A MATTER OF SALVAGE.

NZ Truth, Issue 82, 12 January 1907, Page 7

A MATTER OF SALVAGE.

(By Herbert C. Kent, Author of " The Order of Release," " Naw Chum," Etc, Et«.) ' I'll write untroubled by cultured fools, Or the dense that fume and fret ; For against the wisdom of all their schools, I would stake mine instinct yet. - ;J?or the cynical strain m the writer's song, . . \ = Is the world, not' he, 1 fo blame;- ■ . And I'll write as I think m the knowledge strong, That thousands think the same. - — HENBY LAWSON. .

CHAPTER VII

KIDNAPPED-OUTWARD BOUNDTHE "SWAN" CHANGES HER COURSE. , >Vhen Harry left the shipowner's office he was m a state of bitter imagination. He had never calculated on his story being disbelieved ; on the contrary, knowing that he had such a "good thing on," he had thought that any sensible person possessed of the necessary, capital would have "jumped aft it." Although he was a good seaman, he was but an indifferent landsman, and, like most of his class, had no talent for business of any kind. Having left home when very young he had risen m his profession much quicker' than the average seaman, and, although only ,25. years of age, he already possessed a „'masn .ter-: mariner's"- certificate.' The cares and studies of his own calling having been < quite sufficient to occupy the whole of his time, he never had occasion to come into contact wish "land aharks" m any form, consequently he was much easier snapped up. and swallowed than an ordinary landsman would have been,.

After leaving Fraser Island with the police he had been befriended by bhe • good-natured post-master at Maryborough, who had provided him with a passage to Sydney, and lent him sufficient money to go on with, and it was upon this, sum that he was now living' at the "Sailors' Home." On the passage down he had made guarded inquiries with the result that he 'was advised to call upon "Messrs Crowther and Bray," who were, he was informed, a reliable firm of shipowners, and he had done so with thg result we have ..already seen.

To recover his equanimity Harry walked into the Domain, and seating himself on the grass, thought matters over seriously. Having come tp no satisfactory conclusion, and as it was now getting dark, he left the park and walked towards Circular Quay, with the intention of going to the Sailors' Home, where' he was "puttin^ up." ' ,'.' V '. ■'•-

He was just about to cross the tram-line at the foot of Pitt-street, when a sailor-like looking man accosted him, and asked -the time. Harry replied that he had no watch as he. had lost it m- a shipwreck, and added that if the stranger -would walk about half a dozen steps he could see the clock on the Custom H ousel '■■•. "Oh, indeed, I was not awarethere was a clock so near. I don't' know much about Sydney, as I only arrived this morning. I was wrecked myself once, so I can sympathise with you." "Was it , on this coast ?" "No, on the coast of India, at Madras. Fourteen ships of us drove ashoredn.a cyclone.".. .. v This was enough to start 'a'conver- • sation, for sailors aro gregarious animals, and lpve their kind. • "■■■ So the two new acquaintances adjourned to the "Twig and Thistle," t 0 have, a Yarn, and a "glass oori r grog,' 1 and were soon engaged m an animated discussion on the merits and demerits of "Cunningham's Patent Reefing Tops'ls." The argument was, of course, 01 an exceedingly dry nature, and sundry glasses of "Somebody's double-barrelled snake juice" had to be filled and emptied "on the strength of it." During the heat of the argument two rough-looking; individuals entered the bar parlor, and after calling for "summat short," sat down and entered into the*- controversy— which, at times, became rather heated. It was «now quite dark, and few passers-by could be seen m the street; the rain, which had held off all the afternoon, was „ falling heavily, and the drip, dripping could be heard by the four men who sat S'filling 'em up" again and again. "I think it's about a fair thing to start for home, Jack," said one of the latest arrivals, as he looked out into the lamp-lit, cheerless street: "Is he there, Jim?" asked the one called Jack m a whisper. The other nodded, and Jack quietly passed the nod on to the first man, who had been "shipwrecked at Madras," and who now was m the middle of a discourse on "pea soup and maggoty biscuit," to which Harry was listening intently and occasionally interjecting, "That's, so," Jack walked up to the -counter and knocked it with his clenched fist, unon which : a sleepy-looking barman who had been dosing m a chair, strolled up and placing some' empty glasses on the bar, inquired m an injured tone— "What's it to be ?" "Mine's a drop o' rum. Now, blokes, give it a name." "Rum, me," said Jim, without hesitation. , , . , Harry protested that' he had had enough, but was overruled by the reminder that, "when one gent, had a drink with another, t'other gent, was bound, to have a drink w,ith the one. That is, of course, if t'other gent, was a gent." This style of putting the matter was unanswerable, so our hero ventured on a "Tommy Dodd," while the fourth "didn't care if he did have just a suspicion of Old Tom." Jack paid for the drinks and handed tbem round. If an^ close observer had been present, he might have seen that worthy drop a pinch of white powder into the "Tommy Dodd" at the moment it left the barman's hand. "Well, chaps, here's lack," aad a glass of rum was poured into a capacious sink. The others followed suit; then, strange to say. they all sat down again, having evidently forgotten all about going home. Jim commenced, slowly, and deliberately, to light his pipe, and then took a long look at Harry, who was w leaning forward on the table with his head resting on his folded arms, m a deep stupor. r , "All right, now. Gather ; round, and lay him out to the cab." And the three "crimps," for that is what ikey *we, sn&potW , the sehuelees

man t and half dragged, and half carried 'Mm, outside to where a cab was waiting. He was soon rammed m, and Jack and Jim followed, shutting the door behind them, while the other man mounted the box with the driver. "Where's she laying?" asked the cabman. "She anchored off Darling Point. Drive to Rushcutter Bay ; the boat's near the baths." "All right," said cabby. "It's a big risk I'm a runnin' of. Mind yer, it's a bleedin' quid. Not a penny less." "All right. Deft her go." "No, it ain't egsackly rip;ht yet. I'll just collect my fare m adwance. ' ' "Here you are, then," and the "boss crimp" handed the cabdriver a sovereign, upon which . he . deliberately descended from his sga,s, ..and.,, welkins ■ into 'the"' Vp'uibiic " f requested change, which, having received, and carefully counted, he mounted the hox again, and, "slogging into his fiery Arab, "the vehicle started. "It's orl right," he explained to his fare. "There ain't no manner o' doubt about that ;, but when I gets 'old on a * quid 6y a dark night, I alters takes ther liiberty ov testin' it. If it does 'appen to be a crook un, I passes tbter loss on to them as can afford :it."; . : -.-. .-..-.■ - '>: The other man did not answer, but he no doubt thought that a great deal of valuable time had been wasted ; but as "cabby" was to a-' very great extent master of the situation, it could not be helped. No further words were spoken until the cab pulled up at its destination, when tfie stupified man was dragged out into the road. Without wasting a word or a moment, the cabman drove away. "By golly, it's dark," said Jack. - "Yes ! And this • bloke's cursed heavy." added Jim.- '•' • "Pick him up. Pack him up and nut him m .the boat.. Of course it's dark, and of course he's heavy, or you wouldn't get a. 'fiver' for the iob," said^th^ boss. ":.'. ■•> .■■}■ '.'.'. So they, bundled poor Harry into a boat which was moored under the wall, and the three men got m, Jack and Jim each taking an oar, jvhile the other steered. After a "quarter of an hour's hard pulling they arrived alongside the "Swan," a large sailing shin, which lay at anphor. Here they were evidently expected, for a "bosun's chair" was immediately lowered. Into" thjs .the.-yic.Min. .was secure--1- lashed and hauled' on deck. He was then '' tl-rajM&d into 'the "sail locker, 'and dumped on to the floor, and the door carefully shut.

The three. . men then returned to the gangway,.- and the two- subordinates descended into the boat, while the "boss" entered into conversation with the ."skipper" of the ship.

"Sure he's the right man ?". asked the. Tatter.- .■■>•• „ . , ;.■,.,., "Oh, yes. He's alright. I'm afraid that stupid lout of mine gave him an overdose, but it won't dp any harm." "I don't care as long as there's no mistake; \ You know you. fellows once collared a member, of Parliament, and shipped him to Callao:" '■'It. was his^owns- fault," said the crimp man injured tone. "What the dickens did tie get drunk for, and stow himself under a tarpaulin at Circular Quay? They couldn't, have made more fuss : about it if he'd .been a bloomin' bishop."*

The captain chuckled. No doubt something tickled his fancy, for he bad been m many, countries, a«id seen some queer things.

"When do you get under weigh, captaia?"

"Any time, now. The pilot's aboatd and .we're ''hove short, 1 just waiting for the tug. Tell Bray it's all right. Good-night. " '„ , "Good-night." . The man dropped into the boat and was pulled ashore, while the .captain turned and paced the deck, muttering, "I don't like these jobs, d— me if I do, but I've got one consolation, anyhow. < I shan't see Bray's ugly face for six months."

When day broke the good ship "Swan" was well out to sea, under full sail "dancing along" eight knots an hour on a "taut -bow-line," with her head pointing apout South-east.

About 8 o'clock the captain came on deck, and after taking a keen look "alow and aloft" he inquired of the chief mate, who was standing near the helmsman —

"Are the crew all-right, Mr Gay ? No soldiers among 'em."

"All right, sir, except that we're one A.B. short, and the watch feel it."

"Oh, ,no ; we're not. I shipped a man last .night, while you were 'heaving short.' Grogan, the hoarding master brought him aboard, as dlrunk as Abraham's cow." '

"That's better. I thought Mr Bray was retrenching again. I believe that man 'u'd send a ship to sea with no crew but the bosun's whistle, if the law would allow him."

"H'm, yes, the firm cut things pretty fine. You had better rouse that young fellow up. We shoved him m the deck-house among the sails. Send him aft here."

Harry had just come to his senses, with a "head o n him like a bucket, and a tongue like a blacksmith's rasp.'J and, as he gathered his scattered wits together he began to realise that he was m a strange place. There was no mistaking the heaving of the ship, or the noise made by the waves as they daa 3d up agains-t the side. He was at ea, all right, right, but how did he get there, and

At that moment Mr Gay pushed the door open, and entered.

"Come on, my lad, tumble out n n deck, and go aft. The 'old man* wants to see you."

"Where am I?" asked Harry, m amazement.

"You're aboard the Swan, bound to 'Frisco. That's where you are. So' pet out of this and 'do as I - tell von.". '

.•"All 'right, I'll come and see the skipper; perhaps lie can explain." aettittK oft bis feet with some diffi-

culty, Harry shock himself, and, putting on his hat, walked unsteadily aft.

"Shanghaied, by the Great Horsa Swnon," said t<he mate, with a, grin, as he fastened the door. Then, turning on hw heel, he too walked aft.

"Well, how do you feel this morning:?" asked Captain Bester. "Pit to go to work, eh ?"-...

"How did I Ret here? That's what I want to know. I never sifted on m this ship, or any other."

"You were brought aboard by Grogan, the boarding-master, who said you were willing to sign for the round trip, to 'Frisco and back, and I paid him one month's advance out of your wages. Of course, if you're not willing to sign, I'll just put you m irons, and keep you there for stowing away. You've got your choice. Which is *t to be ?"

There was no help for it. Harry saw through the business at once, and knew perfectly well that this was the usual method for getting a crew for a ship which was so notoriously bad that men would not join her of their own free will. As a rule the men so kidnapped signed the articles and made the best of it, until they got a chance to desert, which, generally occurred at the first port of call. The reader will see that this is a cheap way of Retting seamen, as they are only paid off "at the final port of discharge."

It must be owned that there are very few firms who carry on this dastardly system. The great majority■p&i- Australian shipowners -tf «*a?fr meti "fair and square' 1 : (the " labor unions look after that)';, still there are black sheep among them, and kidnapping is carried on (principally among deep-water vessels) to a degree that would astonish people who are not "m the know."

Harry knew just a little too much to allow himself to he disposed of "like a .bag of salt," but still he was quite aware that Captain Bester could punish- him as a stowaway, as there was not a single person who had witnessed his arrival, for the "whip" with which he' had been'hauled on board, was manned by the crimps. ■ So he said lie would work his passage, and sign the "articles"' m- San' Francisco.

"If you don't sign now you'll get no wages for this half of the trip," said the skipper. Harry knew perfectly well that he would get no wages, anyhow ; the only difference it would make -would be, if he signed, the captain would niark him off as having received his wages when he left m San Francisco, and, of course, pocket them himself, whereas, if he stuck out and refused, the skipper would be done out of his perquisite. "I'm a good -seaman, . and I'll work ■ray passage, but I don't sign away mv rights and liberty Mice that. As it stands now, I'm free to leave the ship at the "next port, but if I. put my pen to those articles, I can't. Of course, with regard to wapjes, I shall never see a penny piece, I'm quite satisfied about that."

"Get down on deck, or I'll kick the stuffing out of you," shouted the skipper, and he stepped forward as though to put his threat into execution.

By this time the whole of the ship's crew were m "the waist" listening to the squabble, and no doubt wondering what would l>e the end of it.

.•"Look here, captain"— Harry stood firm, and pointed his right forefinger to the skipper's face— "if you put one finger on me, I'll snap you m two like a carrot, and throw the pieces overboard. I've been kidnapped here, and you've had a hand m it. Mark m^ words, I'll make you pay. You've got the wrong pig by the tail for once." ' . - The captain looked from Harry to the crew, and then towards his officers, and seeing no sign of sympathy m any direction, contented himself by ordering the kidnapped sailor "forrard."

*The writer once sailed from San Francisco to' Bristol with four "shanghaied" men on hoard. When they came too, and tackled work, they "panned out" thus— one sailor, one cab-driver, one cabinet-maker, and & blind musician. Many years ago an enterrtrisine boarding master at Newcastle, N.S.W., shanghaied a R.C. priest, but he was put ashore with the pilot— being considered unlucky. (To be continued.!!)!