The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

30 when ordered, Lem; just moving it to please himself. Now let me tell you, if a man should ever attempt to dis- obey my orders to the wheel, I'd break every bone in that particular - man's body. oS Saunders--Great cyclones, yes! McCurdy--Somehow, he managed to keep her in the channel alright, and we didn't hit any of the upbound boats. But let me tell you if the old man hadn't been aboard there would have been another man needed at the wheel. As it was, on relieving the watch, I tapped the captain on the shoulder and said: "A word. with you, sir?" Now, Lem, you know what sort of a man Gordon was when he was angry. Why, after telling him what J had seen, I expected to see a dead Canuck floating in the river. But, by the holy Mackinac! he just looks at me kinder soft and sheepish like, and says: "It's alright, Mr. Mate. McDonald ain't a bad fellow." »-.Saundéers--H--m--m, that is queer. ~McCurdy--A couple of years later I shipped with Gordon again. spring we were delayed in fitting. out. Well, sir, by orders from headquarters McDonald was transferred to'one of. the other boats in the line that was - peady to leave. I was, of course, half tickled to death. I thought I was bloody-well rid of the 'cuss. But, blame me, if he didn't get sick just before that other boat. sailed, well again in time to catch us going out. 7 : -~Saunders--Couldn't get rid of him no way,*eh? McCurdy--That fall the old man (with another nod towards the mana- ger) comes along, and says in that dignified way of his'n; says he: "Mr. McDonald, you have .been with us a long time now. You better try for a license. We will need a few mates in the spring." "Don't want no license," says Mc- Donald. "Mr. McDonald," says the old man, sharp like; "a man who has not ambi- tion enough to look for promotion, we do not want in our employ." Saunders (taking his feet off the railing, facing McCurdy and laughing boisterously)--And try it he did; By God, Mac! it was about the funniest thing I ever saw. I was taking an 'examination at the same time. The 'inspector read his papers aloud. There was something about the compass having three hundred and_ sixty-five cardinal points, and the principal one being the zenith. The Chicago pier- light he described as a floating dark- lantern, and located it eight hundred and sixty-five miles north of Duluth. 'narrow channel,' says the brown | phate and he got TAE Marine REVIEW "Hm--m," said the old inspector. "T'would take you a long time to find home, my boy. But, come here, [ll see what you know about the rules of the road." There was a scared look on McDonald's face, which I thought was on account of the mess he had made of it; but I hardly believe that now. "Vou are meeting another boat in a inspector. "By one blast of his whistle the pilot has signified: his intention of passing you to starboard. You have answered him with one blast; but suddenly he changes his mind and blows you two blasts, signifying his intention of tak-~ ing the other side. Now what would you do?" That confounded blockhead sat for quite a while apparently in a study, while we all held our breath expecting something to hap- pen. "Well, well," says the inspector, and I could see him getting warm around the collar. "Remember you are get- ting close together and something will. have to be done in a hurry." "Why, -danin. him!" McDonald blurted 'out, "I'd: run into the frog- eater, and sink him for changing his mind!" Just back of the inspector stood a bronze statue of Atlas, or what- ever you call that fellew who carries the whole world on his shoulders. Well, the old fellow grabbed his atlas- ship by the leg, and it was a lucky thine for McDonald. that. he had reached the door before the inspector let fly. McCurdy--Damn queer cuss, that! Saunders--Seems as if he didn't want 'em, eh Mac? Passed with the highest honors this time, you know. They say he made the inspector admit that he, himself, didn't know the first rudiments of navigation. McCurdy--Queer cuss! that's- all I. can say. Last summer I shipped with Gordon again, Poor berth in that old packet, but a man has to do something, vou know, 1 had- just had that. bad luck with the Arabian, and was glad to get anything. Say, Lem, .did you ever notice what a powerful lot a flock of kids can eat, especially when you are out of a job? Well, there was that cuss of a McDonald still at the wheel. It was getting on to'ards fall; and we were packed with tourists from the east on their way home; some of them slept among the freight. Mc- Donald had been complaining for some time about not feeling well. I, with an eye to getting rid of the lubber, advised him to go to the hospital. "Oh, he'll be alright in a day or two," says Capt. Gordon, "Alright, sir," and says I, then I added, "if you are determined to carry him, it is none of my business." Well, by the time we reached lake Erie he was worse. In the evening, while taking my stroll fonward, I heard a commotion in the wheelhouse. There he was on the floor. The fever had him. And, Lem, I hope to never pull another bell, if the captain wasn't try- ing to stand him on his feet, and tell- ing me that h'd be alright again in a minute. . Saunders--Great don't suppose--? © McCurdy--lI don't suppose anything, Lem, It had gone as far as I could stand it. I had the sick man carried aft; and put a deckhand, who said he had had some experience, at the wheel. Somehow, I couldn't go to sleep that watch, something was bothering me. Scott; Mac! You When we left Chicago the youngest of » my kids was down with the scarlet fever. It seemed as if I could hear the little fellow crying for me to walk the floor with him. At ten o'clock I gave up the attempt to sleep,. lit my pipe and took @ wale on deck., And, "Lem, there I saw a sight which I hope never to see again as long as I live. Across our bow, not over five hundred feet ahead lay a big steel collier; and the Pioneer was going full tilt, dead smack into her red light. . Capt. Gordon was walking up and down the bridge as unconcerned as if there wasn't an- other boat within a hundred miles of us. "God Almighty, man!" I shouted at him. Then to the man at the wheel: "Hard a starboard, you son of a sea- cook!" I guess the engineers must have thought the old boy himself had got into the engine room signals the way I worked them. (The manager moves uneasy in his chair, and takes his handkerchief from his pocket.) Saunders--My God, Mac! it now, you've heard--? McCurdy--lI've - heard nothing, I was right there, and it was the nar- rowest escape [I ever had. But, we were lucky, we lost nothing except a few fenders and a coat of paint on the starboard side. Now, Lem, I'm a man who*knows the value of proper re- spect for your superior officer; -- but, let me tell you, when Capt. Gordon came down from the bridge, I. felt like saying a few things. But you ought to have seen him. He was as pale as a ghost, and his knees shook like a sheet gone adrift in a gale. "Mr. McCurdy," he said in: a trembling voice, "will you please take her for a spell; this thing has gone too far; there are too many lives aboard." He staggered to his cabin like a drunken and J muttering I believe man, heard him