Holman Day

“ I can either turn packet and cargo over to the prohibitioners and lay down and whine for mercy with four paws in the air, else she will pass word, she threats, that I got gay and asked her to elope, children and all.”
“Nobody would take stock in such a yarn! You elope with a ready-made family? Bah!” Captain Bent sliced the air with flattened palm.
“Them remarks,” said Captain Coombs, “showing as how you’ve still got a lot to learn about the way the old cats lap up gossip when it is sassered out to ’em ’long coast. ”

“ This is what he heard:
“Captain Bent, you’re in the nick o’ time, as usual. Popham Sands station reports a two-master kedged offshore and making a touch-and-go of it. Station has been trying to get their boat off through the rollers, but she has pitch-poled at every try. They’ve fired lines on the chance of working the breeches buoy, but the lines haven’t been handled aboard the schooner. Station phones that the crew acts queer. Glass shows a woman and children aboard. It seems to be a job cut out for you, eh, what?” ”

“ It was up to the Arrowsic to get a line across the schooner, give her cable, tow her to safety. Captain Bent stowed his binoculars, descended to the bridge. His three lieutenants were there, ready for his orders.
“Have the gunner clear equipment for shooting a line. Get cross-bearings from points ashore, so we can make sure of charted depths. Put a man forward with heave lead.” ”

“ It’s an awful comedown, libeled now for rum-toting, taking two honest names into court.”
“That clipper name has been a pleasant memory for me,” admitted Captain Bent conservatively.
“In spite of the lickings?” inquired the old master, cocking his eye.
“Yes; they had their part in teaching me to respect orders, making me understand as master what orders mean aboard ship.” There was a hint of tenderness in the tone. Instantly he became brusque again. “I saw none of your crew on deck, sir.”
“Their minds ain’t edzackly on seafaring at the present time,” stated Captain Coombs demurely. ”

“ They must have got to Jeth Wallace good and proper—bribed up him and his cannery, run in their rum between days and laid low while Jeth and some hand-picked whelps put the stuff up to look as in-nercent as Miss Daisy teaching a Sunday-school class. ”

“ I take it you turned the stuff over to him.”
“I told him nothing which hitches you and your schooner up with the case. If anybody says anything to you on guesswork or hearsay, merely chew a toothpick and look innocent.”
“Aye! And stupid. That’ll be easy for a coaster skipper.”
“Captain Coombs, I did not tell him I had salvaged something very important—something outside a booze cargo. No hint to him about what the special salvage was. He wouldn’t understand, anyway. ”

“ It was Yankee reserve, its laconic style extra copper-riveted by mariner stolidity.
Captain Bent went brusquely back to the business of day and date. “Sir, we’ll lay off grappling in muddy waters. We’ll tackle present concerns. In a friendly way, however—if I did put too much steam behind that punch.”
Captain Coombs snorted and tossed his hand, dismissing the subject. “Oh, hell! That’s only the style of seafaring men understanding each other. Much obleeged for your help in getting the hatch open on the cargo of gab I’m carrying. ”

“ I’ll simply say that Marm Wallace has organized the Wimmen’s Crusaders on Lumbo and they’re all under oath, f’r instance, to doctor home-brew when it has been located—not simply dumping it, but fixing it so a man will never darst take another drink after swigging the foxbait peppered up by the ladies. ”

“ Is the woman crazy?” gasped Bachelor Bent.
Captain Coombs stared thoughtfully into the crown of his sou’wester and was studiedly discreet in his reply. “Lots of good folks lately are acting queer about this liquor business, sir, and I’d hate to be passing any word as how they belong in the crazy coop. ”

“ The job was dispatched and its completion was reported aft.
Captain Bent received the report after he had retired to his berth. “Thank you, Mr. Todd. Order out our two motor sailers and tow that schooner to the lower harbor for anchorage. By the way, her anchors are at Popham. Put aboard her one of our spare killicks, with cable.”
The commander spoke again before the executive was out of hearing. “Give my respects to Captain Coombs. Inform him that I’ll come aboard the Harvest Home some time before noon.” ”

“ Running the glass lenses against his sleeve, the cutter commander muttered, “A clipper name hasn’t been wholly wasted on the man who knows enough to carry good chain and brace his bowers.”
Further inspection through the glass revealed that the schooner’s foremast had partially parted stays and that her top hamper had been slatted into a tangle. It would be impossible to make sail on her ”