The Dark Sea-Horse by Charley Wood Read online

  rounded the buoy and swung up to head up more, too,” said Captain windward. Back along the course the rest Swiggles, “for to save some o’ that of the field clung to their places, strung leeway.”

  out along the leg, till the whole

  “You hear that, cap?” called the resembled a white-spotted monster whose doctor. “The captains say you should twisting tail was formed by the two haul up a little on the head and hold up struggling cat-boats.

  the sheet—or some such thing.”

  With the first buoy safely on the The sailing master cast a peeved port quarter and the wind singing over glare in the direction of the two guests, the port bow, the second leg of the course but untwisted the order and obeyed it.

  began. The Flying Wedge and Lightning Immediately they began to gain on the were several lengths along it when the

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  Dart luffed. Captain Swiggles bent and and at her wheel a lean, queer-looking watched them under the main boom.

  helmsman, bare-headed, and stripped

  “They

  can’t

  make

  this leg without

  above the waist to a flannel undershirt of tacin’ six times if they can’t sail no flaming red. Over and up with the closter to the wind than that!” he stated.

  varying force of the wind she canted by,

  “Put that wheel down two spokes

  the wind hitting her sails at such an angle an’ we can make ’er in two!” followed up that a hair of lee helm would have set Captain Stubbler.

  them to flapping uselessly.

  The sailing master did so.

  The captains gazed at her as she

  “We’re gaining, by Jove!”

  passed and gasped admiration through suddenly breathed the doctor.

  their chagrin.

  “Sure,” said Captain Swiggles,

  “There’s a real sailor masterin’

  “hold ’er there if you warnts for to beat

  ’er!” ejaculated Captain Stubbler. “He’s

  ’em.”

  goin’ to do this leg without tackin’

  Only once did they look astern.

  wunst!”

  Then they saw the Nancy O thrashing

  “What boat is it?” asked the

  five lengths behind them, and being doctor.

  overhauled by another craft whose

  “The

  Hannah Snider! ” read

  identification was impossible owing to Captain Swiggles from her stern. “It’s the heel of her. Foot by foot the Dart that blasted barkeep’s boat!”

  gained on the two leading boats, for her

  “Where did he get a sailor like

  course was well inside theirs. Presently that, I wonder?” said Captain Stubbler, her bow was heaving parallel with their and Captain Swiggles voiced a profound sterns, and they heard a faint cheer from desire to be master of the Dart long the crowd, which was thrilled with the enough to show them how to beat her.

  sport of it.

  But

  the

  Hannah Snider drew

  “This is the greatest race I’ve ever steadily ahead as the Dart went off on her been in!” squealed the doctor joyously. “I starboard tack. They looked over the never thought the old Dart would win it!”

  quarter to see if any more of the field

  “I wish old mate Wagg was here

  were bent upon following the Hannah’s to enjoy it,” said Captain Stubbler. “It ’ud lead, but were reassured as they saw the do him more good to see the way we beat three favorites floundering laboriously these harbor sailors than layin’ in that and being overhauled by No. 7, a gallant houspital bunk.”

  little catboat. It was evident now that the When

  the

  Dart luffed for her tack race was to be won by the best display of she was many lengths ahead of the seamanship.

  favorites. She had walked away with the

  “Is there no way we can stop

  field magnificently. But as she gathered this?” groaned the doctor.

  headway in the new direction there came Just then, from the direction of to the skipper’s ears the swish and slap of the Hannah Snider as she approached the a bow wave from astern, and they swung buoy at the end of the leg, there came to on their heels.

  them an explosion of masterly profanity, There, sweeping by, they saw the so brilliant in its sailorly application and Hannah Snider, with Jeremiah Sniffen splendid in its abandon that the skippers seated triumphantly on her poop-deck, held their breaths to listen.

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  “There’s only one man in the

  “We’re goin’ to beat that boat, an’

  world what can do that!” ejaculated the only way we can do it is to have this Captain Stubbler.

  lubber outer the way,” replied Captain Captain

  Swiggles

  rudely snatched

  Swiggles.

  the doctor’s marine-glass from its case

  “Let me up, I tell you!” fumed

  and pointed it at the Hannah.

  Towers.

  “Blarst me to slivers!” he

  Captain Stubbler doubled a

  exploded, and stuck the glass to his other healthy fist before his nose and shook it.

  eye, having difficulty to dodge Captain

  “You tries to heave up an’ I

  Stubbler’s impatient grabs for it as he did smashes you an’ that chair clean through so. After a moment he handed it to his the keel!” he threatened.

  mate and sank to his chair.

  The sailing master paled and sat

  “It’s him! It’s him without his

  quiet. Before the astounded physician whiskers!” exclaimed Captain Stubbler.

  could object, Captain Swiggles was at the

  “Sure it’s him—the bloomin’,

  wheel, and Captain Stubbler had sprung under-hant sneak!” answered Captain forward among the crew with a swab Swiggles. “Captain Jimson—hey!”

  handle in his starboard fist.

  The doctor and “Cap” Towers

  “Watch them sheets, you

  watched them wonderingly as Captain squareheads!” bellowed Captain

  Swiggles tore the megaphone from its Swiggles as he spun the helm up. Captain bracket and trained it at the boat ahead.

  Stubbler drove the dumfounded crew to it His face was rapidly reddening with rage.

  with the swab handle, and soon the Dart,

  “Avast there, you yellow-backed, black-with everything tight, was back on the hearted liar!” he thundered through it.

  other tack and headed straight for the The

  Hannah Snider’s commander Stern of the Hannah Snider.

  looked back at them and an exultant leer She immediately began to gain.

  spread over his smooth face.

  “I knew she was the fastest boat if

  “A fine pair o’ sailors, you!”

  she only had the right handlin’!”

  came down the wind to them. “ I could o’

  exclaimed Captain Swiggles.

  give you a mile start an’ still beat you.”

  Straight into it he drove her, with The skippers clenched their fists never an inch more than four points from in savage exasperation as they heard it.

  the wind, and gaining a mite with every

  “I’ll beat you if it’s the last thing I pitch. As the doctor clung to his chair and do outside o’ Davy’s locker!” roared watched it, his bewilderment began to Captain Swiggles, and threw down the give place to interest.

  megaphone. “Lend a hand here,

  The

  Hannah Snider was only ten William.”

  lengths ahead when the Dart rounded the Together they rushed at Cap

  buoy and swung up on the last leg, and Towers, and before that individual was she continued to gain despite the fact that fully aware of how it happened he was the
coatless, shirtless, whiskerless skipper seated with a bang in the seat Captain ahead was driving his boat to her best Swiggles had just vacated, and held there gait. When the Dart rounded the buoy the by two pairs of horny hands when he cheering of the crowd was deafening.

  struggled to rise. “What are you doing Down for the stake boat they now there?” expostulated the amazed doctor.

  bore, with wind abeam and lee rails

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  smothered in brine, and presently the an’ kick your larmps into your head, you Dart was only eight lengths behind.

  slick-mouthed hypercrite!” yelled

  “By George! I believe we’re

  Captain Swiggles, hanging over the rail going to beat her!” rattled the doctor.

  toward the Hannah.

  “Sure we will,” returned Captain-

  “Where’s them boom whiskers o’

  Swiggles with brusk confidence. “Cap”

  yourn, you low-down snake-in-the-Towers bit his under lip and muttered grass?” bawled Captain Stubbler, doing profanely.

  likewise. “You’d have to cut off your When they were but five lengths

  bloomin’ head afore you could fool me.”

  behind, half the leg had been completed,

  “Save your wind, you pair o’

  and it looked like an even chance for both canal-boat drivers,” snapped back boats. The crowd was cheering itself Captain Wagg. “I beat you square an’

  hoarse. Captain Stubbler went to the bow you know it.”

  and made a megaphone of his hands.

  “You’re the one what’ll be beat

  “In five more minits you reads

  when I gets where I can lay my hand to our name across the stern, you cheatin’

  you,” roared Captain Swiggles. “I’ll fake!” bawled he.

  blarst the Captain Jimson out o’ you

  “You’re gabbin’ through your

  bloomin’ quick—”

  port ear,” returned Captain Wagg.

  “Captain Jimson! Three cheers for The race committee dropped

  Captain Jimson!” caught up the crowd, everything and set itself to judge the and followed it with three ear-splitting, winner. When the Dart was three lengths whistle-accompanied ovations.

  behind the crowd fell to blowing

  “Captain Jimson your eye!”

  whistles, hammering, and using every bellowed Captain Swiggles at the handy device to make a noise. When stakeboat and every one within hearing.

  there was but five lengths to go, the Dart

  “His right name is Henry Wagg.”

  was heaving at the Hannah Snider’s

  “I knowed him for forty years!”

  sternpost!

  sang out Captain Stubbler. “Ever since he

  “Can we do it?” asked the doctor.

  shipped outer New Bedford with a girl But Captain Swiggles scowled and said atter him!”

  nothing as he measured the distance with There was an abrupt stir in the

  his eye.

  stake-boat, and the crowd ceased its noise

  “Two more jumps an’ I has you!”

  to listen; while the watchful crew of the roared Captain Wagg.

  police boat steered for the scene.

  “All I wants is one good sweep at

  “I’ll crumble every timber aboard your head with my starboard boom, that’s you fer that—you double-dealin’

  all!” fired back Captain Swiggles.

  turncoats!” thundered Captain Wagg as With the crowd on a five-minute

  his face paled with rage.

  rampage the boats swept across the

  “Crumble away,” invited Captain

  line—and the Hannah Snider lead by the Stubbler. “An the sooner you turns to the length of her bowsprit!

  better I likes it.”

  The moment it was over each

  “You will be sick in the horspital captain dropped his sails and rushed to when I gets where I can reach you!”

  the rail.

  followed Captain Swiggles.

  “I has a notion to jump over there While the altercation progressed

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  the crews and owners of the two boats criminal propensities of the skippers.

  held their places, spellbound, and took no

  “They’re going to announce the

  heed of the fact that the boats were winner!” suddenly interjected the doctor; drifting together. Even when the gallant

  “let’s hear who won this mix-up.”

  little catboat spurted over the line, with a The announcer took his post in

  good half of her short length on the the stern of the stake boat and put the Flying Wedge, no one seemed to notice.

  megaphone to his lips. The policemen The thunder and snarl of the vocal retained their grip on the skippers and battle was at its height when the everybody listened.

  schooners ground together, and the whole

  “Number thirteen, the schooner

  started a whirling, roaring drift down the Hannah Snider,” he yelled, “is declared line of spectators, with the police boat disqualified, owing to the fact that her chugging after.

  sailing master was entered and sailed her True to their form, weapons, in

  under an assumed name.”

  the shape of a capstan bar, a swab handle,

  “What’s that got to do with ’er

  and a marine glass were suddenly seen in speed, you—” roared Captain Wagg the skippers’ hands; and there was an before a policeman could clap a hand abrupt series of exhaust explosions from over his mouth. He became silent and the police boat as she forged ahead. Dr.

  squirmed under the grin of his mates.

  Benning jumped to his feet and stood

  “We win, then!” exclaimed

  ready to lend his professional presence.

  Captain Stubbler.

  As a stalwart policeman grasped

  “Ain’t there no fair play into this each arm of each captain a disappointed thing?” the bartender wanted to know as howl came from the crowd.

  he slammed his cigar to the deck and

  “What’s the matter here, now?”

  looked accusingly at Captain Wagg.

  asked one of the officers. “Drop those

  “Number seven, the schooner

  clubs and spit out your troubles.”

  Dart,” continued the announcer, “is also

  “This blighter here,” began

  disqualified because she was operated by Captain Swingles, indicating Captain persons supposed to be only guests.”

  Wagg, “goes orf savin’ he’s sick an’ has

  “What’s the matter with that

  to take a cruise in the horspital. Instead o’

  blasted fool?” asked Captain Swiggles doin’ it he dowses his whiskers an’ goes angrily as Captain Wagg indulged in a marster o’ this hooker under the name o’

  laugh.

  Jimson—”

  “I knew it. I knew it,” said the He ain’t fit to wipe our boots on!”

  doctor; “but what’s the use of kicking?”

  put in Captain Stubbler. “We packs his

  “Therefore,” continued the

  gear fer him with medecine, ’baccer, and announcer, “the winner of the cup is grog, an’ the next we see o’ him he’s declared to be number seven, the catboat stripped aloft to a undershirt an’ standin’

  Rebecca, owned by Ike B. Goldberg.”

  at the wheel o’ the leadin’ boat!”

  Loud cheers from certain parts of As the tale was gradually and

  the crowd followed this announcement, jerkily unfolded, with the bartender then suddenly every one was starting corroborating wherever necessary, the preparations for the homeward sail, and officers listened with broadening grins. It the band struck up a final tune.

  did not take them long to gage the

  “Well,�
�� said one of the officers,

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  “the best thing for you boys to do is afore midnight.” said Captain Wagg.

  shake hands and call it square.”

  And when the arms of the law

  “I wouldn’t touch my hand to him returned to their boat a few moments later fer a full-rigged ship!” promptly returned they left the three skippers on the poop-Captain Swiggles.

  deck of the Hannah Snider harmoniously

  “Belay that tongue an’ give me a abusing the crew as she swung clear and hand to get clear an’ hoist them sails so filled off on the first leg for Stapleton.

  we can get back to fire that sunset gun