NEW ZEALAND STORY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 215, 9 September 1914, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND STORY.

"WHEN A MAN'S MARRIED." HE'S A SAILOR SPOILED. . (By C. E. WHEELEB.) "Well, I'm glad that's off,"' cheerfully remarked the South Star skipper •when the gossip of the saloon, convoyed in the mattpr-of-faot tones of his chief officer, acquainted him with the news that a love affair which all had been watching at close range was apparently at an end. The skipper was satisfied, and not surprised. "Jm a bit prejudiced, perhaps, but any good sailorman will admit that once he marries, he's spoiled for being a good sailor, especially for a job in a line of regular traders." Captain Billings .had delegated to lii:dutiful wife the privilege of bringing up a large family, but these events had been forgotten, and there was nobody aboard the South Star so lost to sense of what is due to a skipper as to remind him, and find flaws in his logic. "A very pleasant body," amiably answered the middie-aged Scotch chief officer. "A very pleasant body indeed, and if Narrows was so foolish as to marry at his age, well, I'd wish him no better luck than to have Miss Codling tn look tjtrr him ihc few days in the yenr he'd be ashore." Narrows was second officer of ihe South Star, and a favourite with hi» immediate superior, the "chief as he was called, though the hard-visaged Scotsman, soured n. bit by long vain waiting for a command of a clipper, rarely encouraged his willing junior with spoken word of good wishes. Xarrowf, aged twenty-two, with plenty of energy and ambition, but I doubtful of impressing those unfamiliar ! shore powers "the owners." was making his second voyage to New Zealand mi the South Star, the smartest in the ret of sailers that in the early days of the Colony's history kept the adrenturI ous pioneers Mipplied with token.- of civilisation a few months out of date, nnd provided transport to a good market for sucli modest cargoes as they could then collect. This trip, though it. had run to a tedious ninety days, and the reckoning showed the Heads of Lyttelton to be still a week's sail off, would be unforgettable to Narrows. Among the dozen saloon passengers with whom he came into daily contact was Elsie Godling, whose father, a sr.c colonist, "roughed it" in lib time, but had not allowed his cnlv daughter to grow up without some taste of English refinement. She was returnin<» after a few years' experience of the Old l>ind, highly delighted with it; but looking forward with eagerness to the healthy vigour of the old life on a big sheep station. Narrows and Elsie quickly struck up an acquaintance. The buey waters of the Englieh Channel were hardly passed and lil\T settled down to well-ordered routine before the South Star's second officer found himself taking special pains to explain some of the mysteries of navigation to a bright and intelligent pupil. These little special demonstrations were noted by the goseips, accepted with relish as manna in the desert of conversation topics in that little world; and what better occupation could the gossips have than settling the fortunes of the popular "second" and the brightest young lady on the ship? "What's thie 1 hear about you?" -said the skipper severely to his "second." I when he got a quiet opportunity of talkI ing to him. "Ye surely ean'L intend to I blast a promising career by tying your-jr-elf up toelioret continued the skipper. Then, with slightly lowered tone indicating that he was really concerned. "I hope you haven't tied yourself up. Narrows. You know you can't skip ashore like a. for'ard hand, and you've a good career ahead if you stick to the sea. There's no understanding?" he concluded in kindly tone, inviting confidence. "I scarcely hoped for that good luck," replied the "second. , "Good luck be hanged. If you could see beyond the end of your nose, my lad. you would give her the go-by, and look to your career—it's going to be a good one if you stick to it." And the kindly old skipper, weil satisfied with his effort, wae not surprised when he heard from his next in command that his good advice was apparently being followed dutifully. Captain Billings kept a watchful eye on his crew while the South Star lay close to the tiny jetty which in those pioneer days constituted the port. He granted leave jealously, for fear the crew would realise that shore delights were much more satisfying that the prospect of a hundred days' round of "salt-horse" rations on the lonely trip home. His anxieties did not extend to his officers. Narrows had got over his little disappointment. -Only his first flutter," laughed the skipper when the eubject cropped up 'in talk with the chief. Storiee of gold discoveries away over the snoTV-clad range to the westward •began to circulate in port, and the skipper was nervously alert until, with an easy mind, he mustered a. full crew, and the South Star anchored ha.lf a milr from the beach and its temptations. Things were, going well. A full cargo, a complete crew, and a. nice ibreeze. from the right quarter at daybreak combined to make the skipper a satisfied man as he took his early-morning survey of the port. What -was that waving on the beach? Evidently a signal to the South 'Star. A boat, put out in haste. They'd have to hurry, reflected the skipper, for he would up-anchor and away as soon as the sails were shaken out. * "Ahoy there," came a hail from the little craft as It drew close to the South Star. "When are you going to sail?" "Right awayi," answered the skipper cheerfully. "What have you got for.us?" He ordered out the rope ladder, and waited until an elderly gentleman with an official air of quiet dignity had carefully climbed the swaying steps. "Glad to see you so early, sir," remarked the skipper toy way of opening the conversation. The little man was breathless and confused. Possibly rope ladders were out of his line He forgot the friendly greetiug. "You have a second officer, Albert Narrows," he said, as calmly as his breathless state would allow. ' ] The skipper nodded, and signalled for j his second officer, who. bus} - \jith preparations for sailing, had not noticed this unexpected visit. "What do you want with him?" asked Billings, echoing.the stiff official air with -which the little man, despite his hard breathing, seemed unable to put off. The puzzled Narrows joined the group, and the little man dropped a verbal bombshell without delay "I want you to come ashore immediately, Albert Narrows. Here's my authority," he continued, for the South Star's skipper was

obviously about to explode violently. A paper of official blue flourished by the little man calmed the skipper instantly. He had all a sea-faring man's awe of the mysterious formula of the law. "This young man," explained the hearer of the document, "is about to leave the colony, 1 perceive," and he glared severely at the abashed Narrows and the skipper,, as if the innocent Captain Billings, too. was a party to this wrong. "1 wish to inform you. Captain Bil- ! Yin??, that your second officer is the defendant in an ;ict:on for breach of promine—heavy damages —biggest action we have ever had in these parts—he can't leave till it is decided." "Hut we must sail at once. I'd have started a quarter of an hour ago if I had not seen your signal." said the skipper. "You can't detain an officer at the. last moment when his ship is re.ady for sea. I can't p!i-k up second officers on the beach. It's absurd. 1 won't allow it," concluded the angry sapper as the inconveniences of a long voyage without Narrows began to loom up. The little" man was judicially calm. "You cannot interfere with the process of the law," lie .-,iid. "1 must request you to accompany mc ashore at qnce. Mr Narrow*. You may be able to rejoin your ship in the course of a fortnight—" "Fortnight be <1 d," roared the skipper. now thoroughly aroused. "You're not going to keep mc fooling round here a blessed fortnight, when everything's snug under hatches, and there's n fair wind.' , "I haven't come to arrest the ship," answered the little man. "but if Mr. Narrows does not come nshorc with mc willingly, I'll arrest him!" "(in nshore!' , ordered the skipper sharply. He took the blue paper unrerenjoniouslv from the little man. Narrows seemed too appalled for speech. A minute ago he had been busily occupied with the preparations for a long voyage. WitMl another minute he was contemplating the stern of the South Star as he was being rapidly rowed a.-horc. And the preparations for departure were evidently going on without him . It we? a remarkably, friendly reception for .1 runaway from the law. A comfortable rnnm in the Codling residence, and breakfast awaiting. The quiet little man saw him safely to a seat near the head of the table, and smiled genially and knowingly as he wished Narrows a happy life. And Xl-ie Godling poured the coffee, while a bad-tempered skipper out fit the heads confided to his silent chief officer that it was bptter to lose a second officer than miss such a good start. "Poor Captain Billings," remarked the estimable "-econd," "I hadn't the courtesy to -.iy 'good-bye.' " "Perhaps he knew you would make a better sheep farmer than a sailor." suggested Mr. Codling. "Not even 11 memento of mc, except the warrant." laughed Narrows. "And that's bogti?,' , chuckled his prospective father-in-law.