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Show . ' .,pt i t I THE PROMOTION OF I THE ADMIRAL ASfcSiTAiiiS J i ... i I By Morloy Roliorta Author of "Tho Coloaaim." "Tho FtmUlv'". 1 Copyright, ltoa, I90i, by TAe Curlli J'ublttMnff Company 1 Copyright, lap, by L. C. ran A Company, (Incorporatid.) (Continued.) "What Is this?" usked Copt. Blnker mildly, yot with a savage oyo. "Mr. 8Impson, what do you moan by allowing allow-ing your authority (and mlno delegated dele-gated to you) to bo disregarded?" "Sir " said Mr. Simpson, and then the admiral turned on him. "Hold your Infernal tongue, sir," ho roared. "And, sir. If you nro tho master of this vessel, as I Btipposo, I roqulro you to put aoout for San Francisco. Fran-cisco. I am a British admiral, sir; my namo Is Sir Itlchard Dunn." "Oh, you'ro nn admiral and you 'require'?" 're-quire'?" Bald Baker. "Wn'al, I do admire! ad-mire! You look llko nn admiral; tho water-front Is full of such. Take that, sir." And tho rosurgont old Adam in Blnker struck tho admiral with such .unexpected forco 'that Dunn wont heels over head off tho poop and landed land-ed on Simpson. Tho mato Improved tho opportunity by kicking him violently vio-lently In tho ribs. When ho was tired, ho spoko to tho admiral again. "Now, you lunatic, take this hero ball of twlno and go nnd overhaul tho goar on tho main. And If you open your mouth to Bny another word I'll murder you." And though ho could not bollovo ho wns doing It, Sir RIcha.rrj Dunn crawled aloft and did what ho was told. Ho was stunned by his fall and tho hammering ho had received, but that wns nothing to tho utter and complete chango of nlr that ho experienced. ex-perienced. As ho overhauled tho gear ho wondered if ho Wns an ndmirnl at all. If ho was, how cam ho on the malntopgallant-ynrd of a merchant ship? If ho wnsn't, why was he surprised sur-prised at bolng thero? Ho tried to recall tho last day of his llfo as an admiral, nnd wns dimly conscious of n lato cvonlng somowhero In San Francisco Fran-cisco at which ho had certainly taken his Bhnro of liquor. A vaguo sonso of having been In a row oppressed him, but ho could recall nothing till ho had boon yanked out of his -bunk by that truculent devil of a mato then patrol-tng patrol-tng tho poop. "I I must bo mnd," said tho admiral. ad-miral. "Now, then, look allvo there, you dead crawling cat," said Mr. Simpson, "or I'll come up and boot you off tho yard. Do you hear mo?" "Yes, sir," Bald tho admiral quickly, and aa ho put a now mousing on tho clip-hooks of tho mlzzcn-topmast-stay-sall-trlpplng-llno block, ho murniured, "I supposo I nover was an admiral, after nil. I cJon't,":nu'tVThow-whari am." And the hardest nut among tho admirals of tho Actlvo List wiped away a tear with tho sleevo of his coat ns ho lletoned to tho sacred Commlna-tlon Commlna-tlon Service with all Its blessings, Intoned In-toned In a down-oa3t twang by tho eminent em-inent Mr. Simpson. "He's crazy," said Simpson to tho second. groaBer. "Sayoho's nn ndmirnl. nd-mirnl. I'vo had tho Apostlo Poter on board, and a cook who said ho was St. Paul, but this is tho first tlrao I'vo run against an admiral before tho mast. "Does ho look llko It, sir?" nskod Wiggins, laughing. "Ho looks tho toughest caso you over sot eyes on," Bald Simpson. "But you'd havo smiled to seo tho way tho old man slugged him off tho poop. And yot thero's something about him ss-aBr-V ' Knight hove a pannikin of tea. I don't tumblo to. I guess that's whero his madnoss llos. Quosa I'll euro him or kill him by tho tlmo wo got off Sandy Hook. Now, then, you ndmirnl, como down hero and start up tbo foro rigging, and do It quick, or I'll know tho reason why." And tho Knight Commander of tho Bath enmo down as ho was hid, and having cast a porploxod oyo over Simpson and Wiggins, who snlggorod at him with amused and savago con-tompt, con-tompt, ho wont forward In a hurry. "This Is a nlghtmaro," ho said; "I'm dreaming. Dnmmo, perhaps I'm dead!" When ho had overhauled tho gear at tho foro and being a real Boaman, ho did It well Wiggins called him down to work on dock, and ho found himself among his now mates. But now thoy wcro all nwnro that ho believed be-lieved ho was an admiral, and that ho had spokon to Simpson in a way that no man had over done. That was so much to his crodlt, but slnco bo was mad ho was a lit object of Jeers. Thoy Jeerod him accordingly and whon thoy wero at breakfast tho troublo began. "Say, are you an admiral?" asked Knight, tho blggost tough on board oxcopt Simpson and Wiggins. mmimimmmmmmmmmmmt And the ndnilrnl did not answer. Ho looked ftt Knlgbt with a gloomy, Introspectlvo oye. "Mind ypur own business," he -nld. when tho question was repeated. And Knight hove n full, pannikin of tea nt hinn This compllmpntjwas received re-ceived very quietly, and- tho admiral roso nnd went on deck. "Takes water nt once." said Knlflit; "ho nln't got tho pluck of a mousey But tho ndmlral went aft and Iniir-viewed Iniir-viewed Mr. Simpson. iiX "May I hnvo the honor of spca. to you, sir?" ho said, and SlmpBon gasped a llttlo, but said ho might havo that honor. "Woll, sir, said Sir Richard Dunn, "I don't know how I "got hero, but hero I am, and I'm willing to waive tho quostlon of my being a British ndmlral, as I can't prove it.". "That's right," said Simpson. '"'"Ah, I'll havo you sane enough' by-and-by, my man." , Tho admiral nodded. ', . "But I wish to havo your permission to knock tho hend off a man called Knight for'nrd. It was always my custom, sir, to nllow fights on board my own ship when I considered thorn neccssnry. But I always Insisted on my' permission being asked. Have I yours, Blr?" Simpson looked the ndmlral up and down. . ," "Your ship, eh? You're still crazy," I'm afraid. But Knight can kill you, my man." "I'm willing to let him try, sir," said the admiral. ,''IIo hovo n pannikin panni-kin of tea over mo Just- now, nnd I think a thrashing would, do him good nnd conduco to tho peaco and order of tho foc'slo." "Oh, you think bo," Bald Simpson. "Very well, you havo my -pcrmtoslon to Introduco peaco there." v "1 thank you, sir," Bald tho admiral Ho touched his hat and went forward. for-ward. Ho put his head Inside tho foc'ule and addressed Knight: "Como outsido, you bully, nnd let mo kn'ock your hend off Mr. Simpson haB been kind enough to overlook tho breach of discipline involved." And Knight, nothing loth, came out on deck, whllo Simpson and Wiggins stood a llttlo way oft to enjoy tho battle. "I'd llko to back tho admiral," said Wiggins. "I'll havo a lovol five dollars on Knight," said Simpson, who remembered remem-bered that he hadr,ai&Bcudorw rddWTtd'pulp -"-" , "Dono with you," said Wiggins. And In flvo minutes tbo second mate was rlchor by flvo dollars, ns his mates carried Knight Into tho foc'slo "1 don't know when 1 enjoyed myself my-self moro," Bald Simpson, with a sigh "ovon If I do lose nionoy on It. Whllo It lasted it was real good. Did you boo that most bo-owtlful uppor cut? And tho right-handed cross-counter cross-counter that finished It was Jest superb. su-perb. But I'll hov to Bpcak to tbo victor, so I will." And ho addressed the admiral In sultablo language "Don't you think, becauso you've licked him, that you canjly nny-ftag when I'm -.round. You dofto It nont nnd complete, nnd I overlook It, but half a look and tho fust lotter of a word of sobs and I'll massacre you myself. Do you savvy?" And tho admiral said: "Yes, sir." Ho toucbod his cap and went forward for-ward to tho foc'slo to enter Into his kingdom. For Knight hnd been "tops' sldo Joss" thero for three voynges, bolng bo-lng tho only man who had over succeeded suc-ceeded In getting even ono pay-day out of tho California. Tho principle on which she was run was to mako things so hot for her crow that thoy skipped out at Now York Instead of roturnlng to San Francisco, and tho fresh crow shipped In Now York did tho samo when t .-ot Insldo tho a old en (lato. "I understand," said tho admiral, as ho stood In tho mlddlo of tho foc'slo. "that tho gontloman I'vo Juot had th' ploanuro of knocking into tho middle, of noxt week was tho head bully hero.' Now 1 want it thoroughly understood In futuro that If any bullying is to bo dono, I'm going to do It " All tho onco obedlont slaves of tho deposed Knight hastened to make their peaco with tho new powor. Thoy fairly crawled to tho admiral. "You kin fight," said ono. "I know It Jest ns soon as you opened yer mouth," said another. "Tho tone of yer voico arguod you could." "It's my boltot that bo could knock tho BtufTln' out o' Mr. Simpson," said tho third. " 'Twould bo tho best kind of fun," said another admirer of tho powors that be, "for Blakcr would kick Simpson Simp-son In hero and glvo tho admiral his Job rlghl off. He's got religion, has Blakcr, but ho was an old packot'rat himself, nnd real 'bucko' ho was. and bolloves In tho best mon boln' nft." And though tho admiral said nothing noth-ing to this, ho romomborod It nnd took occasion to Inqulro Into Us truth. Ho found that what ho knew ot tho sea and Its customs was by no means por-fect. por-fect. Ho learnt Bomethlng-evory day, nnd not lenBt from Knight, who provod by no means n bad sort of man whon ho had onco met his match. "Is It truo," asked tho admiral, "what thoy say about Captain Blaker , Giving any ono the mnto's Job If h can thrnBh him?" "It used to bo tho custom in th western ocean," Bnld Knlfeht, "and "laker wns brought up thoro. He's r real sport, for all his boln" fiort of ro 'ilous. Yes, I'll hot It's truo." He turned to tho admiral suddenly. "Say, you wasn't thlnkln' of tnkln Slmpsoi? i on, was you?" "If what's you sayV truo, 1 was, said the admiral. "It don't suit me being bore " "Say now, partner." put. In Knlgbt, "what's this guff about your bolng an ndmlral? What put It into youi head?" And Sir Itlchard Ijunn laughod. As ho began to feel IiIh feet nnd ilnd that ho was aa good a man In' now surroundings sur-roundings as In tho old ones, ho ro covered his courngo and his oramand of hlmsolf. "AftcV all, this will bo the douco of a Joke when It's over " ho tl lught, "and I don't see why 'I shouldn't got a discharge out ot her as mato. Talk about advertisement! " He knew how much It meant. "Look hero. Knight," ho said aloud, "I nm an admiral. I can't provo It, but my ship wns the Triumphant. I don't want to forco it down your throat, but If you'd say you bollovo It, I should bo obliged to you." Knight put out his hnnd. "I bcllovos It, Bonny." ho snld, "for I own freely that thero's BUthln' about you different from us; n way of talk, "I mean to have Simpson's Job." and a look In tbo eyo that nln't familiar fami-liar In no foc'slo as I ever Balled In. And If you was lyln', how como you to Ho bo ready, boln' fo drunk when Simpson hauled you out o' yor bunk? No, I bollovo you'ro speaking tbo trowth." And Sir Richard Dunn, K. C. B., shook hands with Charles Knight, A. B. "I won't forgot this,", ho said hus- Iiefft 'disciple? '"And nowTIn 'confidence," 'confi-dence," snld flic admiral, "I tell you 1 mean to havo Simpson's Job by tho tlmo we'ro off tho Horn." "Good for you," cried Knight. "Oh, ho kicked mo somethln' cruel tho tlmo him nnd me had a turn-up. Glvo It him, old man. And horo's a tip for you. If you get him down, keep hlra down. Don't forget ho kicked you, too." "I don't forgot," said Sir Richard "I don't forgot, by any means." (To bo continued.) |