Baldwin held up one wide-spread hand palm out. "That's enough, Buddy.
You've said enough. I don't know what the poor old _Whist_ will do once
she finds herself away from the lee of the breakwater t'night, Bud, but
we'll go, and if they're there and we stay afloat, we'll get 'em. And
Bo, I could play this hand all night, but two round blue moons to see
what you got. Hah? King full, eh? The nerve of you! What did y' think I
was only taking one card f'r? There, feast your eyes on that fat black
collection, will yuh? In a row? Sure in a row. Look at 'em--a three-toed
black regiment of 'em. And these other little round red, white, and blue
boys, cash 'em in, will yuh, Bo? And put the money in an envelope for
me?"
"And for me too." Harty had drawn out a roll of bills and laid them on
the table. "I don't know how much is there--count it, you. And if I
don't come 'round again, here's an address--South Boston, yes--where you
can send it. A little nephew of mine, a fine fat little devil who thinks
his uncle's the greatest man in the world. The poor kid, of course,
don't know any different. So long, fellows. All ready, Baldy?"
"All ready, Bud--head away."
Through the streets, past the Navy Yard gate and through the Navy Yard
the two friends tramped silently.
"Won't you need more than the three of us to handle that tug?" asked
Harty.
"Three's plenty, Bud. You and me an' old Pete, we can make out. What's
the use of risking any more, though if we did need 'em, we'd get 'em.
We'd only have to beat up the water-front, and volunteers! They'd come
a-running, Bud, from every joint and dance-hall, enough to run a
battleship--in no time, yes, sir. Why, Bud, even that squash-head of a
piano-player would 'a' come if we'd ast him."
"H-m-m--you surely think well of people, Baldy."
"No more strain than to think bad of 'em. But what'd be the use? Us two
an' old Pete, who'll be sleepin' aboard, c'n run her, Bud."
And they had put out in the _Whist_, and now down in the combined engine
and fire-room of her were Harty and old Pete toiling to keep steam up. A
notorious little craft, the _Whist_, one of those legacies which
sometimes fall to the Service; the department always going to fix her
up, and always putting it off until the next appropriation. Her old
boilers leaked, and in a sea-way her old seams gaped, and what between
keeping steam up and her bilge pumped out, Harty and Pete could hardly
find time to brace their feet whenever she attempted, as she did about
every fifteen seconds, to heave them across the floor.
To the wheel of the _Whist_ was Baldwin, and as with every dive of the
plunging _Whist_ the spray scattered high above her bows, so through the
open windows of the pilot-house came barrels of it, and not a spoonful
that didn't go to his drenching.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account