STOWAWAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 124, 29 May 1939, Page 15

STOWAWAY

—By HAROLD RAE

SHORT STORY—

II »••- -"'•■ ""I , IlijUi'l- iMiuk. who li,>l 1 ■! -■■■»■ '•■! Miiiin.l.i. IVrlm,,, I '•■"i l I ' unilifiil in -:m ii,.. ii,,,, :•'■'"-" ' '!' ' "' ''"' iny WilK .., mi ■M ,, " 1 ' " "••- -i 1 JilMMilM. \l »n.' !<«• I '.in :iw :i tii'.-t luind ,1 ■ .-ill! ■•' Nil Ml'., r.'lllM hUtr. u ||~,i J,,, . .in■'■ '■■ 'iii-liiiu .iluiiy niiil«lii|M iinii l.lll'A mi .-ell III) ~ inv i-iiiiin. I M.I. 1 .1 ■' .IV - |lll>kl-<l ll|l(l|l Sfllll M< 1 i-iiij ■■! ■ ■■■■ in Mm-k viiiifiv . Inn win.n i •"-' " ; " '"> dii'MiiiH (liHt latr ii r t rvi i hif >'iiMi|iln\ii)ii wii* wliHt I uiiiil'l «!•■-' tilt ii« flirt v »v<>y. He Imiiu in Hi.' il.-'i »iiv slinking liki- iui«< of 11is I.WII M.lll' MIIIIIL'I-M, hU vyCH tlllCHtfll-ills-r I" l'ii>i|> "lit nf their sockets, his .!. iiiHnj ;. mi h Ih-iil iiiy a *ynru|uiti><| i.iitii.i ih.'l misrlit Imvi' iiispin-d u , u -w ilivi'.nii '■■ Hi'iuv ll,ill. Mi 'ii ~< ! imujilil «ni for our <-,\v, l .--:■«: l■• -'"-■ I l«Ml Him. -I lui.h.r !•'■: H"ii.i. N , MVira. I «,„-,,„._. in.iii '"\ I'liiik mi.l -honk him. "Wl. I"'- I In- mi.tliM ■•:•' 1 ~,■■„.,]. „„;„-. .iiu I'" , nil' iiiilil I i-inilil r-uicil the »i ml' >;iin I'..luul liU liiiiuiiP. 1,i,(. nnf.ir 111 •i.■l■ -f \ . it wa-. Ih,- Imiiuui- nf his n.il ivr mini lull ..r n\\ ii him up u liimcv it Ii- I>i-~i -'« 11"; li»hl i.f <hiv, I push,.,! Mm n-nli' iiiul jiiiii|iv(| out mi ilcck. All V ir. ijllirl an.l -hi|> -hil|H'. It Wiirt iililKiit .Ulk. .111.1 I roil!.I JU.-I ..,.,■ 1],,, 1,,.,,,,,) «l|M|||l||'lrf 111" ( .Iplllill \it.llU.i|l jlltt in.ii.i»M« till' l.ii.lur n,il. .silhoiicttcl ii'.'diiNt tin , faint rc<l jilnw Hint re-in.-iini'il "ii ■■fir Hivtcrii liuriznn. Forliiniitoly hi J liiick wim townnls u\c. I turned into my room ami glared nt I he wok. •Now." I demanded, "what's the matlit with v mi. Sa m ?" Hh cvi'm rolled in rnv direction. "HcliiN MWtah Muto!" he groannl. "I urv' urn ! " Kvi.lonlly ..up of the deek tinml« had '.'•'it lin \ iii lT il 'janie hikl (ilnvinjr on tlie (.'"•!■ iiijiarrH -ii|>rrs( it imix. •Ymimc hffii driiikiiur, Sam'" I l.limlied. I'.iil Sam shook hie hood nn.l. ~ iliinip llnupr iiiTiws his throat, spat mil tln uiiull the open <loor. "N". Mi«tH Ii Mate—Saiiiniy pood \li'tlu.ili«l no drink! I see doliil I....'sin , in jrnlloy. N'ot hi;/ dcbil. Mistah Male, little dfliil! Loiijf ]pjf*—no *tomniiik -lilir head with Iwarcl likf C'ap'n , .* .iii'l eyes ~a me like fire in stokehold!" "\ou'\e errtainlv liepii thinjr«. Sun." I yiiur.ed. 'Til come I.nek to thp galley with you j(n<l we'll do ii tour of ii- neel ion, ( ome h Inn™!" I lie j/alley looked iw it. nlwii\w cli-tl ruder Siim's management. Spotlpxulv l.iii h n<l pveivthm'j- in it* propo'r ■■'me. There was no si._r,, o f hj s " t | t .|,ij" n> lull e\ er he had seen. ■Mistali Mute!" >.mii wan pushing an empty can into Mistah Mute." he husked. "Cap'nV 'k lor .'icon all <jfone!" I'liVs spelled trniihl<> for n.otnel>o<ly us ■ I'lyone on hoard knew our old niariV iriiality for freshniilk cocoa a* long - Hip milk would keep fresh out of ■"■(. Vii use telliiiL; him talcs of milk ■ 'nl<in;r deviU. . . . lap'n' wants hin koko —up on the

N'lMiienia! Tlip empty can fell with a clutter on tlio tiled floor of the galley i'li-l Sam turned to ogle the tousled red ! niid of flic r-nliin hoy. '■\Va.snorinatter." queried tliat hudiliiiir sailor, "ain't yer got. the cap'n's I ■ iiko-e ready yet? '1C arsked me tor l'"'n(f it up lit on.'t. 'K said as 'ow . . ." \\> were, never to learn what the capI nil said to the cabin hoy. At that in--liiiit. flip cry, "Man overboard!" rang ' 'in the gathering darkness outside. It " ii« caiiuht, up and echoed all over the «'iip. Tlip bridge telegraph rang it* nijpiit message to the sweating i'ii'>iiippi'A helovv and tin , pounding ■ •■ i'-ti i rn-r v ceased to throb before I ;.im''(l |li<> boat-deck. f heard (lip old man shout for robipI'lif to man the bridge, and ■I iinrp tho white beam rut through the 'lirknpss arid swept the dark water of 11 , " Mediterranean. "Von tlirrp. Mister Mate?" I heard lli" captain shout. "Yen. oil!" I answered. "(Wind! Take number one boat! Lucky tin , spa's an calm as it is!" \-< up swung down from the ereaki'l'jr davits, [ turned to tlie nearest Kililnr. "Know who's over?" T axked. "Roberta—the bo'sun!" he replied. I wondered at the jrrinnlnjf tone of tin , Tnan'rt voice until I remembered our lio'min brnpr about his |>rn\vpM« iih n dccp-nea swimmer. I retnriied the yrin i" the darkness. \< we pUKhed off a cry came from the liridjfp. "There he is. AFi.ster Mate—off your port how! We'll keep the light on him!" I «tood tip. Ttie sea was a* flat and Kinnoth a« the proverbial sheet of jrlas«. F saw the splashinjr exertiona of our stalwart bo'sun. When we reached him he was swimmiiijr frtnmjfly and hud plenty of reserve wind. He used most of it' before wo I'll I Ir-il h i mi iirueiemoiiiotiely into the boat. "Wait till I lay my hands on the ! fiiHi-leitiiia : |li,,| pushed me over honi.l! 11l «lit his ! throat from f«r to pur!" lli" rest of his words were lost as we yanked him owr the eide. The ship'n fPii ri-li I iu-ht wn* -till on U-. and a*< T cliariLMil my yrip for another pull I saw two jfliUteninjr Ktronkn on the seat of Jin -oidden pants. I was Mill tryinjr to assimilate events tjint my mind was endeavouring to awneint,. with •." ' paint when they hauled «'» up on to the boat-deck. A minute Inter the ho'stm and f stood on the nridgp faciiijr t)ie old man. faptain Ait<-hi«on ulared at the bo'snn »nd his bii«tlinjr "kettle" heard added fpri.fify of his juttinsr chin. "VVlint in the lipll do von mean bv fiillinsf overboard?" he barked. Thn bo'siin returned the look with a ♦ hni«t of Ihk unshaven jaw. "fafi'ii, ,, he hissed, "wi , all due re- • pectH to you, self I did not fall overboard 1 whs kicked!" I'Voii u,tc—what ?- 'I wns kicked, eap'n! T was up on the '"I , r> t the forrard dock carjro look in' 1,1 Hip liirpaiilins when I heard a souffle Miind me Hnd before I rould t.irn I ».i< ki.krd over i't «ide! If f evpi set niv Iniiids on the ! murderer. I'll'- eautairi interrupted his tirade and tiirnp<l to me. "Mifii-r \' ■■,•■■ ~ ~,i,| j,, „ - „;,.,. (hat ""''lit bii«ini'»s. "i|iiestion every man on board and find out where they were "hen the bo'sun went over the side. I'll lift t<. the bottom of this if ] have to 11" ii the «hii> in-idc out !" I hen, for the first time since the cry "i Man overboard" had rung through

!] "' -l'i|>. I renu-ml.ered Sam and the ' '"in- milk. I related the incident to ";■ •'"I'""'- He stroked chin when I had lunched. 'An- you Mister Mate mill w<. haw a r-towaway on hoard?" i nodded hikl lie turned to the drip. piny Ih.'-iiii. ' •I think we can leave that matter lately in your hands, bo'sin, < R, in- him t» me when you have lini-hed with him : Mumbling „ string of curses, the '"' tumbled dowti the companionway. Ihe captain turned to me with a •jrin. -Til be riorry for that murdering <l''\il uhen the boVon lays hands ,„, 1,1 '"■ Voii can take the wheel now Mi-ter. I'll liavp a bite of «upper and !>m-h the business before I turn in. <;o(nl-niyht!" " ,; "" (1 "ifdif. sir!" I iiiNHvivd. nni! lurned t,, the ntcpr-maM. Mill on ,|,e fore end I miv that the )■" -mi -Mill his ,„,.,, „,,,,. iHr.Mdv comb, "i , .: tin- liioiiiitiiiiioin nnj.i with flashSuddenly I heard the steel comI'aninii way rattle t ,n,| the cabin bov svvnujr ot, to the bridge. "(Hp'n wants y tiu , Mi»ter!" lio punted. "'K's iu an VII of a temper — belter "urry!" "I couldn't think whnt rntilrl have. ImppeTied in the short space of time -nice the old man had left the bridjre, !'"t I took the boy , * advice and urried. When I entered the cabin the captain and steward were there, but neither -poke. I myself was speechless when I saw the disorder of the otherwise ■•pick-and-span little hoine-from-home. The table cloth had been pulled from the table and broken crockery- mixed with particles of food littered tlw floor. But that was not flip worst — thp cap.tiiin'n paper* were anions the debris. Not in comprehensive *heets but torn in almost indescribable fragments. His private ledger lay in the centre of the heap, half its pages torn ruthlessly out. As T looked up at the captain the wireless operator entered the cabin and handed him a message. T watched him stance at it and ..aw his brows twist into a frown. He handed me the slip. ''Maybe you can make sense of this— I CHn'J!" I rend the typed message: S.s. MARYDALK TO S.S. MILTONHW.L STOP CAPTAIN THORPE'S (OMPUMKNTS TO CAPTAIN , AIT< HISOX STOP HAVE YOU STOWAWAY OX BOAKD AXSWKRIXC TO MI MAX I) A STOP IF SO fiIVK POSTI IOX AXI) WK WiLL rOLLKfT STOP srccKST IF OX BOARD YOU LOCK IP \\.h SHIP'S PAPERS AXD STORES STOP. Miranda! Ciold paint! T began tn lail-jh until my »id:'s ached. I remembered n hilarious afternoon in Fiona when the Hrct r.Picn,- of the Marydale Hti'l I had given Miranda a I.ath and painted her hoo;'- and horns with gold paint. We sailed the -ame night hilt Miranda must have jumped ships as we lay alongside waiting for our respective pilots.

The captain* explosive. "What, in the lioll Hie von laughing at, Mister?" drought me to my sense*. "Thp goat!" I gasped. The captain and the steward exchanged glances and hunched their fists. I hastened to explain a: d just as I had succeeded in »en vincinp ih o,, . '.ha bo'sun squelched into the calm , . "We've seen it, sir!" lie panted. The old man glared at him. "Seen what?" he harterd. "The soat. sir—hut it jumps like a flea and we can't catch it in the dark!" '"Then shoot it!" I thought it best to intervene. "You can't do that, sir!' , I said hurriedly. "The Marydale are very superstitious about their mascot. If it were our mascot, sir. and they. . . ." "And what would you sujrgetst. Mister Mute?" The old tnan'e voice was heavy with sarcasm. "I would suggest getting into communication with Captain Thorpe," I repHed. The captain glared round his dishevelled cabin, then shrugged his shoulders. "I leave it to you. Mister, but get the damned thins oft* t'n* "hip! T'll take the bridge- it's h job I understand!'' T repaired to the wirele«« cabin end had the operator send the following mewsaire: CAP lAIN ATTCHTKOVS COMPLTMKNTS TO CAPTAIN' THORPE STOP MTRANDA SAFK STOP COULD vor sit<;(;kst mkthod of capTURR STOP The replv came: IKY C.ALLEY AS TRAP STOP sn:rjKßT frksh milk or cabbaok AS BAIT STOP GIVE POSITION STOP In the jrreyinjr dawn the Marydale hove in sijrht off our starboard Imdw. Miranda, who had gone completely off the gold standard overnight was safely lioii =cd in a crude cage constructed by th<> shi|»V carpenter. An hour later the ships hove-to within hnilinjr distance and a boat put off from the Marydale. We lowered Miranda gently into it and watched lic'r lieinjr pulled toward* her own ship. As they heaved her on board. Captain Thorpe's voice rang out across the intervening space: "Thank you. Aitchison." we heard, "for taking care of Miranda. Do the same for you some time." I saw our old man's face turn a livid purple but before he could roar a reply Sam clattered up the bridge ladder. He had regained hw original glossy black and he carried a'deep cup of steaming hot. coco.i with evident pride. "Your rocoa, ,«ah!" Mesa phone poised the skipper glared at him. "Cocoa! What'.* it made with?" Ssim rolled his eyee towards the Marydnle and grinned. "Fresh milk, sah!" I saw a smile creep into our old man's wenther eye. "You —von milked Miranda!" "No. sah, ah only held dat goat, hut de bo'sun said he'd milk 'un. And he sure did. sah—maybe they no get milk from 'urn for plenty long time!" The old man rained hi*s megaphone. "Not at all. Thorp." he sang out. '"It'i lieeri a creat pleasure takin? care i«f lier. (Imc her a couple of da ye before vim nut her on tap—this i« a thirsty "hip!" Then, wafted on a gentle Mediterranean hreeze, we heard Miranda. What «lie «aid sounded like a nasal "Sez ynu!" Perhaps she wn« thinking about the I'iV-Min. Fortunately his reply wa* drowned by the < - lan<» of the engine telegraph as the oil man swung it to "Full steam ahead."