A MATTER OF SALVAGE.

NZ Truth, Issue 83, 19 January 1907, Page 7

A MATTER OF SALVAGE.

(By Heruerl Q. Kent, Author of " The Order of Release," "New Chum," Etc., Etc.) I'll wi-ile lar.troubleJ by culluieti foola, 0* tbe dense that fume ami fret ; For a^ainsL the wisdom of all their .schools, I would stake juino instinct yec. 3?ov the cynical strain m the writer's song, Is the' world, not he, to blame ; And I'll write as I think m. the knowledge strong, That thousands' think the same. : —Henry lawson.

"I am," replied that worthy. She is the Swan, of Sydney, New South Wales."

Our friend was now m. almost as bad a plight as when cast away on the island ; m fact, m some respects much worse. On the island he had hepea of being rescued auy day ; while here, no matter what turned up m the ordinary way, he was hard and fast for nearly three months ; and "-oodness only .knew what kind of luck he would have m San Francisco. He had no clothing but what he stond up m ; and, added to all this, he felt sorely ill, the natural, result of the poison he had taken. However, one or two of the sailors were able' to give him a few necessary articles of clothing.' and, with these, he hnd to make the best shift he could. So he ■ contented himself for the present by just cursing his Juck, and settled down to work with the best crace possible.

"Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves ; Britons never, never shall be slaves.

% The "Swan." like all Crowther and Kiev's ships,, was .exceedingly illfound and deeply laden ; and., owing to tli& bad provisions served cut to the cre'^, and the ill-treatment .ths latter received from their officers, was -as „ -nearly a "hell afloat" as could be found m modern times.

On the seventh' day after • leaving. Sydney, and while offi the coast of New Zealand, the smoke of an approaching steamer was seen to the south ard. Mr Gay called the captain's attention to it when he came on deck. It was a fine, clear day, and the "Swan" was sailing before a light "breeze from the north-east.

"What boat can it be ?" asked the mate. "I don't know any liners that come to the west'ard of Middle Island." . And he handed the telescope, through which he had been looking, to the captain, who took it, and looked for' some time at the fast-approaching vessel. Presently he closed the telescope with a bang, arid replied . ,

"A war ship making for Sydney to join the fleet. • She's got a. ram stem, and carries pretty heavy met^. al."

The two men walked up and down the poop, every now and then stopping to look at the cruiser, which was nearine them rapidly. When the two vessels \ were almost abreast, and not more than two hundred yards apart, the war ship's engines stopped,' and a moment later three flags fluttered at her sietial staff.

cl HeMo," said Captain Bester "what's the matter . with her ?■ Hand me the signal-book."

The mate stepped quickly to the gangway and produced the book, which. he opened at once, and read the signal "Heave to, I will come onboard." - "Weather main brace, Mr Gay, Bring the main yard aback. Here, you lads heave cro' jack"' braces, Steady the helm ; "belay everything. "What does he want here?.. Chuck a ladder over there, and stand by for the boat."

The cruiser's barge approached, cleaving her way through the water "like a thing of. life." In a few minutes it was alongside, and- a young officer seized the ladder and jumped on board, accompanied by a quartermaster and two "blue jackets." ■■■-.'.■

Captain Bester met them # . the gangway ; but before he" had tfnne to open his mouth the Lieutenant asked, sharply ' "What ship is this ? Are you the master ?"

"Where arc you bound to?" "San Francisco. Eight days out." "Coal, 1 suppose ?" queried the officer. . ■

"Yes. Are your bunkers empty ?" "Oh, no. That's his Majesty's ship Miranda. We're looking round- for your sort. Just let me see your papers, and we'll be off again." The captain, went into the cabin and' returned m a short time with a small japanned box m his> hand, which he opened, and, taking out some papers, handed them to the officer, who quickly went over them, and handed them back.

„ "That's nil. ri^ht. I have to inform you that the Russian Black Sea Fleet is workinf its way towards Japan, and that you are advised to keep weS to the westward, out of their way ; otherwise, you stand the chance of being sunk by one of the Japanese warships. They have already captured several British vessel?." "Havo you any idea how the Russian ships get coal. Surely they don't have a fleet of colliers with them ?"

"I'm sure I don't know,'.' replied the officer. "Their movements seem to be shrouded m mystery. If they have colliers with them they must retard the warships. The probability is, that vessels liJte yours rendezvous at certain points and keep them supplied. Well, I must" be off." And dropping into his barge the LieutenT ant pjave the orders, "Cast off; full ahead;" and was soon on board the cruiser v again, while Captain Bester rave 11ir necess&ry directions, and the Swan filled away on her course.

The skipper and mate walked up and down the poop, until the latter was relieved by the second mate. They then went into the _ cabin, and a chart was opened and spread out on the cabin table.

"It will take us about 60 days to reach 'Frisco, if we, get good 'trades' — that is— if we get there." Captain Bester flashed a keen look at the mate. The latter started and returned the look, paling slightly. "If we go there. Why— where else would you ■gjo ? The ship has. cleared out for 'Frisco, hasn't she?" ■■■ >■

"Oh, yes," the captain laughed,, nervously. "We've cleared out -v- for there all right, but— look here, Gay, did it ever strike you thatCrowther and Bray, our-' owners, are a pair of d scoundrels?" i '■'It has very often struck, me that way, and I, for one, wouldn't sail m their vessels if I could get a. berth m any- other; but the fact is-, British ships are three parts* manned with Dutchmen and Dagos, so that crushes our own countrymen' out, and forces those who' have any brains ..at all to go to a teacher and get " crammed," so that they "pass the Board."

"Exactly. Nearly every Englishman gowig to sea -now has a certificate ; they are easily -got. Sp we've to- put up with anything, or we get the sack. Why, you and I might get chucked out of this ship, and the cook and stewards get our billets, next voyage, and, while you cook the pea-soup, I might be laying the plates and dishes m this vpry cabin." and the skipper thumped the table with disscust. »

"That's what we have to look forward to, no doulrt," said the mate.

The two men seemed to be "sparring for am opeaine;." There was. something behind all this. They were

both thinking ul a scheme, and possibly the- same nic as had crossed iheir minds at the tame time, but they were each of them afraid to start the conversation m the right channel.

"This war ought to give seamen some good chances," began the mate. ."What sort of chances?" a sked the skipper, eagerly. "■Oh, ail sorts. For instance, if this ship and cargo belonged to me, Id make a bit out of her, I know." "H'm. And how would you do [do it?" ! ".Just the same way as you would, icap'n." The mate was getting angry- He thought he had said enough, and it was the turn of his superior to make ths next move." "How do you know what I'd do?" asked Captain Bester. "I know d Avell what you'd do. I know what you're, thinking of doing now, as well as you do." "And what's that, pray?" "You're thinking of putting the ship round and steering for the China Sea, and selling the cargo we've got aboard to the Russian Fleet." ■ . "Oh ! 'And then?" "Then -bringing her back to Sydney, and pocketing half. the money." "Very good, Mr Gay,- but not ciuite good enough. I'm thinking of going : one better than that." "By selling the cargo and pocketing the lot." ' "Is that possible?" "I think -so. That njan-o '-war. officer put the idea into my head-: The Russian Fleet are on their way round the Cape of Good Hope. Last wcok they called m at Madagascar. They'll stay there as long- as possible, then" they'll ' s'tcike out for Saigon, going dead ' slow all the time, you may be sure, m hopes that the war will be stopped before they meet the Japs. They may go South of Borneo afterwards, but I doubt it. We'll keep outside tihe New Hebrides, and make North of the (Philippines, awl call m somewhere I -for news. I don't think we shall hfive any trouble m finding a Russian agent at Manilla, even if we have to. go. so far. I reckon we ought to get six pounds a ton for our coal, and we've got . twelve hundred tons aboard." . •

, "I'm with you to chance it, but what 'ir you do with the ship after?" enquired the mate. .

"I've thought .the whole thing out as a possibility -before that war chap boarded us but now it's a certainty if y-ou and me only work together. 1 " "Well, go on." "As soon as we've -got ■' the cash we'll steer South again, but Ijll give yoti all. particulars as. we go on. You trust things to me, and it'll, all come right." . "Very good. We go halves m the plunder." ♦ "AfTiwd," said • Captain Bester. "Now we'll go on deck, and put her round on the other tack. When we've done itfc, call all hands aft, and I'll tell them that I've, got orders to take the cargo to Honftkonj? instead of 'Frisco. They'll think that the man-o '-war me instructions . ' '

"I don't think the crew will take ■kindly.- .to the new route ; they all calculated on clearing out m 'Frisco."

'.'l'll fix 'em," said the Captain, wit(h n. smile. •"•Vow. just get 'em aft when you've braced her up." "All hands about ship." . V Growling and grumbling the men took their stations, an«d m a few minutca* the Swan was close hauled on to t<he starboard tack, and heading N.N.E. "Lay aft here," shouted the mate. "Come on lads hurry up. ,1-t's the skipper's birthday, perhaps he'll bring; oi.it the grog." Captain Bester stood on the break of the poop, and when the whole of the crew were mustered he made a speech which soon altered the expression of the* men's faces.

"It's just this way, lads. We were bound for San Francisco, but I've

got word from the owners that I'm 1

to take the cargo to Hongkong instead. It seems that tfie British fleet are mustering there, and they wai\t coal. Now, the fact is, we shall get about £8 a ton for this cargo, instead of 30s. we should have got m 'Frisoo. So I've made up my. mind to double all your wages, and serve out better rations all round, even if we've got to put m to Fiji to buy more. We'll have a glass of grog now, and I hope you're satisfied."

The men talked eagerly together for some time, then a burly A.B. stepped out and spoke for the rest.

"It amounts- to this cap'n. We've signed on for a v'y''ge to 'Frisco and back, an' if yer take 'er to 'Ongkong yer'll 'ay ter sign new articles. None on us objects ter go in', but v/e're a, bit skjeered, as the owners '11 refoose to pay us up unless we 'as it m black an' white."

The captain laughed. "Very well, lads, I'll draw out a new agreement, and we'll all sign it. Steward— grog, oh!" "Under the circumstances, I'll sign with tHe res*," said Harry West, as he stepped out from among the crowd. i '"Here, you come aft ; I want a few words with you," and the skipper walked into the oabim, closely followed by the mate and Harry. The second mate,. Judd, was. also called m. The captain sat down,' land, addressing our hero, said — "I've been talking to the mate about you, and we both agreo that you've been hardly treated ; consequently, I have decided to give you the thud .mate's berth. , My owners ! don't allow me a third officer, but, under the circumstances,- I believe they will. I'll put you down at £8 a month, and you can come into the cabin."

"I'm very thankful to you,* captain, and I shall be glad to take the billet, but, unfortunately, I've gat no clothes." "Oh, never 'mind about that. We'll make a- tarpaulin muster, and rig you out. 1 want you to be m the mate's watch, so as to ease him as much as possible."

So it was settled, and the face of everything- was changed to. such an extent Ihat laughing and singing could be. heard fore and aft, m the place of grumbling which had ruled previously. When Mr Gay went on deck to take his watch he inifht haveybten heard muttering beneath his moustache, "By q ) ive's a champion. There's !no possible doubt about it— fee's a I champion." : That was probably his present [opinion of Captain Tester. 'To be continued.) 1