Captain Kendall

“ Captain Kendall——"
"Kendrick, not Kendall."
Mr. Phillips begged pardon for the mistake. It was inexcusable, he admitted. He had heard the captain's name mentioned so frequently since his arrival in Bayport, especially by Mrs. Berry and her daughter, "so favorably, even enthusiastically mentioned," that he certainly should have remembered it. "I am not quite myself, I fear," he added. "My recent bereavement and the added shock of the death of my dear old friend the judge have had their effect. My nerves are—well, you understand, I am sure." ”

“ Captain Kendall is in command of the Josephine. He is responsible for the safety of the vessel and for the lives of those on board."
"He might have sent up word to take down the sails," growled Mr. Hamblin, disgusted beyond measure at the decision of the principal. [Pg 89]
"Did any one ever hear of a captain working his vessel while in the steerage?" retorted Mr. Lowington, impatiently, as he took a pen and wrote a few lines on a sheet of paper. "Was Captain Kendall respectful to you?"
"No, sir."
"What did he say that was disrespectful?"
"Disobedience is always disrespectful. ”

“ Kendall."
"Mr. Hamblin, it is your misfortune, not your fault, that you were brought up on shore instead of at sea," added the principal. "You have made a very great mistake, sir."
"I, sir!" exclaimed the learned gentleman, springing up from his seat as though such an event as that indicated by Mr. Lowington had never occurred in his life.
"Captain Kendall also made a mistake," continued the principal.
"He did indeed, sir. It is always a very great mistake to disobey one's teacher." ”

“ The reefed foresail was taken in, for it was found that the jib and mainsail were all the schooner needed. She stood on for an hour or more, without obtaining a sight of the wreck, though every eye on board was strained to catch the first glimpse of it.
"We must have passed her," said the captain.
"It is so thick we can't see her, even if we should go within half a mile of her."
"Come about, and stand a little more to the southward!" added Captain Kendall. "Let the fog-horns be blown. We may get a signal of some kind from them." ”

“ When Captain Kendall shouted through the megaphone, I shouted back, but I did not have the megaphone at hand, so I shouted as loud as I could; our man on the lookout heard me call. I did go full speed ahead. I kept my hand on the telegraph to the engine-room, and the very moment we touched the other ship I rang the engineer full speed ahead, but the Empress was going at a good speed and it was impossible for me to keep our bow in the hold. She disappeared from this ship and for a long time I kept my whistle blowing, but I heard nothing until the cries. ”

“ The energetic motions of the men on the disabled vessel could be dimly seen through the mist and rain.
"Hoist the jib, Terrill," said Captain Kendall. "We will run up to the wreck, and ascertain what the trouble is."
"Man the jib halyards! Stand by the jib sheet!" added Terrill.
"All ready, sir!"
"Let go the downhaul! Hoist away!" continued the first lieutenant. "Port the helm!"
The mainsail was trimmed, the jib sheet hauled down, and the schooner filled away again. She ran close under the lee of the galiot, just far enough off to clear her masts.
"What's the matter, Mr. Pelham?" ”

“ The culprit came forward, and touched his cap to the captain.
"For your conduct this morning to Mr. Hamblin I shall send you on board of the ship," said Paul, in firm and decided tones.
"I couldn't help it, Captain Kendall," pleaded McDougal; but he exhibited none of the servility which had characterized his demeanor to the professor; he knew the captain too well to resort to such an expedient.
"Perhaps you could not," replied Paul, pointedly. "Perhaps you could not; but you were very careless." ”

“ The Josephine was most strangely deficient in caution on the present occasion, and the principal was evidently much disturbed by the conduct of her captain, who was usually very prudent, without being timid. There she was, with all her extra sail set and flapping in the calm, while a tempest was brewing before her.
"Captain Kendall must be asleep," said Mr. Low [Pg 14] ington, nervously, to Peaks, the adult boatswain of the ship.
"And the officers too," replied the old salt, hitching up his trousers. "We ought to fire a gun to wake them up." ”

“ By the time he gets through wiping the deck with you perhaps you will realize the necessity, in the future, of obeying orders from your owners. In your cablegram received to-day, you take occasion to remind us that no manager or owner has authority to disrate a ship's officer. This is quite true. Such authority is vested only in the master of the ship. You need have no fear for your job, however. We believe you to be a clever first mate, otherwise Captain Kendall would not have dug you up out of the forecastle ”

“ It is hard for a Down-Easter, even though he may have lost the speech of his people, not to be, partial to his own; and Captain Noah Kendall, of the barkentine Retriever, was all the cook had declared him to be. He scolded his Norsk mates so bitterly while the vessel was taking on cargo at Grays Harbor that both came and asked for their time an hour before the vessel sailed. ”

“ Hamblin. I will explain the matter myself, when I give him the order."
"If you could give him the order verbally, it would be better."
"No; he must have the written order to show to any professor who disputes his authority. But Captain Kendall will never give you any trouble. He is manly and gentle, and he will not take advantage of his position."
"I think he will have abundant ground to manifest his triumph."
"He will not do anything of the kind. If any officer of the Josephine treats you with disrespect, he shall be suspended at once from office."
"That is very proper, sir," added Mr. ”

“ If he had gone on deck when the first message reached him, it might not have been necessary, though I should have sustained him in doing so; for the safest side is always the best side. May I ask you to read this order?" added the principal, as he handed the sheet upon which he had written to the learned professor.
Mr. Hamblin read the order aloud.
Captain Kendall is hereby authorized and directed to leave any class in which he may be engaged, whenever, in his own judgment, the management of his vessel requires him to do so. The instructors in the consort are requested to respect this order. ”

“ The masters returned to their stations on deck, and everything was in readiness to continue the manœuvre. Captain Shuffles was in earnest conversation with Commodore Kendall. A more unsatisfactory state of things could not exist than that which prevailed on board of the Young America. The conduct of the crew amounted almost to mutiny. Those who had maliciously made the mischief, and those who had been engaged in it from a love of fun, had succeeded in confounding those who meant to do their duty. It was impossible to tell who were guilty and who were innocent ”

“ By this time the boat was along the ship's side, and there being nobody to oppose them, the pirates immediately boarded us, and coming on the quarter-deck, fired their pieces several times down into the steerage, giving one sailor a wound of which he died afterwards.
At last some of our people bethought themselves to call out for quarter, which the pirates granting, their quartermaster came down into the steerage, asking where the captain was. I told him I had been so till now. On that he asked me how I durst order my people to fire at their boat out of the steerage. ”

“ These two good men, who were presently followed by Thomas Kendall, sailed in the same ship with Mr. Marsden, when, in August 1809, he paid his last farewell to his native land, and sailed in the Ann for New South Wales. Strange to say, this very ship contained a Maori, on his return home! He was a young chief named Duaterra, who had, in a spirit of adventure, embarked on board a whaler named the Argo, and worked as a sailor for six months, till the captain, having no further occasion for his services, put him ashore at Port Jackson, without payment or friends. ”

“ If you look forward, he must look aft."
"I understand you."
"Now I want to know who the other fellows were that played 'Don't know Beans' that day."
"Captain Gordon was one."
"Will you post him up in what I have told you?"
"I will, and the other fellows who voted for Shuffles, if you say so."
"Thank you. I wish you would. Let them all tell him they desire to change their votes; but have them do it one at a time."
Paul Kendall promised to do what was required of him ”

“ The first of these was the 'Rising Sun,' one Cochlyn commander, who had not with him above twenty-five men; the second was a brigantine commanded by one Le Bouse, a Frenchman, whose crew had formerly served with Cochlyn's under the pirate Moody; the third was a large ship commanded by Captain Davis, with a crew of near one hundred and fifty men. This Davis was a generous man, nor had he agreed to join with the others when I was taken by Cochlyn; which proved a great misfortune to me, for I found Cochlyn and his crew to be a set of the basest and most cruel villains that ever were. ”

“ Kendall seeing that he would almost immediately be surrounded by a force too great to permit his men to act, called to me that he should be obliged to fire. Fully aware of the necessity of prompt measures, I answered that he was at liberty to fire if necessary. Upon which, snatching up his fowling-piece, he presented it at three of the most daring who had hold of the sweep-oar, and his crew who were now in the water endeavouring to shove the boat off, and struggling with the natives, jumped on board and seized their muskets. ”

“ But I, still denying any knowledge of him, he told me that he supposed I took him to be one of the pirate's crew because I saw him dressed in that manner, but that he was a forced man, and since he had been taken, though they spared his life, they had obliged him to act as master of the pirate ship. And the reason of his being so armed was to prevent their ill-using him, for there were hardly any among the crew but what were cruel villains. ”

“ Paul Kendall, who had not occupied a berth in the steerage since the first organization of the ship, was greatly surprised and grieved to learn that some of the crew were addicted to vicious practices. Gambling was an enormous offence, and he was not quite willing to believe that such a terrible evil had obtained a foothold in the ship. He could hardly conceive of such a thing as boys engaging in games of chance; only the vilest of men, in his estimation, would do so. ”

“ All you have to do is focus it. The trouble being, if it's out of focus the advantage is more than lost. So if there's any question about getting the focus, we'll get along without it."
"A real help, if you do. That would punch a hole before the Stranger ship could turn away as they do now."
Kendall nodded. "That's what I was after. It is mainly for the forts, though. We'll have to signal the dope to the Mars Center and Deenmor stations. They can fix it up, themselves. In the meantime—all we can do is hold on and hunt, and let's hope better than the Strangers do." ”

“ Annatanam said, "When the tent of a chieftain is lonely? There are others who grieve for the light that has fled, And one who waits here for you only!" "Go—leave me!" she cried. "I would fain be alone; I must stay where the trees and the wild waters moan; For my heart is as cold as a wave-beaten stone." Oh, the Beauty that was broke for Deloya! "Wahina, why weep o'er a handful of dust, When the souls of the brave are approaching? Oh, look to the fires that are lit for the just, And the mighty who sleep in Arrochin!" ”

“ An hour later the Miran returned, passed the still-lightless ship at a distance of five million miles, and settled to Phobos for the slight repairs needed.
Twelve hours later, the T-253 settled to Luna, for the many rearrangements she would need.
"I rather knew it was coming," Kendall admitted sadly, "but danged if I didn't forget all about it. And—cost the life of one of the finest men in the system. Jehnson's family get a permanent pension just twice his salary, McLaurin. ”

“ And those poor lips, Whose latest phrases were for peace, grew mute, And into everlasting silence passed. As fares a swimmer who hath lost his breath In 'wildering seas afar from any help— Who, fronting Death, can never realize The dreadful Presence, but is prone to clutch At every weed upon the weltering wave— So fared the watcher, poring o'er the last Of him she loved, with dazed and stupid stare; Half conscious of the sudden loss and lack Of all that bound her life, but yet without The power to take her mighty sorrow in. ”

“ He depressed a lever, and a sudden smooth push shot them away from the T-247.
"DON'T!" called Kendall sharply as Cole reached for the ion-rocket control. "Douse those lights!" The ship was dark in dark space. The lighted hull of the T-247 drifted away from the little tender—further and further till the giant ship on the far side became visible. [11]
"Not a light—not a sign of fields in operation." Kendall said, unconsciously speaking softly. "This thing is so tiny, that it may escape their observation in the fields of the T-247 and Pluto down there. It's our only hope." ”

“ Thanks.... I shall hope to hear you've accepted next time I see you. We'll talk details and sign papers then, eh?... Oh, yes, we will. You won't be fool enough to refuse. Easy berth, you know, Kendrick. And don't forget Egbert; eh? Ha, ha.... Umph—ah, yes.... Where's that damned housekeeper?"
Mike Callahan asked no questions as he drove his passenger back to the General Minot place—no direct questions, that is—but it was quite evident that his curiosity concerning the reasons for Captain Kendrick's visit was intense.
"Well, the ould judge seen you at last, Cap'n," he observed. ”