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Show jB iii i i- i I THE PROMOTION OFl I THE ADMIRAL sAENADcg'oFE By Morley Roberta Author of "The Colos.ug." "The Fugitives." OogyrtgAt, .QJ. t-y A. gt -ag, rf Powptfn, (Ineorporattd.) I I ( (Continued.) X Tho otln.TR said that was nonsense. Slmpklns, who now looked on tho, 1 geologist ns captain of tho mutineers,' K touched his hat to him, and bogged K leave to speak, I ' "Well," said tho geologist, "what la I , It?" i "Ain't somo of you gents good at I instruments?" naked Slmpklns. "For J. - you are, and If you could get hold I - ' of a sextant It would bo doln' things H regular If you was to take a sight of IB tho etin." 1, Tho ethnologist turned to the an- If tronomer. ffl "How humanity yearns for a certain . 1 regularity!" ho said; "It would really B comfort Slmpklns If you would squint at at tho sun through a gasplpo." I ' "You And mo the sextant," said tho astronomer, "and I'll do It." I "What, you?" said Slmpklns. "I'd ft never ha' thought It." I ' Though ho could not bo Induced to J say In public why ho would never H have thought It, In prlvato ho re- jg Sealed to the Inqulsltlvo ethnologist B that tho astronomer looked "the mcas- , I llcst of tho whole gang, sir." I Tho discussion, which had been 1 held on deck, with Slmpklns at tho 9 wheel, was broken up by tho captain I hamtnorlng furiously on his jammed I door. I "Go down and soothe him," said I Slmpklns, nervously, "and mind you I toll him I dono nothln' but glvo In to H superior ovorwhelmln' odds. For so I S did, gentlemen, so I did, as you know. 1 j$ boln those ns dono It." 9 Tho commlttoo went below, with U tho geologist lending. Ho carried his jg belaylng-pln In his pockot. As thoy I marched, tho uproar was tremen- I dous. I "What a skull ho must have!" said I tho ethnologist. "I wish I had it In I my collection." W "So do I," snld the pathologist. . 3 And thn authority on philology 9 pressed to tho front rank, for Captain fl Josoph Prowse was doing his best, a "Lommo out," ho roared; "oh, when ' 8 ' JI do get out, I'll show you what I am." 1 "Shut up!" said tho young geologist, tt ' with firmness. 1 ' Tho captain gavo an audlblo gasp. I "Shut up?" ho Inquired weakly. 1 "Yes." said tho ljador, "and give us your sextant, If you havo one." I "Woll, I'm damnodl" said Prowso, 1 after a long and striking pause. "May I I Inquire If you'vo took command? For If so, and you requlro my sorvlcos , j to peel pertatera and sweep the deck, r-J j' ""Just say so, and lot mo out" ) ' "Will you bo civil If Wo lot you , . - out?" asked tho astronomer kindly. ( "Civil?" Bald Prowso, choking; "what do you think?" "Wo don't think you will bo." replied re-plied tho astronomer, "from the tono of your, voice," "I'm sure ho won't bo," said tho geologist. "I think we'd better keep him whoro ho Is," said tho rest anxiously; "why, .tho man's nothing but a raging lunatic." luna-tic." "Oh!" said Prowso from within. ' "Look here, you mutineers, Is Simp-kins Simp-kins In .this?" "No," said tho geologist, who ' .showed a little humor occasionally, "he's out of It Ho tried to rescue you, so we hung him. nut he came I , ' , Knocked the captain down, ! to agatn, and Is now at tho whcol. v What ttbout that sextant?" "I ain't got no soxtant," said Prowso sulkily. lie recognized It was no use kicking, and tho rum was dying out of his aching bead. "Then lot's go on deck," sold tho 1 . ' men of science. "What's the uso of I talking to him." I ' "Oh, pleaso," said tho subduod 1 skipper; but thoy paid no attention 1 and returned to Slmpklns. I At various intervals during the day I Prowso made mora and more pitiful I appeals td bu lot out. But as tho weather wan clear and bright, Slmp- klus and his "overwhelming odds" were at work on deck and paid llttlo or no attontlon. Slmpklns now did not take his lino from tho Bklpper, fl but, feeling that tho command was In 9 commission, adopted tho manner of B tho Bergeant-Instructor at n gymnn-B gymnn-B fclum. fl. "Now, if a couplo or four of you S jrentlemen would keep tho pumps go- fl ins," ho urged from his station at fl tho wheel, "wo 'would got along a fl (iful bettor. And it you, sir, wouM fl ivnie and take tho whool ngln tor fl to shakes of a lamb's tall, I don't I see no reason I shouldn't looso the upper, maln-topsall," So tho geologist took the whrc' whllo Slmpklns went aloft and loosed tho upper maln-topsall. "Supposing you wanted to havo less sail presently," said tho astronomer to Slmpklns, when tho topsail was set, "what would you do?" "You gents would 'avo to 'olp stow It," snld Slmpklns. "What, go aloft?" asked the astronomer. as-tronomer. "And why not?" demanded Slmpklns. Slmp-klns. "It's easy, going aloft ns easy as fallln' from tho sldo of an 'ouso." "So I should think," cried tho as-tronomer, as-tronomer, shivering. ''I hopo tho weather will remain- fine." "You know It's really romarkablo how useful such on uneducated man can be," he said presently to some of tho others. "Now, what use am I?" Slmpklns was passing and heard this. Ho paused and eyed tho astronomer. as-tronomer. "Well, to speak tho truth, sir." ho said sympathotlcnlly, "you ain't much; but you do what you can at tho end of a rope. And I shouldn't bo surprised If you're all right at 'ome." "All of which Is good against vanity," vani-ty," anld tho astronomer, ns tho barque, under most of hor plain sail steered east-south-enst Into tho track of tho Atlantic liners. "And do you know, absurd ns It may seem, I am beginning to feel very well Indeed-better Indeed-better than I havo dono for years." As the night fell, tho captain, who had by that tlmo lost all his nlcohollc courage, appealed for mercy. He shouted his petition to those on deck through tho cablri port-hole. Hut ho tried Slmpklns first. "Slmpklns," ho yollcd. "Yes, sir," said Slmpklns, with his head over tho rail. "Come nnd let mo out." "I darn't, sir," Bald Slmpklns; "they're nil very flerco and savage agin you, especial ubout your using bad language, and each of 'em 'as a bolayin'-pln nnd Is a-wntchln' of me. It's more than my llfojs worth -to lot you but. And " "Yes," said the skipper. "It's moro'n yours is worth, too. You must ask om civil." "And give jour word of honor,'.' suggested sug-gested tho ferocious geologist In a whisper. "And glvo your word of honor " "To act civilly and quietly to ovcry one." x "To act civil and airle sir," said 8lmpklns. r "And uot to talk too much about authority, or drink any more rum." prompted tho savago astronomer. "And not to bo too rumbumptlous, or to get squiffy again," said Simp-kins. Simp-kins. "For," Bald tho brutal geologist, "It you will agree to these terms, wo shall bo glad of your advice and assistance. as-sistance. Captain Prowso." "I'll think of it," returned tho Bklpper Bklp-per sulkily. "All right," said tho rudo geologist, "take a day or two to think It ovor." "Oh, Lord," said Ptowbo hnstlly. "I'vo thought of It, and I ngreo." And when ho came on deck tho savngo nnd ferocious scientific captains cap-tains remarked In n frlondly mnnnor that It was a flno evening. "Damme," snld tho ono-tlmo skipper, skip-per, "I'm blowed If I nln't tho crow of tho Knmmn Funder." |