Copyright Story. In the Matter of a Derelict.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 15, 13 April 1910, Page 55

Copyright Story. In the Matter of a Derelict.

By

CAPTAIN F. H. SHAW.

THE “Uriah B. Juggins” had made two uneventful voyages, and already Captain Jinks was surfeited with ennui.

“A dog's life, that’s what it is in my opinion,” he observed nastily to his mate, who was trimming a pet corn with the bo ! sun’s sheath-knife. “Eat, work and sleep, that’s all there is to do. No romance, no change, no nothin’.” Mr. Thomas sliced off about a square inch of his second toe, because of the vigorous stamp that Jinks gave on the coaly deck. When the mate got aft to the poop again—Jinks thought he was going to break off the bowsprit by the way he clung to it and yelled—the captain had grown purple in the face with simple joy. Thomas was merely crimson with anything but happiness. “There’ll be somethin’ mighty startlin’ happenin’ soon!” yelled the mate, hobbling about on one foot, and nursing the damaged member tenderly. “S’pose I bleed to death 1” “I’ve heard it's a painless way,” retorted Jinks sympathetically. “And a new mate might liven things up a bit. Goodness knows they need it. You’ve got no sense of humour, you ’aven’t.” “Oh, ’aven’t I? Anyway, I don’t make a blame’ Lotharier of myself over every pettieut what shows in the oilin’. I’m ’uniorist enough for that.” "Well, when I finds the piece of skin you've sliced off’n your toe,” said Jinks, with a broad smile, “I’ll keep it. My sea-boots need new soles, any’ow.” Thomas had nothing to say at the moment, and went forward, with his very eyes bristling. Happening to discover the boy asking the eook if he wanted a new cover for the coal bunker, because he’d just found the sliced-off corn, Thomas vented his ill humour on that youthful trader and then leaned sulkily over the for’ard bulwarks, trying to think of the sharp answers he might have made to the. skipper if he’d only remembered them in time. He thought about so many that his good-nature returned, and when he found the cook boiling a pair of pants lie asked him facetiously if he was running short- of meat for the soup for the crew. The cook looked on him out of steam-filled eyes, and said he d never run short of meat- so long as there was so much dashed cheek going about. Therefore Thomas went aft, and squinted at the barometer. “You was talkin’ about monotony,” he said after an hour to Jinks. He cast an uneasy eve at the weather as he spoke. “Don’t you think there’s a gale cornin’ up from the sou’-west? You won’t complain about sameness then, I reckon.” Now, if there was one thing Captain Jinks hated worse than widows, it was a gale, t hough he had used the sea as boy and man for a matter of thirty-live years, to say nothing of a couple of trips in a steam collier, he had never got over a slight but very efficacious tendency towards seasickness. It was no matter that he ascribed it to piekies and tinned meatseasick he was whenever a storm came On. When he followed the mate's glance and saw the steely glitter that was coming over the sky, and how the piled cloud-masses were shutting out the sun, he put his hand to the pit of his stomach and emitted a low groan. “I ll tell the eook to fry some of that good fat bacon for supper,” said Thomas cruelly. “It'll settle you down comfortably for the night. It’s gain’ to blow like mad, you see if it won’t. I wish I ’adn’t pawned my oilskins to buy beer. If you'd been generous, I'd never have needed to. But then —well, beer’s beer. So you’ll have to keep on deck yourself all night.” “I’ve got a spare suit of oilskins,” said Jinks ingratiatingly. “I intended giving them to you for your birthday. And they aren't bad ones, neither.” "It was my birthday last week,” said Thomas, “so von needn't pretend to be

wot you ain't. Besides, it's the captain's duty to keep on deck when the sea’s rough.”

Jinks was painfully aware that such was the case, but ho loathed the prospect. A gale was a capital thing to talk about,

when a woman’s admiring eyes were glancing timidly at him, and a soft voice was whispering: “I do think sailors are brave men!” but in reality, with wet decks and a howling wind, it was something very unpleasant.

“And, besides,” went on Thomas, “a wettin’ alius gives me toothache. ft takes the best part of a bottle o’ brandy to keep the henemy at bay.” Jinks remembered then that his medicinal brandy had all been used up to placate the cook when that individual had refused to serve a meal on the occasion of a public holiday. Apparently there was nothing for it but to accept the situation, and do the best. Then a solution presented itself. It was almost trivial, but it might work. “Didn’t I hear you saying that the potatoes were all done?” he asked the mate. “We might run into Mudhaven —it’s only forty miles across the shallows, and get some new ones.” “It won’t work,” grimaced Thomas. “There’s six bags of spuds yet. Nasty ones, too,” he said with a reminiscent sniff. “All spots an’ pimples. I did hear the bos’n say that he’d been fed on various things during his time at sea, but never on pig’s meat. But I s’pose you’ll not mind wot the crew says. You’ll 1)0 thinkin’ of them there golden suvrins you’re savin’.” “You mind your own business,” snarled Jinks, to whom the suggestion of meanness was a sore point. It rankled, because he knew at the back of his mind that there was reason in the suggestion. “Well, that’s got nothin’ to do with the gale.” said Thomas, as a merry wavelet frisked over the brigantine’s bow, and hurried aft in a whirl of spray. Jinks wiped the salt out of his eyes, and leaned ruminatively over the side. lie was feeling unwell. Ilis stomach was several sizes too large for his body, and it would

not keep in one place all the time. There was also a weird dizziness in his bead. “Tisn’t as if the Uriah was a seaworthy craft,” said the mate, who was chewing tobacco with callous zest. “She ain’t. She’s a hog in bad weather. But there—that'll only make you uneasy, so I won't say any more about it. Only, I’m glad I can swim. By the way, did you notice ’ow the rats went ashore last time at Limehouse Reach ? Every one of ’em went; but that's only a silly superstition.” He went below, leaving .Jinks to the companionship of his own thoughts, which were not pleasant. For the gallant skipper knew that his ship was not all that could be desired. With the object of hastening the day when he should be able to leave the calling he detested, and settle down in comfort on shore, Jinks had stinted repairs to the craft, and she was now groaning in every timber, and leaking in every seam. The gale was rising, too. Every fresh gust of wind had an added force, and the upper timbers of the brigantine were cracking ominously. Jinks called out the hands, and reduced sail, and then, with his oilskins wrapped closely about him, and feeling miserable in every inch of his body, he set to work to keep harassing thought at bay. But though he tried to think of every little episode in love's lists that had studded his chequered career, he was unable to keep from brooding over the possibilities the night held. The North Sea was getting its back up now. A long succession of foaming, surging waves swept up to the labouring craft, and deluged her from stem to stern in spray. Jinks knew that it was going to be a bad night, but how bad he did not fully realise until the eook came aft. and asked him what he was going to do about it. “About what?” asked the mystified and thoroughly miserable skipper. “Why, abaat this 'ere puff o' wind. I washed my shirt this afternoon, and hung it in front o' the galley lire to dry, an’ here is’t gone and got wet through. An’ it's the only one, too. 1 think you'd letter make for shelter.” But Jinks sent the cook forward to the accompaniment of such phrases as made the man of pots ami pans stare, and caused him to take down a grimy notebook and the stub of a pencil, with which he entered the skipper's observations for further use. The night shut down on tin' foaming, seething water. Fierce gusts of slatting

According to most bachelors, babies ought to be hardened early in life by exposure to the elements and stern treatment generally. The bachelor continues to think thus until he becomes a married man. Then he hauls bis first born with every sort of luxury, and turns hardening theory into indulgent practice.

hail came tearing down out of the aau’west, and they smote the skipper pain-* fully on the face. From the lighted cabin below he could smell the scent of hot cosua brewed in a tomato tin over a Mush lamp, ami. the thought of his mato taking his ease made him wild with rage and envy. “You'd better come on deck, gild not skulk away there like a woman," he yelled, lifting the skylight, just as a vicious spray hurtled over the rail. “Talkin’ alxmt women,’’ said Thomas meditatively, lifting the tin off the lamp with the tail of his coat, ”'ow about that woman at —'ere. wot do you think you're at?’’ He might well have asked, for the spray had descended to the cabin, and had deluged him. The cocoa was the worst sufferer, ami was thrown away in disgust a moment later. “Well," said .links, with some approach to cheerfulness, “I’m not the only uncomfortable man aboard this ship now.’’ From below, through the gusts of the gale, came the sound of Thomas' remarks. He seemed to In* disturbed somewhat. Midnight came, and found the situation unchanged, save that the wind blew still harder. Groaning her protests to the unhandsome treatment that was being shown her. the I’riah B. Juggins swirled through infinite* darkness, and played a game of “Puss, puss, route to my corner,” with herself, as she leaped and kicked to the heel and toe of tin* racing seas. In a well-found craft, with plenty of searoom, there was nothing to cause anv man the slightest apprehension, hut Jinks began to get more and more dismayed as time drove on. Black forms showed up out of the darkness. and presently tin* whole crew of the vessel were mustered on the after deck. “We stood it as long as xve could,*’ growled the bo'sun, “but xve ahi't cold bath maniacs. Once a year's enough for the likes o’ me. and this is < indecent. Besides. I’ve broke my pipe in the dark.’’ Jinks sent them down to the stuffy cabin, and told them to make themselves comfortable in tin 1 mate's berth. But. presently there was the scrambling of heavy feet on the wood, n ladder that led to the cuddy. and Thoma-’ head appeared. Jinks did not see him until he was at his (dhow, and when he spoke the skipper only just saved himself from going overboard by clutching at the boom, which swung him oxer to the other side of the deck an instant later. “She's leakin’ hard," yelled Thomas. “It’s cornin' into nix room. The floor’s covered ail over ami I daresay your rooms worst*. I didn’t look, but I heard things sxvishing about." The men appeared shortly afterwards. Greatly against bis will the bo'sun was sent forward with a sounding rod. to see how much water was in the xvell. and he returned to sax that lie made it eight feet and rising fast. “What shall wr do?" asked Jinks slowly, with fear creeping over him. A voice* from the background suggested, “’Ax in’ a drink to cheer folks up a bit," which remark remained unanswered. It was Thomas who supplied the idea. “We’d 'ave to leave ’er.” he said with emotion. “We’ll ’axe to take to the boats an’ make for the shore. I’m afraid." “You can leave her if you like.” said Jinks manfully, “but I’m captain here, and I’ll stick to the ship." The cabin boy began to whistle “I’ll stick to the ship. Luis." through his teeth, but In* was promptly kicked into the sciq ppers by the mate. I 'ndoubtedly tin* situation was serious in tin* extreme. The gale was not increasing now, an I. indeed, showed signo of diminution, but there was a sodden heave to the brigantine that told of her sorry plight. It was a question whether she would live till morning. “I’ll stay behind," said .links manfully. It was not that he was imbued with any gallant ideas of going down with the ship, but :l there was danger in a brigantine, there was certainly more in a small boat. “No. you won't.” -napped the mate. “ 'Ow'd we got on ashore, without you, do yon think? You’re the only man wot's got any money, an’ we’d look pretty blighters landin' with empty pockets, an' all the pubs shut, too. “Yes, we’ll make yer come with u«,” grumbled the crew from the d irkne««. Jinks went forward despairingly, found the sounding-rod, ami unscrewed the little brass <ap that guarded the w.'l pipe. He islipped the rod down, and drew it up again with bated breath. Then In* carried it gingerly to flu* sidelight. and saw that if marked nine feet of waler in the hold. He made up hte mind swiftly.

“All hands abandon ship,” !c yelled the blackness, and the crew answered with a cheer. The one and only boat that the Uriah ®>. Juggins ’carried, was unlashed and thrown overside. Jinks reckoned they were not more than ten miles from land now, -and considered it was unnecessary to provision the boat with any great care l>ut the crew objected strenuously. They said Hey hadn’t had a decent meal since it he voyage began ami they weren’t going to lose this chance. But half an hour saw the work completed, and with a iremfbling voice Jinks, who held the tiller, gave the word to shove off. The Uriah B. Juggins was left alone to sink at her own sweet will. They rowed on through the nigl t, ami Jinks, desiring to cheer the men at •the oars, began to sing a cheerful song. The bo’sun, who was pulling stroke oar, suddenly laid down his tool, and swore violently. ‘‘What's the matter?” asked Jinks in wonder. ‘‘Ain’t it bad enough to be adrift in a small boat like this ’ere, without bein’ slowly tortured to death?” asked the seaman, ekipper. “Who’s torturing you now?” asked the “W1 y, you are. That voice o’ yours as enough to make a man drown hisself. tthtsides, it gives me a pain in my stummiek.” Jinks shut oil' steam, and the men pulled away in grim silence. It was draw ing on tow n ds winter now, and the day was long in coming. Suddenly a dark shape loomed up ahead, ami Jinks’ heart went into his mouth. ‘‘lt’s a ship,” he cried with a quaver an his voice. ‘“We're saved.” ‘ Never been lost wot I knows on,” said 1 he mate, with mocking emphasis; “leastways, I ’aren't, but I don’t know fi-hout you.” Jinks disdained to reply, and hollowed his hands, through which he bellowed, manfully: ‘‘.Ship ahoy!” Tlwre -was no reply from the mysterious shape ahead of the boat. ‘ Pul! a bit more.” commanded the skipper. “p'raps they haven't heart mo.” ‘‘They’ve got good ears if they ’ave,” Raid the mate. “Why. my mother’s canary could make more noise nor that.” And 1 e too hollowed his hands, and let out a roar that seemed to cow the very gale itself. There was still no answer from the darkness, though now they could make out the dim sheen of a green light above 4 heir heads. Evidently all h inds alboard the craft were asleep or—but there was •no time for surmises. Before they could bad again, the boat was rasping against •the ba rnaele-covered copper of a bi" schooner, wl-ich Hi».ii.ed very low in the. Water. Thomas leached up his hand, and grasped the main chains, lifted his knee li’xgh. and sprang aboard. The men followed him like shadows, while Jinks, brought up the rear. r l he grey day was beginning to break flow, and th<»y looked about them with wondering eys. The schooner wa> under shortened canvas, and looked a.s though

she had experienced rough weather. No one challenged them, however, and Jinks, taking the sidelight from its screen, led the way aft. A lamp burned dimly in the cabin, but that too was deserted. The wheel swung idly to and fro, answering to the kick of the rudder, and—the boat was gone.

“She’s a derelict,” said Jinks, “must have been abandoned too. Well, since the weather’s getting better, we’ll take her into port. She’ll make up for the I riah B.”

Thomas did not answer at the moment. He had opened a loeker in what was evidently the skipper’s room, and was lugging out something that clinked. “They had beer aboard this ship,” he said, “Bass’, too. I wish I’d been mate of ’er. There wouldn’t have been any left for chanee comers.” Jinks watched him while he skilfully knocked oft’ the neck, and drained the contents. “When you’ve finished guzzling like a hog.” he remarked severely, “perhaps you'll attend to your business.” “.My business is to attend to this beer,” said Thomas, finding another bottle and knocking its neck off too. “I ain’t the man to waste ’Evin’s gifts, no, not me.” Jinks left the cabin and went on deck. The men were in the forecastle, investigating the clothes left behind by the departed crew. The bo’sun and the cook were having a hot argument over a pair of trousers, when Jinks put his face in at the door, and the start the two men gave caused the pants to tear in two pieces. Each man was left with a leg in his hand. “We’ll set sail, and get her under weigh,” said the skipper gently. “Then we’ll make for Mudhaven. We ought to get there in an hour and a half or so. The gale’s dying away, so there’s nodanger.” ’The men followed him on deck, and soon the schooner set her wings to the fresh breeze, and leaned over manfully as the helm was put up, and the prow turned in towards the land. Jinks decided to say nothing about his discovery for awhile. Tie had it in mind that he would keep the schooner, paint out her name, and rig her out as a brigantine as soon as he got an opportunity, and thus make up for the loss of his own ship. That would save a lot of unnecessary questioning, and would prove beneficial all round. Therefore the schooner made no disturbance as she slid into the shallows off the river Mud, which leads to the port, of Mudhaven. The vessel was moored in her place, and the crew turned in to get what sleep they could. Jinks flung himself down on the loeker in the cuddy, and dreamed soft dreams of various females, and it was not until early sundown that he aroused himself and went on deck. Tie cast a glance about him, but for the moment there was nothing to be seen. Then his eyes were drawn towards the mouth of the river, and there, stealing gently up with flu* tide, he saw a ship making its way into port. ’There was Something familiar about her, even at that distance. and the skipper’s eyes widened. He watched her breathlessly as she sailed slowly on. towards the eve of the setting

sun, and when she came to an anchor abreast of his schooner, he could restrain himself no longer. “Brigantine ahoy,” he yelled, “what ship’s that ?”

“Blest if I know." said a tall man with whiskers, on the poop. “I found her.”

“She’s mine,” said Jinks. “She’s the Uriah B. Juggins.” “Well, if you go losing ships in that promiscuous way,” said the tall man, “you must expect to see them turning up unexpectedly. Come to think of it, that craft of yours seems familiar to me. What’s her name?”

The crews of both ships were leaning over the rails, passing audible comments on each other’s appearance. They listened to the dialogue with keen interest.

“The Lucy Anne,” said Jinks, after he had glanced over the stern. “Then what are you doing aboard my ship?” roared the big man in a tremendous voice. ‘ ‘What are soiling that ship’s decks for, you red-whiskered fright?”

“I found her too,” said Jinks. “Talking about red whiskers, I’d a jolly sight sooner have them than a face like a street corner on a wet day. It’s worse than that—it’s like a navy’s teacake that’s been trodden on. Yah. that got you!” The big man was gasping with consternation, and made no reply for a moment. Then he walked over to the rail, and got as close to Jinks as he could.

“Look here,” he said mildly, “tell us how it happened.” “My ship got waterlogged,” explained Jinks, “and we abandoned her last night. We found this thing floating about, and as there was no one to claim her for wreckage he brought her into port. Thought she might sell for firewood.” big man. “She’s as dry as a bone.” “This ship isn’t waterlogged,” said the ■big man. She’s as dry as a bone.” “But,” remonstrated Jinks,” she is. I know, because I sounded her. She had nine feet of water in the well.” “Better come aboard,” said the big man solemnly, “and we’ll talk this over ■quietly. “Bring some of my beer with you. because I’m as dry as a bone. This ship’s a Blue Ribboner. ain’t she?” Jinks scrambled on board his own ship, and dragged the mate after him. The big man met him halfway, and held out a hand. Jinks grasped it in a friendly manner. “It wasn’t that,” said the man,“l want that beer.” “Oh, it’s there,” said Jinks, nodding towards Thomas. “I brought it with me,, but I don’t see how you’re going to get it back. He’s a thirsty man, is Thomas.” Thomas leered wildly about him, and hiccoughed slightly. “Ship’sh dry’sii bone,” he said solemnly. The big man looked his disgust, but strove to repress his words. The two captains went ashore in the failing light, and wended their way towards the Spotted Cow. Over a glass of hot rum and water, they came to a. compromise. Each man was to go back to his ship, was to transfer his crew,

and no questions were to be asked. It was a marvellous coincidence that both ships should have been abandoned at the same -time, but it was still more marvellous that each ship’s company should have found the other’s craft. Still, both were in the same boat, and any claim by the one would -be met by a corresponding claim on the part -of the other. So they shook hands over the briganment, and went back aboard the brigantine and the schooner

It was early in the morning that Jinks walked about the deck of his new-ly-recovered craft, and scanned her with proprietary eyes. “But I can’t understand how it was she had nine feet of water in her hold,” he said ruminatively. “That man said she was as dry as a bone, and I believe it, too.”

The bo’sun put his head out of the forecastle, and seeing, the skipper, came towards him on tijtoe.

“I’ve just been remembering,” he said slowly, “we had the fresh water tank shifted last voyage and the pipe that used to lead to the well, leads to to the fresh water. That’s why we got nine feet last night but one.” The truth slowly dawned in Jinks’s mind. Unwittingly, and forgetting the changes that had been made, he had sounded the fresh-water tank. He felt in his pockets. “Here bo’un,” he said tentaively, “I’ve got half a sovereign here that I don’t want. Tell them all that you and I got up early and pumped her- out, will you?” The bo’sun grinn ed in acquiescence