•
THE CHINA MAIL FRIDAY SU
"THE
(Continued from Page.
The shifty-eyed man grinned: "Sure!" he said "It doesn't do to scuttle old craft in these days. The insurance companies are too fly. But with a faked
OCTOBER 221937
COME-BACK"
for the rest of this trip!""
Oh said the mate. Then he added, with apparent irrelevance: "I wonder, precisely, what suc cessful voyage means in this case?" The skipper started, and shot a look at him. "I may say.
don't
healthy!
Captain Tann took the box both hands, walked to the star- board end of the bridge and tossed it overboard. Then, dust- ing his hands as though to clear the
astounded mate.
cargo, and so on, this'll pay all sir," Hudson explained, "that I them, he walked back right. Pay you, anyway! Well, good afternoon, Captain!"
At the door Tann, swaying slightly on his heels, turned for a moment:
"What did you say her new name was?”
"The Brenda3!”
"Good God!" gasped Tann, and his face went a dirty, greenish white.
For Brenda was the name of his daughter!
*
Hanson, chief officer
of the
S.S. "Brenda," looked a trife sur- prised when the new skipper step-
board. He knew the
not
ped on man's reputation, and this tall, spare figure, in spotless drill, with cheese-cutter cap pulled slightly over one eye, was quite what he had expected. Mouth and jaw were set firm, bat be noted the bleariness of the eyes, and the shakiness of the hand.
"Pm Endson, sir, the mate,” was the greeting he vouchsafed "You'l be Captain Tann. take it?"
I
"Glad to meet you, Mr. Hnd- » son was the formal reply. "Hope we'll have a pleasant run to- gether!
I hope so, I'm sure, sir!” As he took the proffered hand, Hud- was the son noted how moist palm.
Till thank you to show me my cabin, and the ship's safe, Mis- ter!? said the new skipper, brisk- ly "I want to get rid of this!" He touched, rather gingerly, a black japanned box he held under his arm. “Important papers be- longing to the owners," he added.
"Very good, sir this way!" As soon as he had stowed his dunnage, and taken a look at his cabin, the new skipper went on deck again.
"We'll weigh anchor and get clear right away, Mister!" was his curt direction as he took the bridge. The mate, before des- cending to go forrard, gave him another curious glance.
The crew, a polyglot crowd, had also heard of the new skip- per's reputation, and were slac- ker than usual, occasionally cast- ing sneering or grinning glances at the tall spare figure on the bridge
As soon as they were clear of harbour, with the open Pacifc ahead of them, Captam Tann left the bridge in charge of the sec- ond mate, and invited Hudson to his cabin. There he produced a bottle of whiskey and two glas ses, and Hudson, noting how his hand shook as he handled the bottle, gave a little silent sign and an unnoticed shake of the head
Captain Tann poured out two stiff pegs, and lifted his to the
“Successful
aid he.
Mister!
Amen, sirl said the mate, and mk off at gulp. Captain just touched his own with
then tossed
open port
rest
stared, and raised his
sip was just to show said Tann.
am in the owner's confidence to the ab object of this voy- age, and also, if I may say so as regards your past- cord
"I see?" said Captain Tann, and his voice had the edge sharpened steel. "You mean you know this hooker's to be chucked away for her insurance, and that I a broken skipper who piled his boat up when he was drunk, have agreed to do it!?
That's about it, sir!" agreed the mate, a trifle sheepishly.
"Good" was the curt retort,
you'll "Watch out-and things!***
see
That night two men of the port watch were drank while on duty Tann had them both put in irons, and stood over a slightly mwill ing quartermaster while he did the job. The next morning he mustered all hands and spoke to them:
"You've heard things about me, my lads, I can see that! Well, you'd best forget 'em pronto! I'll have no nonsense while I com- mand here get that, and keep it. Now get forrard!"
There was no more trouble with the men! When they had gone forrard, the Captain spoke a word to his mate:
"You heard that, Mister? Well that goes for you, too! Whatever my orders are, and whatever you know, I'm skipper here! It may pay you to remember that!”
And he went below, leaving a ery thoughtful mate to take charge of the bridge.
During the next few days a markable ange was the attitude and appearan Captain George
was
like a nan who, having been
malignant diseas
sick o
at last found the right medi- cine. For Captain Tann, with his hair clipped, his chin shav- ed, his wasted body clothed in spotless drill; with a good ship beneath his feet, and a crew at his command was a very different
from the drink sodden beach- comber who had signed on to throw away the "Brenda!
One day the mate ventured to broach that subject to him.
"By the way, sir, when do you propose to carry out your secret
orders
Captain Tann nigmatic but ominous glance
"I take
see them Is that the
are oard
Job's going to now, and I advise you
"When the owners gave me th
he said, in a soft, gentle voice, they made two mistakes They shouldn't have gi
an old sailor a fine craft like this to throw uldn't away and they certainly have named her after his own
laughter!"
Hudson, the mate, was goggling at him:
"And what now?" he asked, at last
"Port o' London, Mister! And then-I'll report to the owners!”
When they berthed in the Albert Docks the mate went ashore in a great hurry. Captain Tann grin- ned after him.
"Gone to tell the owners first. I suppose! Well, good luck to him!
He attended to some details, and, eventually, having dressed and shaved with meticu lous care, he also went ashore. He - was quite a new man, now the tan had come back to his face, and his eyes were no longer bleary, but keen, alert and just a little dangerous looking
In Fenchurch-street he paused for a moment to eye the hand- some brass plate, which
“Hudd, Son and Co., Shipowners Then he drew a deep breath, and went inside, his mouth set in very grim fashina.
kept him
for some
um that Mr Hudd
He smiled grimly and was shown into an inner
where a dark-haired man, smartly attired in morning coat and strip ed trousers, was bending over his desk
Tve brought the "Brenda" in, all safe, sir!" gruffed Captain Tann, and stood waiting for the
storm to burst.
But it didn't. Instead, Tann gave a gasp and almost ed, for when the young man lif ed his head, he found himself look ing into the eyes son, his chief officer!
"What in the name devil began Tann, other cat him short-
Mr. Hud
the
"Look here, Captain," he said, a trifle nervously, "I've played bit of a trick on you, but I think when you un- you'll forgive me derstand am actually George Hudd, the son of this concern, but head of it since my dad tired Your daughter came here as my secretary. I fell in love with her and she did with But she refused to marry
inter
less I saw to it that you had one chance to make good! ly, I wasn't tremendousl ested in you but I was ing her. So I decided have your chance, and in be a perfect rely on
came The bom
(Continued
see
-“I can tell
White Horse
blindfold! And to think that at one
time I used simply to ask for whisky and soda!
White Horse is just like a fine liqueur
Sole Agents for S. China: JARDINE MATHESON
CO., LTD.