GteI I

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want some fun Start yer whistle and
turn loose

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Up the steps bounded Laramie and
LI WHEN GREEK flEETS GREEK with a ringing whoop as a prelude be-
gan whistling a clear musical trill
e BY MORGAN ROBERTSON
while Pache growling out Dance

e f
dance ye whitelivered coyotes
chief mates bootheel
Dance
sent
a bullet through the outer edge of the
repeated Laramie between
bars of the music Crack crack

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Copyiisht
1S97 S S McClure Co to obey The scowling faces looked went the pistols while bullets rattled
around the feet of the men on the
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deadly in earnest

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is he armed that hath his
Thrice Right about face commanded the hatch and Laramies whistle rose and

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qiarrcl just Bard of Avon tall man March every man
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Back fell on the soft morning air

BUt four times he who gits hiz bio
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to the other end o the boat Laramie The sun who has looked on many
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Josh Billings
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in fust take the other side and round up scandalous sights looked on this and
Oaptair William Belchior was more anybod- ye see Now gentlemen hurry
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hid his face under a cloud refusing to

than a martinet He was known as Away went the protesting procession witness For never before had the

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Bucko Belchior in every port where and joined by the carpenter sail i
ethics of shiyboard life been so out-
maker donkeyman and cook rounded rageously violated A squat captain

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the British language is spoken having up from their sanctums by the man and two sixfoot officers nearly black

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earned tMs prefix by the earnest read-
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iness wita which in his days as sec-
ond and chief mate he would whirl
belayingpins heavers and handspikes think was With
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called Laramie it had reached the
main hatch before the captain pacing
the quarterdeck was aware pf the dis-
turbance Captain Belcher
in the face from rage and exertion
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with hands clasped over their heads
hopped and skipped around a narrow
to stage to the accompaniment of pistol
reports harmoniously disposed among

to act Springing to the j

about the decks and by his success in cabin skylight he shouted I

Steward the notes of a whistled tune while bul-
knocking down tricing up and
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bring up my pistols gI Bear a hand lets grazed their feet and an unkempt
up sailors Who displeased
workin- him Lower rour weapons you scoundrels I disfigured and soreheaded crew looked I-

With a blow of his fist he had broken This is rank mutiny j on and chuckled When the mate j

the jaw of a man helplessly ironed in left A pistol spoke and the captains hat
i weak from loss of blood fell and
his head There goes your hat rolled to the deck the leader stopped
the tweendeck and on the same voy- said a voice now for a button An- the entertainment
age armed with a simple belayingpin other bullet sped which cut from his Now gentlemen he said in his
Lad sprung alone into a circle oC coat theV button nearest his heart serious vQice Im called Pecos Tom
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brandishing sheathknives and quelled Come down from therecome down and Ive had considerable experience in
a mutiny He was short broad beetle said the voice he had heard Next my time but this is my fust with hu- I

broiMl and grayeyed of undoubted shot goes home Start while I count man creatures so weak and thought- I
courage but with the quality of sym three One two Captain LJelchoir less that theyll drug and steal three
path > left out of his nature descended the steps hands up same men without takin their guns away
During the ten years in which he had j as the rest Up went the captains from them And so on account 0 this
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4bcen in command he was relieved of hands Such marksmanship was be- shiftless improvidence I reckon this
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much of the executive work that had yond his philosophy Pache went boat will have to turn round and go
made him famous when he stood watch on the speaker get up there and get back 1
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but was always ready to ratify his the guns he wanted The steward They rolled and kicked the two I
reputation as a Bucko should fric-
tion with the crew occur past the I

poer of his officers to cope with His

ship the Wilmington a skysailyard i
clirper was rated by sailor men as the
hottest craft under the American
flag and Captain Bplchior himself was
spoken of by consuls and commission-
ers far and near as a man peculiarly
unfortunate in his selection of men
for never a passage ended but that he
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d
was up as complainant against one or
more heavilyironed and badlyused
up rremlicrs of hif crew
His ollicers wen in the language of
one of th jse defendants o the same
breed o dorg
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None others could or

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would sign with him His crews were
invariably put on board in the stream f
or at anchorage never at the dock
Drunk vh n coerced by the boarding <>

masters into signing the ships articles

kept drunk until delivery for no sober V

men able to run would join her they

were driven or hoisted up the side like
animals some in a stupor from drink
or drugs some tied hand and foot
struggling and cursing with returning
memory and reasen
Equipped thus the Wilmington bound
for Melbourne discharged her tug and
pilot off Sandy Hook one summer
morning and with a fresh quartering
wind and raising sea headed for the
southeast The day was spent in get-
ting her sail on and in the licking
into shape cf the men as fast as they
recovered their senses Oaths and sI

missile- flew about the deckl knockdowns HANDS UP

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were frequtnt and by eight bells in the
Cening when the two mates chose
the watches much as boys choose sides with two bright
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revolvers in his hands mates to the rail lifted the captain to i

in a ball gamethe sailors were well was met at the companion hatch by a his feet and said significantly I

Give the right and proper order to

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convined that their masters lived aft so man with hut one hut that one was i

longhaired big and the hand which held it yer men to turn this boat round
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Three men fellows j

sprawled on the main hatch helpless was so steady that it is no matter of With his face working convulsively
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fcom seasickness were left to the last surprise that he obeyed the terse Captain Belchior glanced at his captors
r
in the hoosing and then hustled into comman- fork over handles first The at his eager waiting crewat the
dI
the light from the nearby galley door captains nickelplated pistols went wheel without a helmsmanat a dark-
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to bi examined They had been into the pockets of Paches coat and ening of the water on the starboard
dragged from the forecastle at the the whitefaced steward poked in the bow to the southwardup aloft and
matfs call for All hands back by the muzzle of that big fire- back again to the three frowning muz-
Call yourselves able seamen I sup- arm joined marched down to the main deck zles so close to his head
pose he said with an oath as he and the others One hand to the wheelsquare in
glared into their woe begone faces uGo down that place Pache and main and crojack yards he called
Jo paid said the tallest and old chase out any one else ye find called He was conquered I

esi of the three in a weak voice the leader from behind the crowd With a hurrah which indicated
i the
W rp not seamen we dont know how Bring em all down here Pache sincerity of these orders the crew I

ie got here neither descended and reappeared with a sprung to obey them and with fore
The mate answer was a fistblow frightened cabin boy whom with the yards braced to starboard and headd- I

uidfr th ear that sent

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the man head- man at the wheel he drove before sheets flat the ship Wilmington pay
long into the scuppers where he lay him to the steps There was no wind off wore around and bringing the
q net and the ship could spare the helmsman young breeze on the port quarter
Say ir when you speak to me you Now then gentlemen said the steadied down to a course for Sandy
bandylegged farmers he snarled tall leader I reckon were all here Hook which the captain with hands
Slouching hard at the other two as Keep yerhands up Well have a pow- released but still under the influence t

thry clung to and leaned against the- wow Pache stay up there and you of those threatening pistols worked I

ater tank Im pard to none ofe Laramie cover em from behind Plug out from the mates deadreckoning
They made him no answeT ana he the first man who moves I

Then he was pinioned again hut al-

turned away in contempt Mr Tomm He mounted the steps to the quar- lowed to pace the deck and watch his
be railed want these Ethiopians in terdeck and as he 1
replaced empty ship while the two officers were kept
jour watch shells with cartridges looked down on under the rail
I sometimes stepped
No sir said the second mate
4
them
I illlooking facewith a serene smile on his not upon or kicked and often admonished I

dont want em Theyre no more use when raised in accents of command His voice except on the evil of their ways
than a ssare pump Early passengers on the East river i

Ill make em useful fore Im done ive had in it the musical drawing plaint- ferry boats were treated to a novel i
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with em Go forrardyou three Get Texan tone so peculiar to the native sight next morning which they ap I

tile bile out o yer gizzards fore morn two younger and so deceptive
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The other preciated according to their nautical
in f ye value yer good looks He as they glanced I and rougher men looked knowledge A lofty ship with sky
delivered a vicious kick at each of the at their victims sails and royals hanging in the bnt I

two standing men and bawled out through the sights of their pistols as lines and jibs tailing ahead like flags
Relieve the wheel an lookout thatll permissio-
4 though longing for the word of was charging up the river before a
do the watch and went aft while the with bullets to nIriddle the ships company humming southerly breeze followed I
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crew assisted the seasick men to the I by an elbowing crowd of puffing
forecastle and into three bedless bunks fernal Youll pay dearly for this you in- whistling snubnosed tugs It was
bedless because sailors must furnish cutthroats spluttered the noticeable that whenever a fresh tug
their own and these men had been I captain Dont call
this is piracy
any names now
arrived alongside little white clouds
said left her quarterdeck and that tusr
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shanghaied the tall man taint healthy AVe suddenly sheered off to take a position
The wind died away during the night want
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ye but I ye in the parade astern Abreast of GOY

dont to hurt tell
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and the awakened in the morning I

ye never were nearer death ernors island I

with thir seasickness gone and appe- seriously ye are now Its a risky thing were let go as were those of the jibs
topgallant halliards
tites ravenous Sombre and ominous than and a I
foolish thing too gentlemen up or hauling down
was their bearing as they silently ate to steal three American citizens with but no clewing I

of the breakfast in the forecastle and guns under their shirts and take em was done nor were any men seen on
stepped out on deck with the rest in her forecastle deck getting ready lines
answer to the mates roar All hands so far from land as this Hangins the or ground tackle She passed the Bat-
spread dunnage fit and proper punishment for hoss
Having no dunnage stealin but manstealins so great a tery and up the East river craft of
but what they wore they drew off to- crime all kinds getting out of her way
that
ward the windlass and conferred to- punishment is Now we dont know wrong Im not right sure what the for it was obvious that something was
gether while chests and batS were much bout boats and ropesthough with heruntil rounding sud-
denly to a starboard wheel with can-
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we can tie a hangmans knot when nec vas rattling and running gear in
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essary but we do know sometnin bights she headed straight for a Flip
bout guns and human naturhere partly filled with canal boats Then
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jou come way from that fence The her topsail halliards were let go and
captain was edging toward a belay three heavy yards came down by the j

ingpin but the speakers voice had run breaking across the cas and I
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rst its plaintiveness and three tubes amid a grinding creaking and
were looking at him He drew inboard
gj

of riven timbers and a deafening

crashin-
ana the leader resumed din of applauding tug whistles she
Now fust thing whos foreman o plowed her way into the nest of canal
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this outfit Whos boss boats and came to a stop

Im captain here Then was a hegira Down her Mark
You are You are not Im cap sides hy ropes and chainplates some
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tain Get up on that shanty The with bags or chests some without
pmall house over the mizzen hatch was came sailor men who climbetl to the
indicated and Captain Belchoir dock and answering no questions of
ciimbed it The tubes were still gathering
crowd of dock loungers
at him
g1

lookin-
scattered into the side streets while
Now you thereyou man who hit three men appeared on the rail who
me last njght when 1 was mick who shook their fists and swore Inn
are
m von and what shouted for the police calling particu-
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Mate d you larly for the apprehension of throe
Up with you and dont cuss You darkfaced longhaired fellows with
did a cowardly t4iing pardner an un- big hats
manly thing You dont deserve to live In the light of later developments
any longer but my darter back here was known that the police respondedit
at school thinks Ive killed enough and with the assistance of boarding-
men for one lifetime and mebbe shes house runners gathered in that day
right fnebbe shes right Anyhow she nearly all of this derelict crew even
dont like it and that lets you out to a cautious boatswain who wore
though I wont answer for Pache and promptly severely punished for
Laramie when my backs turned You mutiny andanddesertion
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But
kicked em both but Ill just return developments failed to show the later
that the
the blow The mate had but straight- three darkfaced
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men were ever seen

ened up jon top of the hatchhouse V

again I

when the terrible pistol spat out an

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thor red tongue and his yell followed

ft the report as he clapped his hand to
ear through which the bullet had
Dance Dance ye WhitcLivcred torn tornHands up there
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thundered the
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Coyote Growled Pnche shooter and the mate obeyed while a
ran down inside his
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stream of blood
dragged out on deck and overhauled shirtcollar
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by the officers for whisky and sheath ond Any more bosses here The sec-
mate did not respond
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but
knives What they found of the former I Taches
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pistol
they pocketed and of the latter tossed under its influence and his gutterAl l I
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soughtht him out and I

r overboard know you get up he followed his

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f Where are the canal drivers superior

dV demande- the chief mate as he raised I
Any more
his head from the last chest where A manlylooking fellow stepped out
r are our seasick gentlemen who sleep of the group and said Youve got
t all nightwhatwhat
a stutter of surprise
he added in I the captain and two mates Im bosun
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hfio and > onders my mate Were

He was looking down three eight next but were not bosses in the way
inch barrel of three heavy Colt ye- 0 being responsible for anything that
t volvers cocked and held by three has happened or might happen to you
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scowling sunburned men each of We blong forrard Theres no call to

i whom was lucking with disengaged shoot at trio crew tor tnere not a
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left hand the corner of a shirt into a man among em but what ud be glad
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waistband around which was strapped to see you get ashore and get there
If
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a belt full of cartridges himself

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if Hands UD snapped the tall man Silence Bosun bawled the captain
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l hands up every one of ye Up with but the voice of authority seemed piti-
emover yer heads Thats right fully ludicrous and incongruous
The pistols wandered around the heads coupled with the captains position and
of the crowd and every hand was attitude and every face on the deck
I
ed elevat-
Whats this What dye mean silent merriment and said
Put those pistols down Give them up
wore a grin The leader noticed the
Laramie I reckon these
Lay aft there some o ye and call the stand You can come up here menIl
captain blustered the mate with his gettin long in years and kinder steady Im
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hands held high Not a man stirred in down but I spose you and Pache
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