TEACH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 54

TEACH.

THE NOVELIST. [Published by Special Abbansbmsnt.]

By C. J. Cctcliffe Hyne. (Copyright, 1919, in the "United States, by C. J. Cutcliffe Hyne.) XII.—THE RESETTER. (Continued.) "What are you going to do to that Scotchman?" Mary Arncliffe inquired. "He isn't a Scotchman. But I'm going to hang him, and then ring up his friends and tell them to think again. They don't value him, or they wouldn't have sent him. And the episode will brighten their wits. They're "keen enough to trade." "It seems unpleasant for Mr* Gregor M'Gregor. You'll have all the Scotch against you, and that means influence all over the world. They don't object to hanging one of their own clansmen, but they strongly object to a foreigner doing it for them." . ■ "Eactly. I've thought of that. And Gregor M'Gregor doesn't count, because he isn't a Soot any more than you are. In fact, he's a neighbour of yours. Name of Murgatroyd." "What, a Skipton man?" "No, he hails from Huddersfield. I meant he was a Yorkshireman. A JewYorkshireman. He was of t military age, and he shirked service to stay at home and make money. Had a few score acres of moorland sheep farm, and he got exemption through that." ."Are you sure? He doesn't look a bit like a farmer. "He isn't. He's a partner in a woollen concern that made pots of money out of war conditions. And not content with that, he sat on local tribvmals and sent other men to do what he was too big a coward to do himself, and that's shoulder a gun and fight. Yes, I shall enjoy seeing Pickles hang Mr M'Gregor—Murgatroyd." Mary Arncliffe shrugged her shoulders. "Well, if that's his history I've no taste for him myself. But it hardly becomes you to be his judge. You sailed ships and took risks, I know, during the war. But I never heard you fought." The Pirate laughed unpleasantly. "As, of course, you're going to marry me sooner or later, my dear, I'd better ladle out a bit of biography. I'd been in the Royal Na'val Reserve since 1909, and when the war began in 1914, of course, joined up automatically. You know what a muddle it all was to start with. They gave me a billet as Number One on a thing they called an examination -ship. She was an old Clyde sidewheeler, and I was proud of h*r as though sha had been the Queen Elizabeth. We'd an armament of a dozen rifles, and 'an antiquated popgun that Drake probably used against the Armada. My aunt! how we used to drill with them!"

"The skipper was a dear old v thing of about ninety, an Admiral with seventeen letters after his name. He may have { understood our orders, but I'm hanged if anybody else on board did. As I read I them, they said we had to. stop every ship carrying stuff into a German port—except ' those that wanted to go through. Lord ! that old Admiral! I was his Number Onn. as I've told you, and he seemed to think i that the R.N.R. were a slack lot anyway. But I never knew what spit and polish meant till he'd had the handling of me. Full of fight he was too. He'd have scrapped with the Seydlitz if she'd come within range of us, and danced at the | chance. But gout in the tummy laid him out at the critical time, and when my chance came he was on his back in a cot wandering where he would die." I <l So you were in command?" I "I was, very thoroughly. I came across a big neutral, cotton laden, for Hamburg. I told her to turn round and go home. Phe* said she wouldn't, and quoted law at me. I slammed at her with Drake's pop- ' g\m, and, as that didn't do any good, 1 just rammed her It made a mess of my bows all right, but we sank Mr Neutral in style We even went so far as to salve his crew, in proper navy style. But my aunt! You should have heard the song they made about it when we got in. Courtmartial bright and early for the poor old Admiral and me. They let him off with

'dismissed ship.' They cashiered me before you could think. To give them their due, they were really curious as to why I should have done it, and asked me if I'd any defence to offer. I said I thought we were at -war, and that if I'd let the Huns have that shipload of cotton to make into explosives to kill our men. and.hadn't the grace to shoot myself for doing it, I certainly ought to have been put to the heavy death when 1 got back. But they didn't see it; we weren't properly at war early on you'll remember, because some of our politicians had been squared; and, as I say, they broke me, and seemed' surprised I felt annoyed." "What an abominable shame !"

"You're always rubbing it into me that I'm a vain man, Mary. Anyway, I am vain enough to think that if I'd stayed on in the Navy I'd have brought off something big. I'm not the sort, to get killed; and I'm not the man to get held up by politicians' red tape. I'd have made that sleepy navy win the war by the end of the second year. As it is, I've switched off on to another line of activity, which is not in such pleasant limelight. So that's that. Now then, what about tea? Here's the .steward semaphoring 'toast getting cold,' with his swivel eye."

"Shall I send a cup down to the Yorkshire Scott?" Mary asked a few minutes later.

"Certainly, if you like." "I will, then. As a shirker he doesn't interest me, and if it amuses you to hang him, by all means do i!;. But isn't it rather a waste? Yuu've all those steamers bobbing up and down and curtseying to one another, and waiting for a ransom. You know you've told me that's what you planned. Well, you can't expect the ordinary merchant to step out of his groove and negotiate for them. They may be a Cryptol Syndicate or-they mayn't. I know nothing about that. But Mr Shirker's the first person who's come along with an offer of any sort or size. Here's a chance to realise'. You don't want" to be an outlaw for ever."

"Do you want» to get ashore and settles, down?" the ph-ate asked significantly. Mary felt her cheek flush. "If you mean am I sick of this hiding about the sea, the answer is in the affirmative." "You shall have your wish, then, and Murgatroyd (which is Mr Mac's real name) shall miss his hanging. Perhaps after all oash in hand is better than our floating securities. But I must rub home the man's scare Ah, Mr Pickles. Half a minute."

"Sir!" said that octogamist. ". "You remember that engaging picture, The Burglars of Calais, you pinched from the Norwegian boat?" "Yes, sir. • I sent it to my dear little wife in Plymouth." "I wish you to rig the prisoner as the burglars were rigged, and bring him up here for sentence. Carry on." "Very good, sir." So presently Mr M'Gregor Murgatroyd was haled' before the pirate chief,' with hands fastened behind his back, a hangman's noose around his neck, and a solid scare painted upon his drawn white face. "Oh, it's you, is it," said Teach, "standing between me and the sun? Well, good-bye. . I'm afraid you are for the coals. Shirkers go there. Hope you don't find them too hot."

"Aga—aga—aga—" said the prisoner. "If you would buck up and offer to do something useful for once in your life," said Miss Arncliffe, tartly, "you might still save that wretched skin you've been so careful about. If you want a valuebasis to work from over these ships you're worrying about, take the sums they are insured for. ~ I guess thev're all covered for pretty well exact value these days. Now, what could be simpler?". "Aga—aga—l—-excuse me; got a bit of chill—aga—very identical nroposal I wish to submit, if aga—aga —aga—" "Pull yourself together, Mr Murgotroyd. You've proved at home you are less than a man, but do ,try - and show here yoi are something more than a monkey. If Admiral Teach sells you the fleet he's captured, what are .you going to do with it?" '■■■

"Peddle the ships to China and Japan. We've buyers already, fixed up. Those fellows can change a steamboat so its own builders won't know it in half a month. But—but—aga—iaga—bunkers and grub are the main difficulties I have to arrange, but I am sure Admiral Teach, with his wonderful resourcefulness, will have a scheme for those. Tell me where your pirate harbour is, and.l oan reckon out distances and full expenditure." Teach distinctly preened. Miss Arncliffe frowned at him. "He's captured an oiler and enough loaded colliers to carry the rest round the world and bacK again. Never mind about where the harbour is for the present. You'll be told about that in due time. As regards food, three of the ships are full of refrigerated meat. Now get to the main point. How are you going to pay? I'm sure you've that part of the scheme cut and dried. Money comes with you before ordinary decency, doesn't it, Mr Murgatroyd?" The man was stung to retort. "If you're referring to my keeping out of the war, I may tell you I sent my brother, and that seemed to be adequate Besides, they didn't appear inclined to offer me a commission after the conscription had come on, and you couldn't expect me to go as a private, now, could you? t aga—aga —" Teach was pointing with a steadv finger. Mr Murgatroyd's knees twittered, and again speech failed him. "And you, you worm, bragged in New York to William Arncliffe that you would bring back his daughter to him out of the Pirate's clutches. I supose that also was a business deal. I couldn't imagine you doing anything except for money. Come now. How much were you to get out of it? . Well, as regards the ships, you'll stay here with the rope handy to your neck as a guarantee that the deal _ is carried through without trap. Knowing how you value your own skin, I fancy that will be an adequate insurance for

mine. In the meantime I propose to to hear from you in full detail how you propose to take Miss Arncliffe out of my piratical clutches and hand her over to her father."

"Aga—aga—aga—" said Murgatroyd. j "Aga—aga—seaplane—aga—man's dress — aga—aga —" "Curse it," snarled the Pirate. "The , fellow's fainted. Well, Mary, I think/ you'll grant you're safer with me than with a knight-errant of that calibre, j Gallant fellow, isn't he?" "Pough! Fancy Father sending a thing like that to help me I But' he was funny | about your private pirate's harbour, wasn't he?" j "He was genuine enough there. He hasn't an idea where it is. We've kept that secret thoroughly at any rate, Mary, my dear." "3111.—MISS ARNCLIFFE TRANSHIPS. The day's sensation on board the Littondale was the announcement by Mr William Pickles, the gunner, that his entire stock of parrots was for immediate sale. Mr Pickles was a notable trainer of parrots. "Birds and women," said his admirers of the navy's lower deck, "William could "do anything with"; and in proof they called to witness his eight marriage certificates, and his long list of prize winners at the talking parrot show. William's own modest explanation of these feats was that he took pains. He entirely denied that he'd "a way" with him. "Steady industry," said William in true copybook "style, "would tame the most refractory woman or parrot that ever wore feathers. It was by no means all done by kindness." Not that he suggested unkindness for one moment. That only made them stubborn, and put things back. "Make up your mind to it," counselled William, "set down to it steady, and you'll never have a failure with either, though I do admit that those grey birds you get from that merchant with the frilled ears who comes out of the Gambia can be very stubborn." ■ /.The parrots had been originally looted from the unfortunate S.S. Senegal, which the Littondale captured between Sierra Leone and the islands on her homeward trip.- (She'd H.E. the Governor of the Ivory Coast on board, it will be remem- | bered, a man who ought to have provided a ri6h ransom and didn't)! Each bird was housed in its own proper green-painted gin I case which William had stencilled Kate, ' Gladys, Agnernass, Ermyntrude, and so on, to avoid possibility of mistakes. They resided on the top of the after gun house, and Admiral Teach admitted that they were of distinct value to the ship as camouflage. Instructional classes were held whenever William was off duty, and felt that way' inclined, and it must be "admitted that the pupils made marvellous progress. William : certainly "had a way with him," thaugh ! he would not own up to it. Of course some of the fowls were high in the class, and some low. Florrie, for instance, was preternaturally sharp, but soon forgot things. The thoughts of Gladys were always running astray to her beak, which was afflicted with a white powder. (Alas, how like her dear namesake in Devonport!) Ermyntrude was vain and could only be managed by flattery., Jane Emma was slow, but never forgot anything _ once learned. "Good old Jane Emma," the gunner always called her, and reminded her that it was steady and true as kept a man's best affections. But they all progressed in their education. The Littondale's people marvelled at the rate of their 'progress. Perhaps I ought not to have used the word "classes,"" as the instruction given by Mr William Pickles was, half of it, entirely individual. All the birds were taught to repeat; the phrases "Sweet William," "True William," and "I love -William only," but after that they specialised. The flashy Florry could rattle off "No lass in all the world like Fil-orry," quite correctly three Itimes out of four. Gladys, with her flighty intellect stuck to "Darling Gladys," when she felt so inclined. But the''homely-looking fowl, with her tail in" a perpetual moult, could always be relied upon for an emphatic "Good old Jane Emma." Mr Pickles took a lot of trouble over this particular member of his troupe. ./.■■•' But as Satan entered elsewhere to the oonfusion of industry and order, so did the Littondale's bibulous chief engineer, M'Dow, intrude into the.aviary on the top of the after gun house. As an austere Wee Free, M'Dow looked upon octrigamy 1 with black disfavour, and in his cold cal- | culating way set about to frustrate Mr Pickles knavish tricks with scientific skill. He had been an old west coast trader, 1 M'Dow, till even the African climate got too warm for him, and had made no small part of his year's income in training parrots, and thereafter selling them 00 the dealers in Liverpool and the Ratcliffe So when Mr Pickles was below in his bunk, M'Dow made it his duty (when ship's business permitted) to be on top side with the parrots. . You perhaps jump to the ides, that M'Dow taught the creatures to swear, having in mind his own elaborate equipment of profanity. But he did not do this. Instead, he drilled the Florry bird to murmur "Sweetheart. Gladys," and ~tho Gladys fowl to chuckle "Watch .me kiss my Ermyntrude," with an osculatory sound illustrative of that sentiment. And so on. M'Dow had a neat and pawky humour packed away in his vinous recesses. The result soaked in upon Mr Pickles by slow degrees, but once he had grasped it he saw that a dispersal of his collection was the only course. It is difficult perhaps to teach a parrot anything, but once the bird has learned, nothing short of wringing its neck will prevent an exhibition of its knowledge at those exact moments when a more tactful fowl would preserve a knowing silence. As a social event the sale was an immense success, but its financial results were disappointing. It appeared that the much be-diamonded Mr Evan Evans, the mate,

was also a parrot-fancier, and look yon, these birde were bi-lingual. Well, there was no getting over that. Mr Pickles spoke the tongue of glorious Devon, and gave the fullest and broadest value to his vowels. To hear Agnerness, for example, prate about her William, you could have sworn she had never been nearer West Africa than Portsmouth dockyard. Butwhen she got on her lamentale remark about Sweethairt Glardys you could almost smell the whisky on the accent. If I j personally had been a buyer, I do not think this detail would, have affected my ; bid. But you know the austerity of the higher branches of the fancy. Mr Evans i gave a wave- of stout fingers, each begemmed to the knuckle, that meant finality. "Impossible for the show bench," I was his expert verdict. And so the collection -went at break-up prices, which, as the proprietor grimly remarked, would be so much the worse one of these davs for eight poor little widows. Now I bring this somewhat light episode into an otherwise serious history because a good deal hinged upon it. | Everyday life on the Littondale was undoubtedly dull. Captures, chases, retreats and fights are not the prevailing •rule with pirates. They are the glittering exceptions. And between whiles crews are wondering if they will ever be able to realise on their stored loot and live j ashore in splendour ever afterwards, according to promise, or if that detestable .hanging will come along first. One reads of the roaring drunken times the picaroons of old enjoyed in the days of Teach the First. .' But under his great grandson's rule, where a man had to be practically a teetotaller, or go overboard, the Littondale's pirates were anything but jolly fellows—between excitements, that is. , | So when Mr Pickle's auction came along all hands set to work and from it what gaiety they could. The Littondale, with fires banked, was buttocking sullenly over weed-hung swells, awaiting a ship which was due to' cross that particular steam lane in two days' time. A warm sea mist enveloped her up to the cross-trees* Even the waterlogged wreck of her latest victim, a nitrate-laden barque that refused to sink, was out of sight, although they knew her to be only half a mile away. The men sweated with the heat, and with nothing .to do would have brooded and grumbled. So Admiral Teach welcomed Mr Pickle's interlude, and did his best to make it lively. Mary Arncliffe, in her desperation, seized the opportunity On the nitrate barque, for reasons of his own which T have never learnt, there voyaged one Julio Andorr.e, Priest of the Roman Faith. At least he said he was and dressed as such, though to the extreme of grime - and shabbiness, and passed muster with that merciless cross-examiner, Edward Teach. He may have been a dubious specimen, but there was no other padxeMn sight, and Teach wanted one. So the man was transhipped to the Littondale, instructed to wash ' deeply and thoroughly, and given linen. Mary Arncliffe was notified • of his arrival, and of the cleansing operations that were in progress. I "And now, my dear," the Pirate concluded, "I am sick of dilly-dally. I bought you a ring, months ago. I have captured you no less than five elaborate wedding trousseaux to pick from, and though I should recommend the Doucet one, I won't impede your choice. I expect to be in action with a South American liner the day after to-morrow, 'about 7.50 a.m. But to-morrow's free. You've from now to then to get ready. I The wedding will take place at 12.50 pro- ' cisely, ship's -time, Deo volente or not. I shall give you a quarter of a million sterling; in British five per cent, war stocK ' as a wedding present to -do whatever you like with. And here are a couple more necklaces to add to your collection' of pearls. You've not done-badly in pearls, Mary, since you've been with me. In spite of those you've chucked away on the I Pahama Cays, I should say you are still • the largest woman pearl-holder oh earth to-day. You'd better go ahead and start on any preparations you've got to make. I'm sure you'll appear as a most sumpi tuous bride. You'd better not come on I deck this afternoon. That octrigamist ! scoundrel, Pickles, is having a sale of I parrot-fowl, and proceedings are apt to be I ribald. Would you like to give me a prenutial. kiss ? No? . All right, then. I'll have six in its place later." j Mary went below shivering and desperate. Marry Teach she would not. She did not deny that the man had been kind to her, and owned his attractions.. i But his trade was horrible, horrible. And, I as she kept on reminding herself, she was j engaged to James Buckden. Besides, the J modern woman in her declined to accept marriage merely as a result of capture. j Down in her state room, with its bunks ' and drawers full of costly clothes, and its cigar boxes full of splendid pearls, she ! sat; pressing her temples for an idea—and j suddenly got one. I Stowed in battens under the deck overI head was an ungainly thing of cork and canvas called a lifebelt. Never so far had J she handled it, in spite of all the hazards the Littondale had pone through. No.v ! she took it from its perch, swung it round her slim figure, and buckled the straps. I It was an uncomely But t meant keeping afloat in any sea without the exertion of swimming or the strain of floating. Well, she would rather drift away into the vacant spaces of the sea and die of cold and hunger and thirst "than that Teach should, get her. She took off the life belt, ran out intd the saloon and up the companion, and peeped out on deck. The auction was in full blast forward, and the whole ship's company were gurgling' and' yelling with laughter. Mr William Pickles never could understand why his simple habit of marry-

ing rather copiously should cause so much merriment amongst men whose ways were more normal and austere. So it can readily be understood why the stout gunner easily held the floor. Mary fetched up her life belt, went aft, found a length of rope, and passed the bight of this round a stay. She got over the rail, gripped botjgparts of the ropes with hands and knees, and lowered herself toward the clear deep sea water. Then she halted, and for a dangerous but full two minutes hung there shivering. A huge jellyfish, a thing as big as a hogshead, of rusty red and livid blue, with pale blue chiffon streamers, 10 feet long, was navigating past the ship's flank, like' some huge gaudy umbrella opening and shutting. Teach was above. She feared him desperately, but not untirthat beautiful dangerous thing had flapped itself out of reach did she dare to venture into the water. , When she did get there, she let go one end of the friendly rope, and pulled it after_ her, so as to leave no trace of descent, and then set herself methodically to kick ahead, away from the Littondale. Now Mary Arncliffe was desperate, but Bhe was by no means bent on drowning or anything like it. Half a mile from the pirate ship the nitrate barque' was still afloat, and likely to remain so. Teach had refused to waste a shell on her. "Let her float," Teach had said. "She'll lure other gulls for me to pick up/' So there she lollopped over the swells, with white and green water running in and out of her scuppers, and offence to the seaman's eyo, and a roosting place for birds. Once in the water and away from th 3 Littondale, with the warm damp mist comfortably shielding her, Mary slipped off her hampering skirt. As the life belt had plenty of floating power, she tucked this inside for future use, being a''young woman, who, in spite of \ W.A.A.C. training, still scorned lonely breeches for everyday wear, however dashing might be their cut. 'But lack of the skTrt distinctly improved her swimming speed. From the Littondale's deck one could s.ee the derelict, but Mary had taken a rough bearing before the mist came down, and by keeping her heels to the steamer's counter, was able to pick up the loom of the barque before she swam the pirate ship out of sight. She was by no means lonely in the sea. . Bubbly yellow weed floated in neat gardens on the ice-clear water, and fish swam in it, and came to inspect her. They were unpleasantly friendly fish, many of them, and of a sturdy' size. Mary hoped there were no sharks about, and kent a scared eye roving for dorsal fins. Sea fowls also planed down out of the blue above the mist to inspect her, but for the most part swung upwards again out of sight. Two bin: gulls. However, slid into the water anH paddled alongside in convoy. Mary disliked their beaks, which were hooked like Admiral Teach's predatory nose. (To be Continued.)