested in knowing that should I lose him I would be -forced to sail short-handed, as there were no sailors here who cared to -stray far away from the cocoanuts and yams. - -When it came to rolling I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I rolled -him under the barrel and over it, and stimulated him with artificial -respiration. After about one hour he began to show signs of life. I then -carried him forward to his bunk, taking off his shoes and stockings. - -My attention was caught by his feet, for he had one large toe on each -foot, and in place of the smaller toes all that remained was a thin -tissue or web, extending from the large toe to where the smaller one -should be. Then it dawned upon me that the reason this man never went -barefooted was his bashfulness of these duck-like feet. After covering -him over in the bunk, I hurried to where Riley was lying in the boat, -finding him cuddled up with his head between his legs. - -I decided to leave him there, but secured him fast with a rope, in such -a way that when he became sober it would be necessary for some one to -come to his rescue; I was not going to take any chances on having to be -the pearl diver to fish Riley from the depth of Suva Harbor. - -Away to the eastward the faint rays of a new day were shown in an amber -sky streaked with brilliant pink. Taking the cook's alarm clock, I went -below to secure some sleep before five o'clock. While fixing the -mosquito net over the port hole in my room I was startled by hearing a -cry which resolved itself into, "Murder, murder, begorra it's tied they -have me. Hivenly Father, to think I should be ate up by those damned -cannibals and not a soul in sight to see the last of Michael Dennis -Riley." - -I would gladly have left Riley tugging and pulling at the diamond hitch -that bound him, but I was afraid that his cries of murder would attract -the Fiji policemen ashore. It required tact and skill and diplomacy to -untie Riley. He was snapping and kicking, and dangerous to get near. He -was calling on all the angels in Heaven to witness the terrible crime he -was about to be subjected to. I assured him that his old tough and tarry -hide was not even fit for a shark to eat, let alone a decent Fiji -cannibal. - -He seemed to scent a kindly influence, but was rather inclined to resent -the idea of having a tarry hide. After his hands and feet were free he -wanted to fight it out there, and then saying that it did not matter a -tinker's damn who called him this name, but there was no man that could -get away with an insulting remark like calling him a tarry-hide or an -old shell-back. - -"Be Hivins, the cannibals are bad enough," he said, "but to call a -dacent man a name like this is too much for the pride of Ireland to -stand." - -As he struggled to his feet I stepped over to the blind side of him and -tightened the clove hitch around his neck. I had no desire to let this -drunk-crazed Irishman loose on the boat. After much coaxing and -reassuring he finally recognized me and offered an apology. I took the -hitch off his neck, and let him up to the deck, where he begged for one -more hour's sleep. I called the cook to get breakfast, as it was nearly -five o'clock, and had a look at the Finn, who seemed none the worse for -his plunge in the harbor. The freaky and webby toes were sticking out -over the bunk and I wondered if it were possible to drown a man with -feet like these, since they had all the characteristics of a duck's -foot. - -There were yet two hours left before it was time to start work for the -day, so I hastened to my room and was soon asleep. After breakfast it -was a sickly-looking crew that came on deck, some of them very much -ashamed, others complaining about not having ice on board, as the fresh -water was too warm and did not have the soothing effect it otherwise -would have. - -The ten Solomon Islanders ate their beans and hardtack as if nothing had -happened, much to the disgust of the sailors, who seemed to feel the -nauseating effect of this act. The work of moving the lumber was going -slowly. It seemed that the sailors could not get enough oatmeal water. -Nothing pleased them, everything was wrong. The lumber was too long. It -was too heavy. It was not sawed right at the mill. Why did they have to -work, and so on and so on? - -I realized that if this kept up it would be many weeks before we would -be ready to sail for home. With this thought in mind, I jumped into the -small boat and pulled ashore to get three quarts of Black and White -Scotch whiskey. I felt that after they had had a drink of this famous -brand the lumber would move with a will. After giving each one a drink -of this murky liquor the lumber seemed to move as if by magic. No longer -was it too large and heavy. Each one was trying to outdo the other. The -Solomon Islanders were in great danger from the flying two-by-fours, and -even the cook was wielding the axe with greater skill as he drove it -into the fibrous yams. This was a new departure in the handling of -sailors, but so far it was working well. If it was necessary for Scotch -whiskey to enter into the discharging of this cargo, I was going to see -that each man had enough to stimulate him to even greater results. - -While ashore in the afternoon ordering fresh meat and vegetables, I met -Captain Kane, who insisted that I pay a visit to His Majesty's ship -"Pongon." In walking down the wharf, the Captain noticed a ship in the -offing. He seemed interested as he hurried along to the cutter. - -"You know," said he, "my eyes are not as good as they should be, and -I'll be damned if I know whether she is a coolie or a missionary ship." - -Contract labor is used here in working the rice fields and sugar -plantations. The coolies sign a five-year contract for sixpence (twelve -cents) per day, and all the rice they can eat. They live by themselves -and don't associate with the natives, as they consider them unclean -because they eat pig. They are very devout in their worship of Allah and -adhere strictly to fish and vegetables as a food. They are the type seen -in Bombay and Calcutta. Many of them, after being here for a few years, -form a company and buy a small sloop of five to ten tons to haul cobra -from the different islands to Suva, the capital of the Fijis. The latter -town is a distributing center for the Archipelago, and here is where -ships of many nations come and load this dried cocoanut for the foreign -markets of the world. It is one of the chief industries of these -islands. - -On boarding the revenue cutter, I noticed the native crew standing -around the gangway. They all came to a salute, as their proud Captain -swung over the rail. Their uniform resembled that of the policemen, but -instead of a red border in a blue field, it was white. This white border -with the white-washed hair gave them a clean and wholesome look, very -different from the policemen. - -Captain Kane led the way to the bridge, and, picking up a pair of -binoculars, he made out the strange craft to be a missionary ship. "You -will notice," said he as he handed the glasses to me, "that she has -painted ports,--damn them painted ports, I know what it means, not a -blasted drink as long as she is here. And that's not all, when them -missionaries come ashore, especially the older women, all a person sees -around here is Hell's burning fires." - -The coming of the missionary ship held no charm for Captain Kane. His -proud and dignified bearing gave way to that of a child, or one who has -lost a near and dear friend. "It is too damned bad," he shouted, "that -she should come here at this time; I and a few old friends were about to -have a little party." Here he pulled his cheese-cutter cap down with a -jerk, so that the bleary eyes were no longer visible. - -"And now I suppose I'll have to be converted again. Yes, Hell and -damnation, I have been converted to every religion that was ever heard -of. Oh, yes, they commercialize it down here, and we all chip in to keep -the brass work shining on the missionary ships." - -Here Captain Kane made a hasty exit from the good ship "Pongon" and laid -out a course for the Pier Hotel, saying: "Little does the world know -the troubles that some people have who are trying to do their duty to -their God and their King." - -At half-past four in the afternoon the missionary ship dropped anchor -about a cable's length off our starboard bow. Her crew were dressed in -man-o'-war uniforms. They lowered a boat, and as they pulled ashore I -could see five portly-looking dames sitting in the stern. They were -discussing our ship, and, from the scowling glances they gave us, I felt -that we were safe in standing by to repel boarders. They cast loving -glances at His Majesty's ship "Pongon," perhaps consulting as to what -form of baptism would be most impressive for Captain Kane. - -The crew had no desire to go ashore this evening. The last strenuous -night and a hard day's work, had left them in a rather sullen mood. Even -Old Charlie and Riley were not on speaking terms. Swanson's jaw showed -the mark of a belaying-pin, and he seemed quite conscious of it as he -chewed his evening meal. The web-toed Russian-Finn looked as if the hum -of the mosquito would be a welcome lullaby to the land of dreams. - -The cook, though silent and morose, would lift his head occasionally -from the dishes to listen to the natives singing their evening hymn, -"Shall We Gather at the River Where Bright Angels' Feet Do Tread." -Anything with angels in it was displeasing to our cook. He even seemed -to take a sudden dislike to Toby as he kicked him out of the galley -door, exclaiming, "Get out of here, damn you; I suppose they will be -putting wings on you before long." - -The Solomon Islands workmen, although tired from the day's work, were -laughing and chatting in their native tongue as they circled around a -large dishpan of Mulligan stew. - -Knives and forks were not much in evidence, the natives preferring to -use their hands to eat with. Although trained for centuries to eat in -this manner, I must say that the cook's Mulligan stew kept them -guessing. I decided that tomorrow, if perchance the cook should arise -under the refining influence of a good night's rest, I would ask him to -thicken the Mulligan stew in the interest of the Solomon Islanders. - -The discharging of cargo was progressing satisfactorily, since we now -had the deck load off, and were commencing on the hold. In a few days I -had hopes of clearing from Suva and starting on our long voyage home. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -FIJI ROYALTY--LOCAL COLOR--VISITORS TO THE SHIP - - -Today I met the royal family of the Fiji Islands. The King, although -old, was a very impressive figure, with his long white kinky hair and -massive bushy eyebrows. His color was that of a mulatto, a higher type -than that of the native Fijians. He wore a loose white tunic cut off at -the elbows, and girdled around him was what looked like a homespun -sheet. This garment was twisted and tucked tight around the hips, the -lower folds falling loosely above the knee; the legs were muscular and -strong, and the calves bulged out as if inflated with air. The feet were -ugly, long and broad, and the toes resembled those of a starfish. No -matter what the angle from which one viewed them, there would always be -a toe pointing towards one. - -The two princesses were gaily attired in blue checked Mother Hubbards. -This long and flowing garment made them look like our North American -squaws. In features they resembled the Samoan type of women. - -The Prince, of stately bearing, wore a costume similar to that of his -royal father, but his most distinguishing characteristic was the number -twelve boots he wore. He seemed particularly interested in those massive -hides, as he told me how he came to be their proud possessor. There was -no last large enough on the island, and again there was a shortage of -leather, so it came to pass that some local astronomer measured the -altitude of his Highness' feet, and this measure, sealed in a conch -shell, was cast adrift and floated away to an Australian port, where it -finally drifted into the hands of one of Dickens' migrating cobblers, -who filled the order and waxed them together. - -While discussing with the King the starry banner as it floated from the -mast head of the "Wampa," my attention was attracted to the silent and -lonesome figure of a man, descending the hill beyond the town. As this -melancholy figure wended its way among the palms, I could make out the -pea jacket and cheese-cutter cap of Captain Kane. As he approached he -wore a troubled and anxious look as if in fear, but when he recognized -the royal family, his expression gave way to a more pleasing one. He -spat out a large chew of tobacco, and slapping the King on the shoulder, -"How in Hell did you know the missionary ship was in?" - -"Oh," replied the King, "we see flag on hill." - -Captain Kane explained to me that when a missionary ship puts in to Suva -they raise a flag on one of the largest hills back of the town. That -signals to the natives for miles around that there are big doings in -Suva. Captain Kane and the royal family evidently did not have much in -common, for he grabbed me by the arm and led the way to the Pier Hotel, -leaving the royal family gazing and wondering if they could not have -made a better bargain with the Stars and Stripes than with the Union -Jack of old England. - -At the Pier Hotel, Mrs. Fagan greeted us with a smile. As she passed the -Old Tom to Captain Kane she remarked, "Sure'n me eyes haven't rested -upon you for days, Captain Kane. 'Tis sick I thought you were." Here she -gave me a roguish wink. - -Before replying, Captain Kane filled his bumper, leaving very little -room for the soda, and took a step toward the door to see if the coast -were clear. Satisfied that everything was in his favor, he reached for -the glass of Old Tom, and with one gulp and a gurgling sound as if -running over pebbles, the Old Tom disappeared to its last resting place. -He pulled out a much worn bandana handkerchief, and wiping his mouth and -beard he said to Mrs. Fagan, "No, I have not been sick, I have been a -very busy man of late. But if this incessant singing and praying keeps -up I am pretty damned sure I will get sick." Mrs. Fagan interrupted, -saying: "Captain, how long are the missionaries going to remain?" "They -will stay here until they have every one of us converted again," moaned -the Captain. - -Mrs. Fagan adjusted a large tortoise-shell comb in her hair, and -straightening out her hand-embroidered flounces in her white dress, -remarked, "Shur'n it's poor business we do be having when the missionary -ship comes in." - -"Mrs. Fagan," said I, "give us another drink. And won't you join us?" - -"Ah, and it's seldom I ever touch it, but I will take a little drop of -Burke's Irish just to be sociable with you." - -After Captain Kane had three bumpers of Old Tom the world had a -different aspect for him; even the old gray-haired missionaries weren't -so bad after all. They had to make a living like the rest of us. But at -times they were objectionable, especially when the gin was awash in the -bilges. - -On the way down to the wharf Captain Kane promised to take me for a -drive in the country, as he felt it would be a great relief to be away -at least one day from the missionaries. While pulling off to the -"Wampa," I was amused, as a canoe glided past me, to see a native make -use of his breech-cloth for a sail. He unwound about two yards of cloth -from around his waist and fastened it to two bamboo poles that were -about three feet apart. After tying this calico wrapping at the top and -bottom of the poles he had a square sail. The square sail with a fair -wind made it easy for the native; he leaned back on his steering oar, -evidently well pleased with such favorable conditions. - -When I came alongside, I noticed that the crew looked me over very -critically, as if wondering why I stayed away so long. As it was now -one hour past grog time they wore anxious looks. A growl here and a -grunt there were all that greeted me. But after each getting a jolt of -Scotch, their expressions changed to a smacking of lips, and a heave-aho -on the six-by-sixes. - -After supper the missionary boat came alongside, and two elderly women -came aboard and asked if there were any Christians among the crew. I -informed these sanctified-looking ladies that I had my "doots," but -would be pleased to escort them to the crew's quarters where they could -make their own diagnosis. I left them to go down the scuttle hatch -leading to the forecastle and beat a hasty retreat to the cabin, fearing -that I might have to share some of Captain Kane's misery. - -While entering in the log book the events and progress of the day, I -realized from the sounds coming from the fore part of the ship, that the -old ladies were making some headway with the crew. As the sound took -volume, I could hear them singing, "Pull for the shore, sailors, pull -for the shore, heed not the tempest's roar but bend to the oar." - -The cook, putting away his clean dishes, said, "What in Hell has got -into those fellows this evening?" - -I told him that they were having a very sociable visit from the ladies -who ran the missionary ship, and that no doubt they would be pleased to -pay him a friendly visit. The cook threw the dishes to the pantry shelf, -and slamming the pantry door exclaimed, "Keep them away from me; I'm in -no mood to discuss religious philosophy tonight." - -After giving each member of the crew a small Bible, and praying for our -souls in the safe passage home, the old missionary women shoved off for -the shore, apparently not at all pleased with their evening's work. - -If they had brought about four quarts of Scotch whiskey on board they -would have had no trouble in converting the crew, for even the cook -could be reconciled to any form of religion, old or new, as long as the -Scotch flowed freely. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -A DRIVE WITH CAPTAIN KANE--RAZORBACK RAMPANT - - -The next day Captain Kane and I started for our drive into the island -with an old battered two-seated rig. The horse, though old in years, had -a look of being well taken care of, and was rather inclined to shy as he -gazed at an unfamiliar palm or cocoanut tree. I hesitatingly offered to -spell the Captain off, and asked him to let me drive awhile. He turned -on me very angrily and said, "There is no damned ship that ever sailed -the seas that required more careful steering than this horse does. One -has got to know just how much helm to give him. If you should put it -hard over and get him on the home tack all Hell couldn't stop him until -he reached the stable. Oh, I know him," continued the Captain, "he has a -mouth on him that will hold like the devil's claw on a windlass." - -As we drove through the rice fields, I noticed that Hindoos were doing -the work; here and there could be seen the lazy natives asleep under the -trees. "My object," said the Captain, as he coaxed the old horse past a -flying turban that seemed to be coming unfastened from its wearer, "my -object in taking you on this trip is to show you the result of a -hurricane that happened here twelve years ago. It will not be necessary -for me to discuss the velocity of the hurricane, you'll be able to judge -for yourself when we pass that village ahead. But," continued the -Captain, "for God's sake don't talk above a whisper while I steer -Timbuctoo" (for this was the horse's name) "through the palm village. -You can see by the action of his head that he is about to make heavy -weather of it." - -I must say that the old horse had taken a new lease of life; he did not -seem to be conscious of his cocked ankles or the spavins or other -conspicuous growths that covered his legs. With head erect, arched neck -and ears pitched forward, he was not at all particular about using his -front feet, but rather inclined to do the cake walk, and always waiting -a chance to turn and bolt for home. This was worrying the Captain, for -he said anxiously, "I have driven him many times, but never have I seen -him act like this. It's these hellish Fijian huts with their -palm-covered roofs that are getting on his nerves." - -Things were going along about as well as could be expected until we were -about at the center of the straggling village. Then it happened that -from out a palm-covered hut strolled a razorback hog, seemingly -unconcerned as to our presence and not inclined to observe the rules of -the road. The Captain smelled danger, as he warped an extra turn of the -lines around his hands, and remarked rather nervously, "There's going to -be Hell here in about a minute." - -Timbuctoo felt as uncomfortable as his driver; he too sensed the danger -of this razor-backed hog. Captain Kane relaxed his hold on the reins to -adjust his cheese-cutter cap to a more seaworthy position. While doing -so the hog stopped in front of Timbuctoo. All would even then have been -well had it not been for the curiosity of this hungry-looking razorback. -I suggested to the Captain that I get out and drive the hog away. "Hell -and damnation, no," roared the Captain, "keep your seat, I will pass -under his quarter." - -Timbuctoo veered to starboard under the steady hand of Captain Kane. -This move was in accordance with the rules of the road, but -unfortunately it proved fatal, for it exposed Timbuctoo's warty legs to -the hungry hog. He evidently thought that this was a new kind of crop -that did not require rooting, which, to judge from the two large rings -in his nose, was a lost art with him. - -Before the Captain could brace his clubby boots against the dash-board -the razor-backed hog reached out with his long mouth and took hold of -Timbuctoo's most conspicuous wart, which was dangling on the right hind -leg. When Timbuctoo felt this smarting insult he decided not to await -orders from his venerable driver. Grasping the bit in his mouth, he -started full speed ahead. "There he goes," roared the Captain, "and God -knows when he will stop." - -Dan Patch had nothing on Timbuctoo. The cocoanut trees looked like -telephone poles as one sees them while riding on the Twentieth Century -Limited. "I would not care a damn how far he would run," sang out the -Captain as if shouting to a man on the topsail yard in a gale of wind, -"if I had not promised to make a speech at the missionary meeting -tonight." - -"Let me try him, Captain?" said I. - -"You try him," said he, "what in Hell do you know about animals? There -is no living man could do anything with him now, he has too much damn -steam up, all we can do is to trust to luck and keep our helm in midship -and let him run before it." - -After running about two miles he seemed to realize that the Captain was -still with him and not, as he expected, back with the razor-backed hog. -Very much disappointed, he broke into a dog trot, much to the relief and -satisfaction of the Captain. As he withdrew his number tens, which had -perforated through the dash-board, he said, "Well, I have never come -through a storm and lost as little canvas as on this here passage." - -Timbuctoo had no desire to set the fisherman's staysails, he was content -to slow down to a walk. - -"Now," said the Captain, "let me get my bearings. Before we met the -razorback, I was going to show you the results of a hurricane as we -know them in the Fijis." - -After Captain Kane had read the various logarithms in regard to his -position, he decided that with the hypotenuse over the base the sine lay -ahead and after driving about one-half mile, we came to a large boulder -alongside the narrow road. "How much does that boulder weigh?" sniffed -the Captain. - -"Oh," said I, "about four tons." - -"Would you believe," said he, "that during the hurricane of twelve years -ago this boulder was carried a distance of three miles?" The Captain was -somewhat injured at my not showing more enthusiasm. I must say that the -boulder story was hard to absorb, although from its present position on -the surface of the ground it showed that it had been moved there -recently by some force other than the hand of man. - -Taking a chew of tobacco and damning Timbuctoo for daring to rub his -foaming mouth on his pea jacket, he said, "You may not believe that this -was moved by the hurricane. By God, I can prove it and prove it I will -when we reach Suva." Evidently he hoped to invoke the testimony of some -of the worthies who drink their Scotch to the lullaby of the sad sea -waves. On our way back to Suva I was impressed by the scenery of the -interior of the island, the rolling hills, the native timber resembling -California redwood in color, the tall cocoanut trees, the frequent smell -of the pineapple, an occasional glimpse of a date palm trying to rear -its head from amongst the tropical foliage, claiming a riparian right to -the native shrubbery. - -Timbuctoo, on the way back to Suva, was slipping it off as well as he -could after his recent flight. The razorback hog recalled early memories -to me of the country I knew when I was a boy. The rings in their noses -were no new things to me in that far-off country. The coming of the new -potato crop held much charm for the Irish hog, but unfortunately the -English landlord claimed a prior right in lieu of rent, and poor Barney -was subjected to the cruel and unmerciful treatment of having horseshoe -nails twisted in his nose. - -The Captain was in a rather sullen mood as we drove back. Having had -nothing to drink but the milk from the cocoanut, he exclaimed: - -"Why in Hell don't some one start a half-way house out here for the -benefit of those who admire and travel these islands?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -HOMEWARD BOUND--THE STOWAWAY - - -Having cleared the English customs and with a clean bill of health, we -were ready to sail. The pilot was on board and his boat's crew had a -line fast through the stern chalk so that we could tow them with us -clear of the channel reef. Once clear of the reef all that remained to -do was to haul the pilot boat alongside and have this servant of His -Majesty climb down the Jacob's ladder and into the boat which would bear -him away to the spot where the sound of the surf merged into the music -of the clinking glass. - -While giving orders to rig out slip lines for him I heard a familiar -voice on the wharf sing out "Bon voyage, bon voyage." I looked up to see -the portly figure of Captain Kane. He looked as if he had slept in his -clothes. His pea jacket had many wrinkles in the back and in front it -was inclined to roll up toward his chin. I jumped ashore to say -good-bye to this kind, if groggy old sea dog, shook him by the hand, and -thanked him for my trip to the interior of the island, saying that I -hoped to see him again. - -"You know," he said, "I am getting old, but the smell of the Stockholm -tar, the white flowing sails, the squeaking blocks, the clink of the -capstan, bring back memories of long ago, and, damn it all, it makes me -young again." - -Captain Kane laid great stress on the hurricane season, as January, -February and March were the months to be dreaded in the South Seas. -After seeing the boulder that had been hurled by the last hurricane on -these islands, I was hoping that I should be well enough to the -northward, so that if one should come I would be out of the storm -center, and therefore out of danger. The pilot was nervously pacing up -and down the main deck anxious to get me away from the wharf and out to -sea. Possibly a game of chess had been left unfinished. I jumped aboard -and ordered the foresail and main jib set. With this done and the slip -lines hauled aboard, the "Wampa" glided away from the wharf as if -propelled by steam. - -With the aftersails spread and set to the southeast trades, and sheets -trimmed to the wind, we were not long in clearing the channel reef and -getting out into open water. After the pilot left I ordered the topsails -set. The breeze was fair, and I was anxious to clear Bangor Island and -get to the westward of it before darkness set in. - -The crew looked happy even after their night's debauch, some were -whistling, others humming familiar ditties. Riley could be heard singing -"Rolling Home Across the Sea" from his position on the foretopmast, as -he changed the topsail to windward, a job which is usually done with -very little sentiment of home or any other place. - -Distance was shutting out the tall green palms around Suva, and the town -itself was just a speck on the horizon. Taking careful cross-bearings of -Bangor Island, so as to avoid the dangers and submerged coral reefs that -project from it, I ordered the staysails set to increase our speed so -that with darkness I would be well to the westward. - -Our staysails were put away and stowed in the fore peak when we came -into port. The second mate went forward to get them up, and Swanson -went down to bend a line around them before hauling them on deck. He had -been down in the fore peak only a minute before he came up the ladder -running very excitedly and saying that there was a dead man lying on the -staysails. The crew, much upset by this remark, slunk away from the fore -peak hatch as if deadly fumes were coming from within, so I got a -lantern and went down to see the supposed dead man. I was confronted by -a Hindoo stowaway. - -He was so weak from the heat of the fore peak and thirst that he seemed -to have little life left in him. I called up to the deck above for a -couple of men to come down and give me a hand to carry him. Old Charlie -and Riley cautiously felt their way down, Riley giving orders to the -crew above not to stand too close to the small hatch, as it might be -necessary for him to ascend with all possible speed and he did not care -to have any obstruction to his flight. Old Charlie approached with his -usual forebodings. The finding of the dead Hindoo, in his estimation, -meant nothing less than doom and destruction to all on board. - -Riley was more cheerful when he found that there was little chance of -physical danger from the supposed dead man. Bending the rope around him -and carrying him to the mouth of the hatch, I shouted to the crew on -deck to haul away very gently. We steered him up the hatch and landed -him on deck without any serious bumps. The cool breeze restored him, and -when we forced some water down his throat he began to show signs of -life. - -I went aft to get a glass of Scotch whiskey, knowing that this would -stimulate the heart action. After taking a teaspoonful, his moaning -changed to some kind of Hindoo gibberish. This change seemed to amuse -the crew. They no longer looked gloomy and down in the mouth, but seemed -very willing to help him in his fight for life. As he lay there I was -seized with a very inhuman and selfish impulse. The night shades of the -tropical evening were becoming conspicuous in the western horizon, the -run on the log showed the "Wampa" sixteen miles to the southward and -westward of Suva harbor, with the southeast point of Bangor Island -bearing two points on the starboard bow. - -Should the Hindoo stowaway come back to life, it would be necessary to -tack ship and put back to Suva in order to put him ashore. - -U. S. alien laws are well known to sea-faring men. This stowaway had no -money, no position, and all that he had in the way of clothes was a thin -pair of pants. Should unfavorable conditions prevent my putting him -ashore, I would be forced to carry him to San Francisco. Once there I -knew what the immigration authorities would do to me or to the owners. -More than likely I should have to pay his passage back by steamboat to -the Fiji Islands. With darkness approaching it was not my intention to -put back to Suva and run the risk of striking the reef at the entrance -of the harbor. For these reasons, I should much prefer a sea burial for -the Hindoo stowaway. - -While these hard and unsympathetic thoughts were passing before the -visible horizon of my mind, I was nevertheless attracted by his delicate -and artistic form. The long and straight black hair, the finely molded -ears, the aquiline nose, the perfect profile, the well-rounded chin, the -sensual mouth with its uniform white teeth were truly oriental of high -caste. An unusual type for a Fijian contract laborer. - -I was deeply impressed with his boyish figure as he lay struggling for -breath on the deck. Suddenly I was seized with an impulse of sympathy -for this frail-looking creature. Grasping the bottle of Scotch I pressed -it to his lips and poured some down his throat. This act caused him to -strangle. After fighting for breath he opened his eyes and sat up -against the hatch combings. - -His eyes were bright and fiery and seemed to penetrate through one like -an X-ray. They took in the situation at a glance. He realized that he -was out at sea. His gaze alternated from the flowing sail to the members -of the crew. His eye finally rested on Swanson, he being the most -brutish looking sailor of those who were standing around, and therefore -the most to be feared. I spoke to the Hindoo and said, "How long have -you been on board?" - -"Oh," said he, "I have been down there," pointing to the fore peak, "for -three days." He spoke English without an accent. Then he told how he had -swam off to the ship, while we were still lying at anchor, and said -that he had no idea that we would have been delayed so long before -putting to sea. - -I then told him that it would be impossible to carry him to the United -States of America. Although weak from heat and hunger, he staggered to -his feet and kissed my hand, crying, "Oh, please, Captain, take me along -with you. I cannot live there under these horrible conditions, working -for sixpence a day with nothing to eat but curry and rice. I will work -for you, I will do anything, only take me away from here." - -I deeply resented my previous thought of disposing of this intelligent -Hindoo. The picture this outcast made standing there trembling, with -tears streaming down his boyish face, pleading as though his heart would -break, was getting the best of me. Very few men of the sea can stand -tears and emotion. Although hardened by years of kicks and knocks, the -old-time sailor would much prefer a knock-down and drag-out to any signs -of agitation. Many of the crew themselves consciously looked to windward -and wiped away a rusty tear. - -While the Hindoo was still pleading, Swanson stepped up to me and -between sobs said, "I wish you would take him along, sir, I have no one -in the world to care for, and I can easily spare the forty dollars that -you say will be necessary for him to enter the United States." With this -offer coming from a man like Swanson, I was as much overcome as the -Hindoo was, in his pleading for liberty to be taken away from the low -and dirty castes of Bombay and Calcutta which furnish labor for the Fiji -Islands. He thanked Swanson by gracefully bowing and said, turning to -me, "I am sure you can make some use of me on your voyage home." This -statement proved true, for had it not been for the stowaway, this -narrative would never have been written. - -The Socialist cook was standing with his back up against the galley, -deeply impressed with this new possibility. From the way he ran to make -milk toast for the Hindoo, one would think that at last he had -discovered a new clay to mold and construct and pattern after his own -impressions. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI - -THE MYSTERIOUS HINDOO - - -With the Hindoo question solved and the fisherman's staysails set, Suva -was lost in the distance and remained but a memory. By the time the -studded diamonds in their azure setting were twinkling in all the -splendor of a Southern sky, we were well to the westward of Bangor -Island. We had nothing to fear from coral reefs until we neared the -Gilbert group, which lay east of the 180th meridian and north and south -of the Equator. - -After the Hindoo had eaten the milk toast and found that he was in the -midst of friends, sailing away to a country where opportunity knocks on -the door of hovels, he no longer looked the slave to his master. He -refused to bunk in the forecastle, preferring to sleep under the -forecastle head. The tropical nights were warm, and for the time being -this was a comfortable part of the ship in which to sleep. The crew -were kind enough to furnish blankets for him, in fact, were willing to -give him anything they had, for they considered him an unusual guest. - -At ten o'clock I turned in and left orders with the second mate to call -me at midnight. By that time I knew that if we held our present rate of -eleven knots per hour, we should be far enough to the westward to change -the course, and haul her more northerly. Coming on deck at eight bells -and getting the distance run on the log, I went back to my room to -measure the distance on the chart before changing the course. I decided -to run one more hour before changing to the northward. - -Old Charlie was at the wheel, and it seemed from the way he was clearing -his throat that he was anxious for a chat. But discipline forbade. I -walked forward to look at the sails, and see if they needed sweating up. -While looking around I ran into Riley, who as usual was smoking his clay -pipe, with its black bowl and short stem. It was strong enough of -nicotine to drive a wharf-rat to suicide. - -"Riley," said I, "no doubt you are happy that we are on the last leg of -our voyage." - -Before answering he gave a few heavy puffs on the old dudeen to insure -its not going out. While he was doing this I immediately changed for a -new position to windward, for to be caught to leeward of these deadly -fumes was to share the fate of the wharf-rat. - -"Well," said Riley, "I am, and I am not." - -"Come," I replied, "what is it that troubles you?" Thinking that I had -found the source of his discontent, I added,--"Surely, you can't expect -me to feed you on Scotch whiskey all the passage home? What little there -is on board must be kept for medicine. Just think what might have -happened to the poor Hindoo had I not had a little Scotch left on -board." - -At the mention of the Hindoo's name Riley stepped up close to me, -saying, "Whisht, and it is that what is troubling me, it is that damned -coolie," and he pointed to the forecastle. - -"Surely," I protested, "you are not afraid of that poor weak creature." - -Riley fastened down the tin cover to his pipe so as to secure the -remains of the tobacco for future use. Economy of tobacco is strictly -observed on long voyages. Even the ashes have an intrinsic value among -sailors, like the kindling wood of a coal stove. Tucking the pipe away -in the folds of his breeches, he said: - -"Ho, ho, and it is afraid you would have me! Shure'n I am afraid of -nothing in the say, and I will be damned if I will be afraid of anything -on top of it." - -"Well, what about the Hindoo, what harm can he do to you?" - -"Oh, it's the divil a bit he will be doing me. It's his snaky movements -and his ferret eyes that is getting on me nerves. During the dog-watch," -continued Riley, "we fixed a place under the foc's'le head for the -coolie, giving him what blankets we could spare. At eight o'clock our -watch below turned in. Says I to Dago Joe, 'Turn down the glim.' 'I will -blow it out,' says he. 'Not by a damn sight,' says I. 'Shur'n we are -liable to scrape our bottom on an auld coral reef around here, and it -isn't Mike Riley that is going to get caught like a rat in a trap.' The -Dago is a reasonable man to talk to, and with that he turns the light -very low. About eleven o'clock I woke up along the hearing Broken-Nosed -Pete snoring. After throwing me auld shoe at him, I rolled over with me -face to the scuttle hatch, to get meself another nap before eight bells, -when I see the Hindoo standing there at the bottom of the ladder. I -rubbed me eye to make sure it wasn't desayving me. Pulling meself -together, I says to meself, says I, 'Whativer he is, he is there for no -good purpose.' Begob, the strangest thing about the coolie was that he -did not move a muscle, but stood there like a statue, staring straight -into me eye. - -"I shouted to the Dago to turn up the light, which is within easy reach -of him. Says I, 'Things are not as they should be down here.' With me -eye still on the Hindoo, Dago Joe turned up the light. I declare to me -Maker when the light was turned up the Hindoo had disappeared. - -"'That's damned strange,' says I to Dago Joe. 'Be Hivens he was standing -there not a minute ago,' and when I comes up on deck at eight bells I -looked under the foc's'le head and there he is, fast asleep. So I lights -me poipe, and takes a look over the sea to leeward of the foresail, to -see if we are still in sight of land. While I am standing there humming -a bit av an auld ditty, all of a sudden I felt meself in the presence -of something uncanny, and turning around quick-like, there stood the -coolie. Ses I to him, ses I: - -"'What are you up to, me boy?' - -"'Oh,' says the coolie, 'the wash on the prow is disturbing to my -peaceful slumbers. I should much prefer being crooned to sleep by the -waving branches of a Himalayan evergreen.' - -"Ses I, 'Me coolie friend, no more of your palavering. Back to bed with -you, and stay there.' I looked at him again, and, shure, Howly St. -Patrick, he disappears like he did in the foc's'le." - -"Where is he now, Riley?" - -"Begobs, and I don't know, sir." - -I went forward to see the strange visitor who seemed to be causing Riley -so much misery. There, under the forecastle head, the Hindoo lay, -wrapped in his blankets, sound asleep. - -"Riley," said I, "you drank too much Scotch last night; be careful that -you don't get the Jimmies and jump overboard. If you feel yourself -slipping just tie a gasket around you. We need you to work ship on the -voyage home." - -These insults were too much for Riley. He slunk away to the lookout -where Broken-Nosed Pete would lend a willing ear to his story of the -Hindoo and his abuse of me. - -At one o'clock, feeling sure of the reefs, I changed the course to N. N. -W. - -The next morning the Hindoo was eating his breakfast off the forehatch -and looking much better than he had on the preceding evening. He rose -and thanked me kindly for the interest we had taken in him, saying: - -"I feel the pleasure of liberty after my prison term, among those -terrible people. As for last night, I was quite comfortable. I can -easily adapt myself to the new environment. But although I could not -quite understand what the one-eyed man meant when he bent over me in the -night, exclaiming, 'There he is, and the divil a move out of him,' I -feel nevertheless, that I am in the midst of friends, and I shall do my -best to entertain their friendship." - -These quaint expressions were pleasing to me, and I continued the -conversation. He said that he had had no sea experience. That while -going from Bombay to the Fiji Islands he was battened down in the hold -with the rest of the coolie labor, and only allowed to walk the deck a -short time in the evenings. He was anxious to work and help in any way -that he could. The second mate put him to work scrubbing paint-work. -There is always plenty of this kind of work to be done on every ship. -The Hindoo went to work with a will, as if glad to have the opportunity. - -For the next four days the southeast trades held fair, until we were -well to the northward of the Fiji group. I was hoping to get east of the -180th meridian before crossing the Equator, This would give me a better -slant before I struck the northeast trades. Then in latitude about 30 deg. -north we would encounter the westerly winds, which would be fair for the -Pacific coast. - -I was well pleased with the progress we had made since we left Suva, and -I anticipated making a sailing record from the Fijis to San Francisco. - -Events had favored us since our departure. The crew were willing and the -good ship herself seemed to feel that she was homeward bound. But our -outward peace was somewhat broken by the sudden and mysterious illness -of the Hindoo, who, after the second day out from Suva refused to eat, -complaining of a headache, and later remaining for hours in what -appeared to be almost a state of coma. - -I was worried by this new disease, and hoped that it would not prove to -be contagious. As a precautionary measure, I removed the Hindoo aft to -the deceased Captain's cabin. For two days it was with a great effort -that he was even aroused to drink a cup of bouillon. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII - -THE HURRICANE - - -At two o'clock in the morning of our fifth day from Suva, I was awakened -by hearing the booms and gaffs swinging as if in a calm. I thought this -very strange, as the southeast trades should have held until we were -well across the Equator. Rushing up on deck, I was indeed surprised to -find the sails hanging in midships, and not a breath from any quarter of -the compass. - -I ordered the staysails down and the topsails clewed up and made fast, -also the flying-jib and outer jib. (These lighter sails in a calm -usually flop to pieces, especially where there is a rolling swell.) Away -to the eastward I noticed a heavy bank of clouds, but considered this of -minor importance, as we were nearing the Equator. It usually means heavy -rain, but seldom wind. - -Yet this morning there was something out of the ordinary, because of the -long swell coming from the northeast, and the sickly and suffocating -atmosphere. The unusual stillness was intensified by the murmuring and -talking of the crew. The men who were making fast the headsails on the -flying jibboom could be heard plainly from the poop deck, growling and -swearing as they passed the gaskets around the sails. Such was the -funereal quietness of the morning that even the stars were hidden in -halos of a yellowish color. - -Giving instructions to haul in the log line, I went below to look at the -barometer. I was surprised to find it falling. I next consulted a -Pacific directory, and found that these unusual conditions preceded a -hurricane. This information upset me greatly. I had never experienced a -hurricane, but well knew that their force and destructive power was very -great. - -Before going on deck again, I looked in on the Hindoo in the Captain's -room. As usual, he was in a stupor, and looked as if he had not moved -since being fed the preceding evening. I did notice from the heaving of -the skeleton-like breast, that the breathing was regular, and not -intermittent as it had been on the preceding evening. - -On deck, I had all the reef-earrings brought up from the lazarette, and -got everything in readiness for any emergency. - -I was well to the westward of the Gilbert group, but still to the -eastward of the 180th Meridian. Should the hurricane come out of the -east, I could heave to and ride it out without any danger of fetching up -on one of the Gilbert Islands. - -In the cabin the barometer was falling so fast that it now showed -hurricane weather. I knew that it was only a question of a few hours -before we should feel its fury. My experience was limited in the laws of -storms. If we were in the storm center it would be necessary to put her -into the port tack. By doing this I should be forced south, and back -onto the northern isles of the Fiji group, while on a starboard tack I -should be driven onto a lee shore of the Gilbert Islands. Either course -meant destruction. - -With daylight and hot coffee this gloomy situation assumed a more -cheerful aspect. While the old sailor has the light of day to guide him -over storm-tossed decks, he becomes more tolerant of ship and crew. - -At half-past five the white caps could be seen coming from the -northeast, and before we got the spanker down the gale struck us, about -six points on the starboard bow. The old ship reeled to leeward, with -the lee rail under water. The decks were almost perpendicular. It seemed -that no power on earth could right her to an even keel again. There were -two men at the wheel, trying to keep her off before the gale, but it was -of no avail, for she refused to answer her helm, and lay throbbing as if -undecided whether to seek a watery grave, or to continue her fight for -victory. - -Swanson, by a heroic effort, cut the fore and main sheet, and then let -go by the run. The tense situation was relieved as the booms flew -seaward over the lee rail. We then kept her off before the gale with the -wind on the starboard quarter, immediately setting to work to reef the -fore and main sail. - -By nine o'clock, three hours and a half later, it was no longer a gale, -but a hurricane. With three reefs in the foresail and a goose-wing -spanker, we ran before it. It was too late to heave to. With such a -tremendous sea running it would mean destruction to ship and crew to -try the latter move. As it was, the ship was awash fore and aft from -seas breaking over her. Should the hurricane hold out for ten or twelve -hours more with our present rate of speed we should be dashed to pieces -against one of the Gilbert group. - -At four bells the velocity of the hurricane was so great that one was in -danger of being blown off the schooner. We rigged life-lines on the fore -and main decks, also on the poop deck, and by their help the crew -managed to keep from being washed or blown overboard. The sea looked -like an immense waterfall, one enormous roaring mass of foam. -Occasionally from out of this terrible cataract a Himalayan sea would -gain in momentum and dash itself against our starboard quarter, -submerging the vessel. At such times all that would be identifiable of -the "Wampa" would be her rocking spiral masts. - -Like a struggling giant she would raise her noble head and shake herself -clear of this octopus, shivering, but never spent. - -About noon the hurricane jumped suddenly from the northeast to east -southeast, without losing any of its velocity. In order to keep running -before it, and keep the wind on our starboard quarter we hauled more to -the northward and westward, although to do this it was necessary to -drive into a beam sea, which made it all the more dangerous. Also the -sea was driving from the east southeast and this formed a cross sea. - -When these two seas came together, the "Wampa" would rise and poise on -them as if on a pivot. In this position, and with the gale blowing on -the starboard quarter, her head would be thrown into the beam sea. It -looked as if we could not survive. There was constant danger of our -being broken up into small pieces. We dropped the peak of the spanker -that formed the goose-wing sail, put it into gaskets, and ran with a -three-reefed foresail. - -We then put the oil-bags over the stern in the hope of quieting these -angry seas. But this was useless. While we were fastening the lines that -held the oil-bags in the water, a crushing comber came whistling along -and filled our stanch little ship again from stem to stern. When she -shook herself clear of the boiling foam I noticed that our oil-bags -were gone, and with them the Captain's boat which hung from davits over -the stern. - -Old Charlie and Dago Joe were steering. Old Charlie had a faraway look -in his watery eyes as he spoke and said: - -"I am afraid, sir, this will be my last trick at this wheel." - -I spoke harshly to this old sailor, saying, "To Hell with sentiment, -this is no place for it. Watch your steering and don't feel sorry for -yourself." Had I known what was so soon to happen I should not have so -upbraided this poor harmless old soul. I have often regretted it. - -Riley, who was taking no chances, was seemingly not all handicapped by -his one eye. Always alert and as agile as a tiger, he went about the -decks as if nothing were out of the ordinary, although to hear him -talking to himself one would think that he expected to be extinguished -by every sea that came. He had about twenty feet of manila rope tied -about his waist with the end held in his hand. When a sea would hit us -Riley would see it coming, and would pass the rope end around a -belaying-pin or anything that he thought would hold his weight. - -It was while she cleared herself from the sea that carried away the -Captain's boat that I found Riley twisted around the spanker sheet like -an eel. It took him some time to extricate himself, always watching the -progress of the stern sea, and not seeming to notice his number ten -brogans, which had woven themselves into the spanker-sheet falls. The -hurricane was raising havoc with Riley's mustache. Having blown all over -his face, it looked as if the only way to quiet it would be to put it -into a plaster of Paris cast. He finally pulled himself clear of the -sheet, exclaiming: - -"Be Hivins, and wasn't that a close call--" - -Just then Swanson came running aft and reported that the martingale guy -had carried away on the flying-jibboom. It was then that my heart sank -within me. I knew what to expect. Dismantled,--then to perish at sea! - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII - -THE MASTER RETURNS - - -The thought of our dead captain came to me, of what his will would have -been in this crisis of life and death, and I paused to wonder why he had -not rested until he was assured that I would not carry his precious -treasures back with me. Did he expect this situation, and doubt my -ability to cope with it? Action followed thought, and I ordered the -second mate and the crew forward to see what could be done with the -martingale guy. - -Still the humor of the moment appealed to me. As Riley left the poop he -shouted, "Be the Holy St. Patrick, it has blown the buttons off me -oilskin coat." There was no question about its blowing, but it was also -possible that his snakelike position on the spanker-sheet had something -to do with the lost buttons. - -It was now past noon. None of the crew cared to eat, preferring the -wave-swept deck to anything the cook had to offer. The murderer who -pays for his crime on the gallows and enjoys his ham and eggs on the -morn of execution may be happy indeed, but this does not apply to the -sailor. When there is a life and death battle on with the elements, he -is there to grab the one last chance if there be one. If not, he prefers -a watery grave to claim him with his stomach empty. - -The seas kept coming larger, and every time one would break and spend -itself on the decks I thought it would be the last, and that she could -not arise. But she shook herself clear as she climbed the waves; then -again the sea, and again the dread. - -I could not leave the poop nor the two men at the wheel. A wrong turn at -this howling, raging time, would mean quick despatch to the land of no -awakening. Sometimes even the helmsmen grew afraid, but a word of -encouragement sufficed to quiet them. - -While I was standing to windward of the men at the wheel, watching her -every move as she was pitched hither and thither on this crazy spiral -sea, she shipped a green sea that shook her from stem to stern. It was -with great difficulty that she raised her black hull to the raging storm -again. I shouted to the men at the wheel. It was too late. She had -broached to with the stern sea on the beam, and the beam sea right -ahead. - -Then the beam sea submerged her, and by it I was carried across the poop -deck, and found myself held under the wheel-box, with both legs pinned -in a vise-like grip by the tiller, which extended forward of the -rudder-head. Although dazed and strangled by the terrible impact of the -water, I managed to twist the upper part of my body towards the wheel -and to murmur, "For God's sake keep her off." - -My weakened voice was lost in the tempest. There were no ears to hear my -pleadings. The men at the wheel were gone. Gone, indeed, to a watery -grave, and perhaps the others also. With me it would not take long. Just -another raking like the last one, and then the finish. Again the cook's -words echoed louder than the raging storm, "Do we finish here?" - -As I lay there pinned to the deck, too helpless to even call aloud, and -as it seemed waiting, waiting, for the executioner to spring the deadly -trap, I was conscious that the door of the companion-way had closed with -a bang so terrific that it sounded above the storm. I twisted my head -and shoulders around to see if I dared to hope. There before me stood -the Hindoo stowaway. He did not notice me lying there pinned under the -wheel-box, nor could I manage to attract his attention. - -With opal eyes glowing green and fiery red, he sprang to the wheel, and -with magnificent strength pulled on the spokes till they screeched -louder than the storm as they were dislodged from their oxidized -fittings. Harder and harder he pulled on the wheel. He didn't even -notice the seas breaking over him. The mysterious thing about him was -that he seemed to know what he was doing. He was keeping her off before -it. - -In doing this he removed the tiller from my legs. At last I was free. As -I struggled and crawled to the weather-rail for support, the Hindoo -shouted in clear and ringing tones, in true seamanlike fashion, looking -neither to the right nor left, but straight ahead, as if staring into a -land-locked harbor. He repeated his order for the second time in a high -tenor voice: - -"Get an axe out of the donkey-room and cut away the lee martingale guy. -Your flying-jibboom is gone overboard and is still held by the lee guy. -It is plowing a hole in the port bow." - -I knew but one law. The law of self-preservation. My arms were locked -tight around the stanchion that supported the weather-rail. That quick -command of the Hindoo brought me sharply to the realization that I was -not yet given that quick despatch to the land of nowhere, but was still -in the flesh, and very much alive. My first rational thought was, "What -in Hell is the Hindoo doing at the wheel?" My pride as a sailor resented -the affront put upon my ability as a sailor by a stowaway who was daring -to assume the command of my ship, and daring to issue orders to me. - -Letting go my hold on the stanchion, I cautiously made for the Hindoo -helmsman. While in the act, she shipped another drencher. I was carried -off my feet and washed away to the lee scuppers. But I managed, by some -interposition of Divine Providence, to fasten my arms around the -mooring-bitt, thus saving myself from an angry and cruel sea, which -seemed to delight in playing with me as a cat does with a mouse, only to -swallow me up in its fathomless depths. - -Once again she wrenched herself free of the mad swirl and her stern went -down until we were in a valley between mountains of water. I realized as -I looked up at the bows which seemed to be towering above me, that the -flying-jibboom, like a clipped wing, was missing. Like a flash I -wondered how the Hindoo knew that the jibboom was gone. - -As her stern ascended high into the air, I jumped for the wheel and with -an exclamation of joy I shouted, "God in Heaven, the Captain!" - -There he stood beside the Hindoo. The dead Captain. The same heavy -mustache covered the lower lip. The same fiery eyes that knew no defeat. -He was looking straight ahead with muscle-set jaws. He appeared as if in -the flesh and ready as of yore to battle with the elements. - -Then, like a flash, he vanished, and the Hindoo stood alone, pulling and -tugging on the wheel with his supple arms. - -He spoke, and his usually high-pitched tenor voice rang out piercingly -clear. "Cut away your jibboom, you have no time to lose. Have no fear." - -I knew that her former Captain was in command of the ship, and that his -masterly seamanship wrought through the Hindoo. I crept forward with new -courage to do his bidding. - -Huddled together beneath the forecastle-head stood what remained of the -crew, who seemed not to know that two of their number were gone. The -second mate was praying, and helpless from fear to be of any use in -handling the schooner. Riley had his three-inch sailor's rope fast to -the windlass with one extra turn around his body. He was taking no -chances. Swanson was the only one without fear. When I called for a -volunteer to cut away the flying jibboom he made for the axe and rushed -onto the sea-swept forecastle-head. As the schooner arose high in the -air, he swung over the lee bow and with one stroke of the axe cut away -the hemp lanyard that was holding the massive spar from its freedom. - -For five hours more we battled with the hurricane. The foretopmast went -overboard, and all our boats were smashed into firewood. The lee -bulwarks, between the mizzen and mainmast, were washed away, and still -the Hindoo held the wheel and issued his orders. Many times I offered to -take the wheel, and ordered him to go below. He would wave me away with -his hand, saying: - -"Not yet,--soon, soon." - -About six o'clock, twelve hours and a half after the hurricane struck -us, the wind let up some. We then went to work with a will to patch up -what was left of the "Wampa," and for the first time since half-past -five o'clock that morning, we realized how hungry we were. It was while -giving orders to the cook that I looked towards the wheel and saw that -the Hindoo was missing. - -Calling Swanson to take the wheel as I ran, I rushed to find him. There -by the wheel he lay, where he had fallen, limp as a rag,--unconscious. -Gathering him easily into my arms, I carried him to the Captain's room, -laying him in the bunk as carefully as if he were a babe newborn. For -two hours we worked over him, the crew unchidden tiptoeing back and -forth in clumsy ministrations, the Socialist cook refusing to leave -him. As he finally came back to earth from those astral regions he so -easily frequented, a sigh of relief, almost hysterical, went up from the -whole ship. Surely there had been enough of tragedy! - -Along about eight o'clock the wind fell very light. As there was still a -heavy swell running, it would be dangerous to put sail on her for she -would shake it into threads. - -While walking up and down the poop deck I could hear Riley and the cook -working over the stowaway. My thoughts turned to old Charlie and to Dago -Joe, who were sleeping their last sleep out there at sea. Had it not -been for Him, for Him who had loved his ship, we would all have shared -the same merciless fate. What might have happened had I followed my -first impulse to cast the Hindoo overboard? - -The cook came running up the companion-way very much excited, and said -"Come down quick, the Hindoo is showing signs of life." In the Captain's -room, under the sickly and only lamp, the frail body was moving from -side to side, sometimes making a feeble effort to sit up, often -swinging his arms as if to ward off some impending danger. Then he asked -for a drink of water and gradually became rational. - -When I told him what a wonderful service he had performed, he smiled and -said, "Surely you can't mean me." I insisted, telling him in detail how, -when two men had been washed overboard, he had seized the wheel and -saved the ship. "You must be mistaken," he protested, "I have not been -on deck, and I cannot steer, I know nothing whatever about a ship as a -sailor. But I have just awakened from a dream that was worse than your -Christian Hell." - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX - -THE HOME PORT - - -"The wind is from the south-southeast, sir," sang out Swanson from the -wheel. Riley gave voice to my impulse when he said, "Thank God, it is -the southeast trades again, sir." - -The days that followed brought us fine weather and a gentle breeze. We -were fortunate enough to escape the doldrums. The southeast trades -carried us into the northeast trade winds. In latitude 30 deg. north we -struck the westerly winds that blow fair for the Pacific coast of the U. -S. A. Fifty-six days from Suva we rounded Lime Point, sailed up Frisco -Bay, and dropped the hook off Goat Island. - -The owner welcomed me at his office, and was pleased indeed to know that -his favorite schooner was once again in her home port. - -Later, when we were towed alongside the wharf, the good ship "Wampa" was -the object of much speculation among the old hard-shelled water-front -men, not so much from her battered condition, although she was minus -port bulwarks, foretopmast and flying jibboom, as from some air of -mystery which in a conscious way seemed to emanate from the very hull of -her. Veterans of the deep who were in port loading new cargoes, would -come and go, walking in silence like pallbearers. - -Possibly this was due to the appearance of the Hindoo stowaway, or it -may have been that the occult voyage of the "Wampa" had been aired in -Rooney's Steam Beer Joint which was at the end of the wharf. Yet with -all this hushed solemnity, I do believe that it was I who most sincerely -mourned our Captain and the two honest, simple sailormen whose lives had -been so unprotestingly given to their duty. Many a voyage have I had -since then, but at no time have I ever felt at once so near to Humanity, -and to the Infinite. The Hindoo, who had picked up and grown fat on the -cook's pea-soup and salt-horse, went to a home which I found for him -with a hotel man, who advanced the entry-fee, and put him to work as a -porter. He saved his money and, after familiarizing himself with the -customs and conventions of the Western people, he moved north to the -State of Oregon, where he went into the real estate business, acquiring, -up to eight years ago, a goodly sum of money. - -The Socialist cook exchanged his greasy dungarees for a pair of -hand-me-down creaseless serge pants. With these and a much-worn -broadcloth coat that had long withstood gales from the critics of equal -distribution, he entered once more the harness of Socialism. With him he -took Toby, the black cat, to a life ashore. I believe, though, that his -voyage on the "Wampa" had changed his materialistic ideas. - -Riley swore that he had made his last trip on windjammers, but that -should necessity compel him to take again to the sea, he would sail in a -gentleman's yacht. There he would be sure of frequent home ports, each -with its black-eyed Susan reigning supreme. But conditions were not as -Riley had planned. The steam beer was as plentiful as ever, but the -dinero was running low, and he had to take the first thing that offered -that would reef and steer. Since then I have met him many times. - -Swanson, the most daring and best sailor of the "Wampa's" crew, went to -a navigation school in San Francisco. With his second mate's papers he -put off on a long Southern voyage, and after a few years he became -captain. - -For my services the owner of the "Wampa" promised me the command of a -vessel that was overdue from South America, and which was expected any -day. After two weeks had passed without news from the South American -wanderer, I headed North. The Yukon was calling for men of endurance and -men of red blood to come and uncover her hidden treasures. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FLYING BO'SUN*** - - -******* This file should be named 40572.txt or 40572.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/0/5/7/40572 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, -set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to -copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to -protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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