The Signal, 1906-6-28, Page 6.6 THURSDAY, Jona 28 1'4 6
(nip 1,• 1.111►►'1.1(11 ONTARIO
•
CAP'N ERI
By JOSEPH C. -LINCOLN
Ceerrlght, ISOs, by A. 5. Sarum ee Co.. Publishers, 151 fifth Avenue,
New York. All Rlabts Reserved
"Seth's a good mus,' was the equIvo-
Cal answer.
"A good man! He alu't auy better
mail then 1 aw. What's be know about
schools, or bow to ruu 'rue?"
"Well, be'r pretty popular. Folks
like him. See here, diul, what's this
'bout your turista' Hetsy Uodtrey off
ber place?"
"Who said I turned her off? Pre
bra .nrrylug tbat mortgage. for to
long It's gray beaded. I cosi be $0utu
Claus for the whole town. Bootees. is
bualu-4a, and I've got to look uut fur
Myself."
"Pe=ts.' i leucite that's so StilI, talks
talk, and Seller gut lute of triton's "
"Eel. 1 *lu't denying that you could
do a heap to hurt we If you Wanted to.
but 1 don't know why you should. 1'ce
•Tways beeu square with you, f:ar's I
know. What have you got egulust
"Oh. nutblu', uutbhi• Didn't i hear
you was tryiu' to get that Hernias
teacher to ruse down here and take
Carrie N Ixoii • place vitro rlw gut mar-
ried?"
"Well. I thought of her. Shea all
right, Isn't ah.•'•"
"Yet. 1 *lame air Is. 'Twollld be bet-
ter if she liked lu (Wham. maybe, and
I
"Mer Utt off the committee "
folia couldn't sur you went -wit of
town for • teacher when you ...wild
have hid our right from home. Then,
ober .orne relation of your cunriu. ain't
she? Coen'', that's all right, but -
well, you ' I.'t p:.y 011,1,11.11, 111 every -
Odin thut'r
"Could hate\gut lone right from
weWho'd! �wr get? 'ince El-
�df dge'i girl, 1 eiy q.uee. 1 heard ahe
wag after it." A
Th‘
1n a
little of
ever, to I
still the die
Solomon was
that friendnbi
'striking of uti
fresh cIgurw were
then the pair ruse
and entered the uu
eonversatl{pu that followed was
er tone, and 1:Elsle heard but
t. She heard t• •11, how-
fer that ('aptltln Eri was
terested fricut, aud that
very anxiousa u,tal1
.titer n wit le the
ula
h1ndl.ut.s that
b•Iug lighted, ,and
rout their eh. rs
otdee.
r.
Hangs was very gruelol , exceedingly
"Mss Preston," be 'a "Celia
edge tells me that It-er- Might lee
able fur ur--er--for the tow to se
en - er- to -'la short, fur us to have
you fur our tea,her In the ups Irs
rooIt alu't Iwe•rssnry for m. to 1
that r --a teacher trove Itud'•li
don't 'cue our way 'very ufb•u. told
that w -that Is, the town of url,•Lut,
would-- r-- feel itself lucky 1f you'd be
willing t conte."
"Of col e, I told him. Elate," nald
Captaln E , "that you woutclu t tlutk-
01 moan' r 545 dollars d mouth ur
anything like that. of course, 'lisu't as
though you really needed the place.
'I understood. I u &nitau.J " wild
the pumpuus cuwml .'ewru "I th,uk
that tau be arrung d I really' thins
ell-- M
Jss l're•
.•ton
that there anti any
3
rvesuu why you/caul consider tt set-
tled. Ahem!* i
Elate thou ed Mtn, trylug /l,rr best
mot to skull , std they were bowed out
y the gr t man, who, however. vaned
• .Y
to to
oue ride a whispered
Vud
•�
Y"
ea PrI/ to hiw fur a mumeut ur two.
Tit .word "5.111" lavas 00.011011e1 at
least ' ace.
"Wb Captain Erl!" exclalwpd Elsie
da they rove away-.
• The e.:1 tido grtuued. ."illdu't kuuw
1 was sac a heeler, did you'." ate said.
'Weil, I te yu.., If you're Maori' fur
vele there ail no line osis' a tnuuk'rtl
Jig Sol, he's little mit. vely, uud
you've got to ae the )clod of bait
that'll fetch that rt of critter."
"But 1 th
ould '
m•t aloe he would u d rate
whether he was on a school commit-
tee or Dot. It isn't ltucb an exulted
petition " \
e'aphelia Erl's answer was In the
form of • parable. "Old *ban Situp -
Mule that lived round here one time,"
he said, "war a mighty ha . ticket.
Drank rumtlty the hogshead, "ended
hie wife 1111 she left hitt, and was a
tough out glo'rally. Well, one a nln'
Labe was comfit' home pretty w
come-you•eo, and he fell Into Jonab
p'iton's well. Wonder he wa'n't kill."
but he wa'n't, and they fished him out
in a Itttte whlle. Ile said that was the
deepest well he ever saw; maid be be-
gun to think It reaehed clear through
to the bereafter, and wben be struck
tbe water he ware eerier' to find It
wa'n't bot. B. J'ined the church the
sett week, and somebody 'skeet him 1f
hit thought retitlein would keep him
fregn faille' Into any more wells. He
saw ne; skid he was tootle' out for
gwethin' fuftber on.
"Welt, that's the way 'tis with Sol,
tlebesl committee'e all right, but this
seethe of the Cape nominate.' • state
flee net year.
er• aetn't for to me Roth." be
S OW. '1 premtmed 1 would,,,,
and, be -
plat." with • wink, "1 thlat''twonld
bo honer to M 1t 'setas& ).etw•R715
,t�
and in,. 1 don't b'lieve : oI h -thaw : that
hr's Leen tiluklu' of ruu,.au' for tits
committee uud hue dr,Ided not to -
'1'be rrcuud member of the school
Ward. John Mullett, wt:s, Ku the cup•
Lila said, a curt of no tau" to Jlr.
Buugr uud would vute ur his frt.ud
directed. The third member War Mr.
Langworthy, the Baptist wlulster. aud,
though G to 1 War a clear majority,
Captain Er' asserted 'that there was
nothlug like u 11I.unilllunr cute. uud so
they de•Ided to .a11 upon the reverend
geutleluau.
They found bleu at loos', and Elsie
war surprised after the previous futer-
%III% to ere low -differently her ctunu-
pluu bundled the cure. There sou+ no
prellultuary parley uud uo b.•,tlut
about the bush. Mier J'restuu's .•10111.
lu the loon to be vucaut position was
'stated clearly uud with vigor. Moo
the reurous why she should receive a
higher salary thou had pre( lefts!) been
paid were set forth. it was -Something
of it surprise to Elsie. us It had lieu
to ltalyh. to ere bow highly the towns-
people that 1+, the respeoulde portion
of thew- seemed to value the upiuloia
of lids good uuturel but nnwineatel
arawuu. And yet when she couslderel
that *lie, toe, went to him for advies.
that she would not have asked of oth-
er azul far a learned u..p iaint:uu•ea
It did not N.en .at surprising after nal.
The clergyman had bud several can
didutrs in mind, but lie wan easily sou
over to Elsies side. And to, u+ Cap-
tain Eri said, the stump spe:lklug be-
ing over, there was nothing to do but
to waft for the ele•lion, and Elsie and
he ugreel to keep the affair tt ae•ret
until air ree'IVed formal notice of the
11pps/iutment. '1'lie Was undoubtedly a
gosh plan: but. unfortunately for Its
succeu, Solomon Bungs culled upon
Ids fellow 1n they committee, Mr. Mul-
lett, to inform *Pe latter that he, en-
tirely unaided. had discovered the very
ten.•her that Orhanl ned.sl in the ver-
min of John Baxter's granddaughter.
Sir. \1u!k•tt, living up Whim "nee too'
✓ eputation. Indorsed the sele.tiou with
ettlnrsl:a0111, and not only did that,
but also told every une he met, to that
l':y.taiii Perez heard of It at the poet-
unle.• the very 11.11 Afternoon.
The uatoral surprise of this gentle -
Ian :and of Captaln ,terry at their
gist's sudden determination was met
I., plausible. explanations from Cap -
tali lira to the effect that 1•:Isle Was •
*mar girl :and (Will
like to be "bang•
iu' rut (id loin' uothlu' now that ler
r:. tel a
K V was sono• tprtn•r.'• };Isir'r
owl. revise t, 01 expressos' to them. be -
Mg hist tL s, the pair inverted It o1*h-
o11t further. quettioninK. Ne1111er of
them :atm -lied ankh t11.portaiwe to the
letter Which 'hr bad received, ultlough
Captaln Perez did sok Mrs, Snow If
she knew from whore It centre.
The lady from dant eket wile not
t o ea+117 anti -Owl. *Cher first oppor-
tunity *hie .oruer.d }atpbtln Fri, and
they discussed the/ whole affair from
(..•_iuning to end.;There Wu* nothing
nnnsnul In aids /pro a dhtg. for 111.-
eo+sa"il+ eon ..rltlt.g lotis.•held 1110tt.•ra
and questions• of don1estic• policy were
bel we.1i theee two getting to be mete
sad more fre.atteut. .Irs. Sinewwas
now net,ted by all no one of she
tamlly/rod Captaln 7rt hid come to
heltd /a high opluluu of her uud her
eleven.
The., marriage idea, that which had
kronghtthe housekeeper to urinate, was
owe *Qum weutluucd. In fact. l'up-
taiu Eri had ulluust eutlrely erased to
rum. .terry'* feelings with reference
u It. Mrs. Snow of Voting* 10141 notl-
ulwut It. lint fur that matter she
very little 'about herself or her
r.
re.
affil
It w s a curious fact that the lady
from 5 Rocket bad never referred ex-
cept In a`r•rsual way R., her past his-
tory. She hod sever toldw• she clue
to answer t e advertise up ut in the
Nuptial C Imc
aur to ex pito
1 la how u no
matter of tact u ersun ns she Was had
ever seen that fol ns sheet.
Sire. Stow was t raisin that EIsle's
reason for wishing obtain the'dm-
zillion of schoultrm. her V11.4 aewethiitlg,
more specific than the
e advanced..
Nhr lavas also certain that 1e girl vets
troubled about .umethlug\The root
of the matter, she believed, •us eon-
t:ained lu the mysterious lett As
Captola };rl mus of precisely the awe
opluluu. +pewnlatiuil le•twren the 'two
NY tut Whitt that letter might have cob.
lathed was us lively all 1t woe outrun
till.
e rue thing wag certalu--Elsie wan not
as she hod formerly been. She did her
best to mower the same, but she lavas
mut h noire quiet and had fits of ab
du
sentmind. e+
a
that the captain and
the WIWI::et-per noticed. Mlle had 00
Wore evening -errands," but she a-
ca,doually took lung walks In the after-
noons, and oar these walks she evident•
ly' preferred to be alo11e.
Whether kir. Hazeltine notleed this
change It her mug a question. The
captain thought he did, but nit any rote
his calls were none the hem frequent,
and hr showed no marked obJe•tluh
When Captain Jerry, who now eunsid-
erel 'dimwit bound in honor to bring
about the union be had on itcth•ely
chnnlplonel, brought to Leer 1111 art-
ful schemes for Ienving the young
folks alone. 'these denies were mo
a4nrnilt then ?Elsie bad more than
one betrayed tome mymptoms of NW
noyn .e, all of which were lost on the
zealot' matchmaker. Ralph, like alit
others, as tench nnrprlsed at Miss
Preston's pplle•ation for employment,
but as it as manitettly none et his
business he of course amid nothing. t
At the nett mince meeting Vele
was unanimon chosen to fill luteal f
Nlxnn'a shoes as trotter of the yenng i
Mea at the granular aebool, and, as
Miss Niven was very anxious to be rid
et her responsibilities in eller that Mae
might become the care free bride et a a
seM•wet with awe smelt ebINrea, the
- — levee *sob 484.94 (• e\raavldt
•
Front her first day's labors Elsie re
turned calm aud uurutlled. • She lou
uiet the usual small rebellion agalu.
a new teacher uud had couqurred It
She raid she believed she lad a good
class mud ale should get ou with thew
very ulcrly. It should be weutluued in
pastime. however. that Josiah Bartlett,
usually the ringleader lu all sorts of
trouble,. was a nide upset brcuure the
new ....Institution -es lived lu the Mame
touse With Will. and so bad nut yet de
cldcd Just how far 1t was rat. to gc
Ila tr.esparsiug agitated law cud order,
'fhuukrglvlug day come. and the cap
talus eutertnitel albs I'atieuee Davis
nod her brother and ►fulph Hazeltine
at .linter. That dinner our an event.
l'uptulu Eri aud Mrs. Suow spent a full
twenty minutes with the driver of the
butcher's cart, glvtug him directions
concerning air eruct breed of turkey
that was to be delivered. and appureut-
ly these orders were effectual. for t'ap-
tulu Luther, who war obliged to hur-
ry back to the life saving statical as
soon all dinuer lass over, said that be
war lo roll of white turut and stuttlug
that he cat'Iated be shquld "gobble"
all the way to the beach. Hie airier
stuy.d until the next day, and this
war very Vlea.+lug to all bandit. par-
tleularly l'aptiln Perez.
ri.'> had games lu the eveufug, and
here the captains distinguished them
selves. Seth 1Vtugute and his wife
and Mr. and Sira Ubud Niclprnwu
came In, as did several other retired
wuriuers and timer better halves.
Even John Baxter was better that
day. lir seemed a tilde more rational
and apparently understood when they
told Lim that it war Thaukselviag
There would hare been no clued auy-
where bad not Mrs. Snow•, entering
her root after Elsie had gone to bed.
found that young lady awake and cry -
lug silently.
"And she wouldn't tell what the
trouble was," said the housekeeper to
Captain Eri •the next day. "Said it
was nothite. She was kind of wor-
ried 'bout her grandpa. Now, you :uud
we know It wa'n't that. I wish to
goodness we kuew what it was,"
The captain acrotchel his nose with
• perplexed air. "'fhere's oue feller
I'd like to have a talk with Jest 'bot
now," le anld. "That's the one that
Invented that yaru 'lout a woman's
not bein' able to keep a secret,"
that by wont you sato yui ulnae me
1 appear • little mon ridiculous than
t usual. Now, why do you do It?'
The emplane* Jaw fell. 11e stared
at has quvatiouer to see if she was oat
Juklug, but, boding uo encouragement
of that klud, stammered: "Why do 1
do 1t? Why?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well, 1 dou't know. I thought you
two would rutber be aloue, 1 know
when 1 used to go to see lay wife 'fore
we war married I -
"P1eas.r, what has that got to do
with Mr. llazeltlute'n visits here?"
"Why, why, uutbiu', 1 r'ta+ee, 1t you
ray so. I Jest thought" --
"What right have you to suppose
that Mr. Hezelttntl le calling un we
wore thou any other Remo or perseur
in this huure u"
This was sowetblug of a poser, but
the captain did bite brat. lir sat on
the edge of a chair and rubbed his
keen and then blurted out: ''Well, 1
spurs 1 -that tis, we thougbt he was,
Jest 'esus by nat'rully would; that'll
'bout all. If I'd tbought--why, see
here. Elate, dou't you think he's cuwlu'
to nee yon:"
"1 dealt know that I du. At fitly
rate. 1 have given 7011 uo authority to
act on any such assumption, uud I
duel want you to put we agate in the
ridiculous position you did this even -
lug and as you have doue so ufteu be-
fore. Why, his visits might be twrfect
torture to she, and still 1 should bays
to endure them out of common polite-
ness. 1 couldn't go sway and leave
hitt alone."
Captain Jerry's face w•us a study of
chagrin uud troubled rep.utane.
"Emile." be said, "1'w awful sorry.
1 *1111 so. If I'd thought 1 wan torturitt
of you 'stead of wukin' It pleasant
I'd never have done it. sure. I won't
go out agalu. I won't. honest. I hope
you won't lay It up against Inc, 1
'meant well."
Now, It Captaln Perez had delayed
his eutrance to that dining room only
two or three minutes longer, If he bad
not come In just In time to prevent El•
•k t making the explanatory and sooth-
ing answer that war ou brr tongue,
events would probably have been en-
tirely different and a good deal of
trouble might have Leen raved, But
In he came, as if some perverse imp •
had been waiting to give him the sig-
nal, and the Interview between Captaln
Jerry and the young Indy whom he
had unwittingly offended broke off then
and there.
Elate went upstairs feeling a little
conaclence` atrlcken and with an on -
easy Idea that she had tall more tbnn
she should have. Captain Perez took
up the newspaper and Mut down to
read. As for Captain Jerry, he sat
down, too, but merely to get his
thoughts assorted Into an arrategel
nand lees like a spilled box of Met -
straws. The captain's wonderful
scheme that he had boomed of and
worked so band fur had ialletn to earth
like e
rx
u lulled airship. and 111 vv r
V holt
V•
bit it hurt.
Hit drat Idea was to follow the usual
procedure aud take the whole -tatter
to Captain Eri for "ettlemeut, but the
more he mouldered this plan the leas
he liked 1t. Captain Eh was an un-
merciful tease, and be would 1.e aure
to "rub It til" in a way the mere
thought of which nude his friend
squirm. Them wasn't much use in
condding to Captain Perez either. He
must keep the secret and pretend that
everything was working smoothly.
.Tiro his
thoughts turned to Hazel-
tine. and when he considered the wrong
he had done that yottug man Ise squirm -
.d again. There wasn't a doubt in his
mind that Ralph felt exactly as Earle
did about his Interference. Captain
Jerry decided that he owed tee ele•-
triclau an apology and dettrrained to
offer 1t at the fleet opportunity.
And the opportunity came the very
next wornlug, for Mrs. Snow wanted
some clams fur dinner and asked blue
to dig some for her. The heat clams
lu the viclulty were those In the fiat
across the buy near the cable station,
and the cspteln took his bucket and
hoe and rowed over there. At he was
digging Ralph came strolling down to
the shore.
Mr. Hazeltine's "Good unarming" was
clear and hearty. Captaln Jerry's was
hesitating aud formal. The talk that
followed was rather one sided. Final-
ly the captain Laid down his hoe and
came splashingaliog over tosoh
where his
friend was standing.
"Mr. Hazeltine." he said co nfutel
ly, "I kind of feel a. 1f 1 ought to beg
yomr pardon. I'm awful sorry I done
what 1 did; but, at I said to Elsie, I
meant well, and I'm sorry."
"Sorry? Sorry for what?"
"\Vhy, for leavin' you and her alone
no when you come to the house. You
see, 1 'wiser thought but what you'd
both like it, aud 'awa'i't till she raked
Inc over the coals so for loin' It that
1
realized how thlugs wan."
"Raked you over the roils? I'm
afraid 1 don't understand."
It Is nunecrasary to repeat the whole
of the long and tangled eouversatIon
that ensued. Tbr captain tried to ex-
plain, tumbled down, metaphorically
speaking, g. gotoP again n aud started off
on another tack. In.hls anxiety to
make hit position perfectly clear he
quoted from EIste's remarks of the
previous evening mad then, thinking
perhape he had eon, too far, tried to
emcoth these over by more exptnna-
tlons. Repeating tile process deveral
tunes got him Into much a snarl that
he nearcely knew what he was saying.
When the agony WAR over itnlph had
'Received the Impression that Mien ('me-
ida bnd sold hl4 visits were a perfect
tortltm to her, that she objected to be-
ing IPIt alone with him, that ahe held
Captaln, Jerry responsible for theme
thiitgo and that the patter tram sorry
for somethttig or other, though what It
will lie (Rafithl didn't know or care
perticnlnrly. To the eaptaln'o rpm -
tinned apoiogiet'be muttered alnrentty
that it was "all right" and walked
slowly away with his bands In him
pockets, Captnin Jerry was relleretl
by this eeprew.lon M forglreneta. Ile
felt that tie elttlatlon wasn't what he
would like t• have It; but, at any rate,
he bad done baa duty. This was a
great eonaolatfoa.
Ralph didn't salt that evening er the
next. When he did drop in 1t was
merely to Inquire eeoeerning John Raz•
ter's progress and te chat for a me -
meat with the captain& Nis seat visit
n El
CHAPTER 511i.
T was during the week that
followed the It tlidny that
Captain Jerry made nil 040 of
it, and all with the Leet in-
entions in the world. Elsie had had a'
hard day at the 001001, principally 00••
ng to the perversity of the IrrepreenNl-
d. Josiah, whose love fordeviltry
wits getting the better of his resps-(t,
for the new teacher. The boy had dim-
( -covered that Elate tiever reported
bail conduct to Captain Perez and
therefore that the situation was mut
greatly different from what it had been
during the reign of Miss Nixon.
1111 this pa rtieular day he had leen a
little worse than u+11111, and as unead
nes+ and nilchief inn sch..oIr.om are
as cat -blue all the chickenpox Erle
come home tired and nervous. Captain
}:rl and Mn. Snow were certain that
this Increasing urrvoururss on the part
of their guest was not dust to school
troubles aloue; but, at any rate, nerv-
ous she was, and particularly nervous,
uud. It must be confessed. somewhat
inclined to be irritable daring the sup-
per and afterward on this 111 starred
night.
The beginning of the trouble was
when Ralph Hazeltine called. Mrs.
Snowwas with her patient In the up-
per nom, Captnin Era was out, and
Captain Peres and Captaln Jerry were
with Elsie lu the dining room. The
electrician was made welcome by the
trio --more especially by the captains,
tor MIs. Preston was In no mood to be
overeffuelve-und • few minutes of
general conversation followed. Then
Captain Jerry. In areurdauve with his
plan of cau.paign, lald down his news-
paper. coughed emphatlenlly to attract
the attention of hlm partner and Bald:
'V.el1, I guess I'II go out and look ■t
the weather for a upsell Come on,
Perez.'.
"Why, Captaln Jerry," exclaimed El-
sie, "your were out looking at the
weather ouly teu mtnutea ago. i don't
thtuk 1t bus changed much since then.
Why don't yon stay here and keep us
coul un ':
v '
u .
"Oh, you can't never tell about the
weather 'lobe this tout! It's likely
to change must iuy time. Besides;"
with a wink that expressed compre-
hension unlimited. "i reckon you and
Mr. Hazeltine don't carr much 'bout
the compuuy of old (ogle+ like me and
'perer, 'Two's company aud three's a
ctgwd, you know. Ido. Ito, ho!"
"I\'apteln Jerry, venue back this min-
ute:"
Rut'te captalu chuckled and shook
out of tbedour, followed by the obedi-
ent Per'cez, •ho, having pledged fealty,
stuck to Llai colors whatever might
1(ppen.
t another tit a Elsie would proba-
bly have. appre i ed and enjoyed the
Joke lis much as uv our but this
eveuttta.it did out ap .al to her In the
least. Ihylph put in very uucom-
fortable 1i[ Lour
to audh
t cut hl.'vla-
It spurt aud deported.
it certainly Otto captain ,terry's an- "
lucky eveuing, fur he lett Petits chat-
ting with a floherlu,n friend wale had
left n favorite pipe 4n his ahanty'•ud
ball retlte down to get 1t and entered
the house alone He had seen the Mee -
Helen go and wan aurttrisel at the 1•
brevity of his call, but he was as far
from snapecthtg that he bltlieelf was
he Indirect ennar of the aalci\brevlty
as a mortal could he.
11,. memo Into the dining room, home
hie cap on the hark of a chair and re-
marked cheerfully: '•Well, Elsie, what
did you *end your company home so
quick for? Land sake, 12 o'oloek
wa'n't none too late for me when I
was youflg and gobn' round to see the
girls!"
Rut Miss Preston did not smile. On
he contrary, she frowned, and when
she *poke the captain bait a vague
**ling that some one had dropped an
dela Inside his shirt collar,
"Captain Jerry," said the young I•dy,
'i want to have a talk with you. Why
de you think ft n•eessary to get up
sed leave tb• roes whenever kr. Ha -
settles ealls? You de it every time,
and . tP*t wM lie .9e81116•11 %UPPt
�!t
was a week later aud wee Just as brief
and formal.
It Elsie noticed lhls sudden cbauge
ate said nuthlug. '!'here might bare
been some comment by the others bud
not a uew st'usatiuu so occnpled their
Mindy as to abut out everything els.
Tills sensation was caused by Josiah
Harnett, who ran away one sight with
his beluugiugr teed up tug bruwu pa-
lter parcel, leavlug a uuta saying that
he bud guue to eullrt in the uuv), um)
wasn't cowing back auy more,
'!'here were lively times the next
wur•illug whim the note wan fuuud.
Cnptulu l'eres war fur harilea+lug up
immediately cad rtartlug off to noel
the tont one, bit or Miss. l'aptalu Eri
roma showed him the fully of this pro-
ceeding audlustuad hurried to the rail-
way atntiuu and sent a telegram de-
scribing the fugitive to thu conductor
of the Bostuu train. It caught the
couductur at Sand w1;11. and the heal
countable at Buazardr Hay caught the
buy. Josiah was luxuriously puffier./ a
live cent cigar lu the owoklug car. and
It mus u crestfallen uud humiliated
prodigal that, uccowpuulrd by the
aforementioned constable, returned to
Urhuw that night.
But the rtubbarturss remained, and
the next day Perez nought Captaln Eri
lu r troubled Inane of mind.
"Eel," he said deje•t.dly. "1 don't
kpuw what tau goat' to do with lbat
boy. file's too many for use, that boy
is. Seems hes Levu pluunite this ruu
Ulu' away bua'uess for mores a numth:
been dol*,' errands uud odd Jobs round
town aud suvin' up his money on pur-
pose. Says he won't go lock to school
agrlu no. mutter what we do to lnlm
and that hr's golu' to git into the navy
1f at taker ten years."
"Humph!" exclaimed his friend,
"Stuffy as all that, Is lee? You don't
say! 11r ain't n bud boy -that is. a
reel bad toy, either."
"\o, that's Jest it. Ile nlut roil bad
--ylt. Rut be will be If he ain't reteb-
ed up pretty sudden. ('ouNI' 1 know
what hr need. 18 to be Made to Mand
tort and them prearLel to afterwards.
And I know that nat'rally I'in the on.
that ought to do It, but t Jest can't --
there: If I should start out to give
hiw the dressin' down he` needs 1'd
be nankin' of his mother every min-
ute and how I promised to treat him
gentle and not be cross to blue. But
'otethtu'o got to be done, and If you
can help me out any way I'll never
forgit it, Erl."
Captain Eri scratched his chin.
"Bumph he grunted reflectively.
"Ile couldu't git Into the navy; he's
too young. More likely to be a stow-
away on a neer•hantinan Lind thea
roustabout on a cattle boat or sonde
such thing. Even 1f he lied 'lout his
age and dad gat to be a sort M a ship a
boy on a aalllu' vessel, you and me
kuow what that means nowau.tys. 1
presume likely 'twould end In his
killed in Norte rumahop scrimmage late
ell on. Let -me -Kee. Bound to be a
aallor. Is he?"
"He's stead sot on 1t."
"\lurk fool lir, Comes from readin'
them ridlc'lons story bookie. I o les. e.
lie ain't been on the water nitwit Renee
he's been down here, bail he!'
"Not wore'n once or twice, except to
a dory golu' to the brach or somethin'
like that."
"That'wm; that's what I thought.
Well, 1'er.•x, I'll tell you. The boy- dot.
need brltklil' In, thet's a fact. and 1
think maybe I could do 11. 1 could use
a young feller on my lout; to go reel•
din' with me. 1 Mean. Let me have
the boy under me -no niwldlin' from
anybody -for :1 couple of months. Ta•t
hint sign reeler articiee anal elle) 'long
of ane for that time. Maybe I could
make a wt_:ie :flan of him."
"1 don't b'lleve ne'd do It."
"I collate 1 could talk haw Into 1t.
There's aurae butter on my tongue
when It's uecenrary,"
"You'd have to promise not to lay a
hand on him In auger. That's what 1
promised Ida mother."
"All right, 1 promise It now. That's
all right, Perez. You and me are ok1
shipmates and bound to help each oth-
er out. Just trust him to we, cud
don't ask too matey questions. le 1t a
trade? (loud. Shake."
They shook hoods oil It, and then
Captaln Eri went la to talk to the uu-
reonc•Iled runaway. That young gem
Benton, fresh from 1t1'. triumph over
his uucle at flrstreha
tedtohave
an -
7
thlug to dor with the aehetne. Ile
wasn't going to be a "cheap guy Mah-
ermau;' he was going Into the navy.
The raptalil did not attempt to urge
him, neither did he preach or patron-
ize. 11e simply leaned hack itn the
rocker and ligan .ptmutng sailor ynrns.
Ile told of all sorts of adventures In
all climates and with nil torts of peo-
ple. Ile had eeen everything tinder
the sou apparently, and, according* to
hha, there wag no life so fret' and void
of all restraint nee that of en able sea-
man on a merchant ship, or, prefera-
bly, on a flshermau, but on. putnt he
made clear, and that was that unless
the applicant had had previous train -
log his Int was likely to be nn Iwltap-
py One.
"Of course," he said na he rose to go,
"it was myIden
t,npMn
f
train you
up nos 7011 conic' be ready when 'twos
Gine to ship. but lough you don't want
to, why, it'e all off."
I'll go with you. cap," said Joolah,
shote eyes were mhlnlug.
"Good! 'rhnt'e the talk! You might
■a wen tit1¢ a articles right away. Walt
till i git 'Pin ready."
Ile brought pen. Ink and paper and
pr cessled to indite n formidable do'ii
ment to the effect that "Jnatah Bart-
lett. Able mermen," w•,o to shin n1oonl
the catboat Miry Ellen for a term of
two months. Wages, (<:, a month.
"Yon tee," he said, "I've put yon
down an able seamen 'carte that's
what you'll he when 1 gat through with
you Now sign,"
So Jotlab signed, and then Captnin
EN affixed his own signature with a
ileurish,
"There!" exeltImat the captain,
brluging his Trig palm down on the
bark of the "able merman" with a
thump that brought water Into the eye*
of that proud youth. "You're my man,
ahlpmate. We mall temormr mornin'
at 4, rain or shine. I'll call you at
quarter of. Re reedy."
"Yon bet, old man!" .std Josiah.
Captain Penes met his Mead as they
curve out of tbe'p•rlor,
"I'll go uiUt you, cup,"
"Now, En," he Wntapere0, "be 1157
as you can with him, wou't you?"
The captain auowered In the very
words of his crew,
"You bet!" be said fervently and
went away whistling. Captaiu Peres
slept better that night -
P
CHAPTER XIV.
RUMI'TLY at it quarter to 4
the best wornlug Captain Ed
rapped on the parlor door.
Josiah, who bad been dressed
move 3, appeared almost Instantly.
They walked down to the shore togeth-
er, and the captain's eyes twinkled ..
he noted the elaborate roll In the boy's
walk,
The Mary Ellen was auehored be-
tween the beaches, and they rowed off
to her in a dory, it was pitch dark
and cold and raw. Lanterns showed
on two or three of the other boats near
by, and as Josiah and the captain pull -
el up the erlgrass covered anchor a
dim shape glided peal in the blackness.
It was the You and 1, bound out. Ira
Sparrow wan at the beim, and be hell -
ed the Mary Ellett, saying something
about the weather,
"It'll be kind of ca'w for a spell."
replied Captain Er), "but I wouldn't
wonder if we had some wind 'fore
night. Here, you,. [Wiliest hand,' he
added, turning to Josiah, "stand by to
git the canvas on her,"
It was after sunrise when they rea.h-
ed the ledge where codfish most do eon
gregate. The land was a mere yellow
streak on the horizon. The stiff east-
erly blow of the day before had left
a smooth, heavy swell that, tripping
over the submerged ledge, alternately
tossed the Mary Ellen high to air and
dropped her toward the bottom. It
was cold, and the newly risen Leeetu-
ber sun did not seem to have much
warmth in it. Anchor over the side,
the captain proposed breakfast.
The "able seaman" did not feel very
hungry, but he managed to swallow a
hard boiled egg and a sandwich and
then, Just to show that he had reached
the dignity of manhood, leuiled tack
against the side of the cockpit, lit a
cigarette 01141 observed cheerfully,
"Thin Is hot stuff, ain't it, cap?"
Captaln Eri wiped the (nimbus from
Ws mouth, lelourely produced its pipe
and proeeeded to till It with tobacco
'bared from a chunky plug.
"What d' you ■uwke them things
for?" he asked contemptuously, refer-
ring to the cigarette. "Nobody but
dudes and sissies suuoke that kind of
truck. Here, take til' pipe and smoke
like a man."
Josiah looked askance at the prof-
fered pipe.
"Oh, no," be said magnanimously,
"you'll want it yourself. 1'11 git along
with theme things till 1 gat ashore, them
I'll buy • pipe of my owu."
"Never you mind 'bout me. I've got
two or three more below there some
'erm.. Take It and light up."
The "able seaman" took the reeking,
nicotine soaked affair, placed It ginger-
ly between his teeth, held n match to
the bowl and coughiugly emitted •
cloud of 11I smelling awoke. The pipe
,wheezed aud gurgled, and the Vary
Ellen rocked and rolled.
"Now, then," said Captain Eri,
"wave ordered long enough. (10 below
and bring up the batt bucket and the
Tines."
Josiah staggered Into the little cabin
reappeared with the heavy
cod Ilue1
and the bucket of mussels and watched
while the captain "batted up"
"All ready!" said the skipper, "Two
line. apiece, one over each aide.
Watch me."
The
cod
bit elm
u.t Immediately, and
for teu minutes the work w•s excit-
ing and lively. The enptaln, watching
from the corner of his eye, noticed that
hie apt.tant's pipe Wan wheezing less
regularly and that his flues were
thrown over more and more Natle.sly.
At length be said: "Ilnveu't Mopped
stuokin' so quick, have you? What's the
matter -gone out? Here's a match"
"i guess I've smoked enough for
sow•: I can't dab no web when Pili
amok he."
"Bomb! if you want to be • reel sail-
or you must smote all the time. Llkt
.
u ."
P
Reluctantly the boy obeyed std
puffed with feverloh energy. Also tie
.wallowed with vigor. The cod smelled
fishy; 00 did the bait, and the catboat
rolled and rolled, Suddenly ,Ioslald
pulled In his lines and took the pipe
from hit lips.
"Whet'. the matter?" Ingnired the
watchful skipper.
"i - i ghees i won't fish any more,
cap. Bind of slow sport, ain't It7
Guess 1'11 go In there and take a
01100..."
mimeo you won't? Yon shipped to
fifth, and you're goln? to fish. Pick up
them linen."
The boy sullenly turned towanl the
cabin door. "Aw, go chase yourself!"
he moll contemptumuly. A minute aft-
er, when be pick..] himself tip from
the heap of slimy doh in the bottom of
the boat, he law the captain standing
t(blldly on one cowhide shod foot, while
the ether was &awn vaulty back and
rooted on its the. When Josiah recov-
ered Ala breath the buret of bed laa-
gnage with
assailed his com-
panion did credit to baa street
ing up. it was as sheet as f twee
dere., however, and aided amid the
cod and the mamas from the over-
turned batt backet Set, 0. the Cap
• ma odd a r Plemakafe' I (Caawaea ea pile So
sad rose again, loeolwre.t with reek.
"You -you -1'1i kill your be shriek.
ed. "You promised tut to touch tee,
you 'yin' old" -
He tried to get oat of the way, hot
didn't succeed, and thus time merely
sat up and sobbed as Captaln Eri said
In even 10008:
"No, I'm not lyln'. I promised Mut
to lay a hand oil you In auger, that's
ail. Fust place, I don't kick with ray
bands, aud, second place, 1 ain't an-
gry. Now, then, pick up them hues."
The "able seaman" was frlghbeued.
This sort of treatment was new to hie,
He judged It best to obey now cud
"get square" later on. He bulkily
picked up the cod lines and threw the
hooka overboard. Captaln Eri, calmly
resuming his fishing, went on to say:
"The fust thlug r sailor has to faro
is to obey orders. 1 site you've rtuppeg
smokin'. Light up."
"I don't want to,"
"Well, 1 want you to. Light up."
"I won't Oh, yes, 1 will!"
He eyed the threateuing boot fear-
fully and lit the awful plate with shak.
tag fingers. But be bad tak.•u uta y a
few puff. when It weut over the dale,
and it seemed to Josiah that the larger
half of himself went with it.
Well, 'twits a dreadful foremen fur
Josiah, one not to be forgotten, The
boat rolled unceasingly, hts head ached,
and pulling the heavy cud matte hie
back and ahoultjers lame; also he was
wet and cold. The other louts scat-
tered about abs fishing grounds pullet
up their anchors and started fur home,
but Captain Ert did not budge. At
(loon he Opened his touch brisket agafa
and wun.bed sereurly. The sight of
the greasy ham sandwiches was ftp
mueb for the "able seaman." Ile atrf.
fere.] a relapse and when It was over
"1 ua-you-1'U kilt you "'
tumbled on the seat which ene'Ireled
the c•o•kptt and, being completely worn
out, went Fant asleep. The captain
watched him fur a minute or t etwo,
smiled in a not unkindly way and. go-
ing Into the cabin, brought out an old
pen Jacket and some other wraps with
which he revered the "deeper. Then he
went hack to his fishing,
When .lootnb awoke the Mary Ellen
was heeled over on her aide, her sail
as tight an n drumhead. The wind
was whistling through the eonlage,
and the boat wan ractug through a.ros
that were steel blue and angry-, with
whitecaps on their crests. The nun
wan bidden by tumbllug, dust colored
.loud,. 'rhe boy felt weak and 'strange-
ly humble. The dreadful nausea was
gone.
Captain Er!. Mending at the tiller,
regarded him sternly, but there was
the ruapltiuu of • twlukle In bis rye.
"•Wnut to stoke again? Pipe right
there ou the thwart."
No: tbuuk you, sir."
It was some time before anything
more woe said. Josiah was gazing at
the yellow sand cliffs that on every
tack grew nearer. At length the cap-
tain ugaln addressed him.
"Perez ev,•r tell you 'boat 0111' fust
v'yog.•? Never did, bey? Web, i will,
Haut and me run away to sea together,
you kuuw."
And then Captaln Eh began a tale
mc•nugw] h.base
Ihalema .eives frothem .loacoldtabe'sivero big tis•to to the
longest hair on his head. It was the
story of two boys who ran away sad
shipped aboard an Australian sailing
packet, mud contained more
mea
horrors than any oue of him beloved
dime novels. As a Subtitling touch the
narrator tuned back 'the grizzled bale
un hie forehead and showed a three
Inch scar, souvenir of • first mate and
nlug I v
ae a, pia. He rolled up his flan-
nel shirt sleeve and displayed a sllght-
ly n,l.shaped lett arm, broken by a
kick from a drunken captain and bad-
ly get by the, same Individual.
"Now," he said In conclusion, "1 cal"
late you think I was pretty hard on
you this morula', but what do you rig-
ger that you'd have got If you talked to
a mute the way you done to me?"
kll
lI)e , ou'tsir."now. pose I'd have been
kWpm*
"Well, you would, mighty nigh, sad
that's a fact. Now, I'll tell you tome -
thin' elite.You wanted toeullrt In the
navy, 1 umlerataod, You couldn't gat
In the>,navy, anyway; you're too young.
Rut s'pose you could, what then?
You'd never alt any blghern a petty
officer, 'cans' you don't know enough,
'Hie only way to gat into the navy Is
to go through Anoapolle and git an
education. I telt you, education counts.
Me and Perez would have been some-
thln' mon'n chilecosine'*kipper.; 11 wecheap'd and cosine'
had an .ednc•tloa
Don't forgit that"
" I gtteea I don't want t0 be a Mier,
anyway, air, TDI. arse bl'lp ie aoough
for se, thank you."
"Can't bete that You .hipped 'long
with me are two month., and you'll
MU wltb mo for two tits, every
time 1 ge out You wen tun away{
again neither, i'11 leek out Rae that
You'll gall with me, and yse'Y WO dna
Gall, and you'll mind me, sad yoa'II ae7
'air.' Tea needn't en.t• 11 yea don't
want t1," With a .mils. "i ain't
p'tic'hr abet that
"'rhea." west ea the captain. "wham
the two mouths Is op yov'R be yatf
ova master agala. Tot eau gs back
to Web Mtlladtrw sad Squealer Wits.
Mud IIh Tucks Mg *sir tribe. It
yes want M aikil ha a lows aslsamse
11114a geed , pms cO SO
Val . ZfiR ease N 1a.11116111.tet a alt'