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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 1924)
, __* r-TT a y^ y^ y y^ ^ By ALBERT RICHARD WETGEN j Death in a Shark! s Yawning Jaws yy JH ^ illustrated by william fisher ^-4._ The second mate found him when he went to hla cabin Just after the bark Hemro had cleared the harbor heads and was running out to sea. Just Inside the cabin jioor he crouch ed. as miserable and as forlorn a specimen of dog as the young sailor had ever seen. VHello,” said the second mate, bending and tickling hint • hind the ears. "How the mischief did you get here?" The dog whined uneasily. His bat tered stump of a tall thumped the carpet. Feebly he poked out a pale tongue and licked the band that caressed him. The second mate felt along his ribs and whistled. The dog was nothing but a bag of bones. Its golden Wire hair was drqjiched with the rain, mud caked Its paws. Once it had evidently been something of an Irish terrier. "Gee whiz!” muttered the young officer, rising to his feet. "Wonder how long you've been here. Climbed aboard this morning some time. When It was still dark eh? Cun ning llT rogue. I dunno what t'do iyou. The old man sure hates dogs. Guess you'll go overboard 'fore you're much older. He paused and scratched his head. He was a very young officer, the youngest aboard. The mate and the captain were both hard-bitten old grouches. There was a weary, long voyage ahead. There atlrred In the second mate the age-old longing of man for a hunting-companion, for a friend to be trusted, for someone to 0«^slt by the fire'with him and warn ^ him of the night dangers. And for the same reason that his skin-clad ancestors had taken wolves and tamed them, the second mate of the Hemro bent again and patted the starving dog's head. "All right, old man," he laughed. "You can stay. ‘I'll run you from now on. If you ain't a sailor now, you will he when we get home. Stand up, you—you, "Waffles, you. That's a good name. Stand up, Waffles, and Jfcome with me.” He hacked out of his cabin, In the low deck-house abaft the mainmast, snapping his fingers. Whining, the dog followed, weakness causing his legs to drag, his tall down, his ears flat, his eyes wide on the chuckling man "Doctor, give my dog some sersps, will you?” said the officer to the cook when he reached the galley with his charge. The white-aproned, pot-bellied. V stumpy «ook looked down on the dog and sniffed. "A dawg! Crlk-wl • W*lt till the old marf sees it. Scraps, sir? Aye. aye. Come here, you mis erable-lookin’ lump •* mischief. What's 'Is nyme?’’ "Waffles. You know, earns as you make sometimes, doc." "Huh! You makln' fun e* me? Never mind. Wa-ffle*. eome ’ere and eat.” . The Cook’s smooth moon-face, bright red from long years of standing be fore galley fires, slid Into a smile as - Watched’th* hungry dog bolt the scrape of meat and vegetable* he placed on the galley deck. The second mate leaned against the door Jamb. He scratched his hand and tilted hi* peaked uniform cap well back. A fine young man was he, big and bright-eyed, broad-shouldered, tanned, clean-shaven, his short throat well muscled. Nearly always laughter curved h!s lips. A footstep sounded on the deck planking, a slow, methodical footstep. A deep voice demanded: "What’s that you'va got in there?” Th# face of the cook lost its grin. Th# second mate’s eyes ceased to twinkle. Both men turned slowly, the j second mate removing his foot from tthe dooretep and commencing to but ton bis Jacket up. The captain stood in the opposite doorway, frowning down at the feeding dog that Vratched him from the corner of one eye and with one ear cocked. “A dog, sir," said the second mate, uncomfortably. "So I see,” snarled th# eaptaln. 'Twitch it overboard!” The cook mumbled "Yesslr” in a low voice and stooped to pick up Waffles, The dog backed away and growled. The second mate flushed and stuck his hands in his trousers pockets. HI# obstinate Jaw set hard. "Leave him alone," he said dis tinctly. "He’s my dog.” The eaptaln stiffened and frowned. He was a burly man, black-bearded, ^ gray-faced, his face lined with the ^ weather and year* of dissipation. lie "*'^rlared from under the low-pulled peak of his cap. “Your dog be blowed!” he said. ”1 won’t hava* dog on my ship. Throw It over aide, cook.” "You leave it alone,” snapped the young officer, hotly. The cook hesi tated and looked from one man to th* other. "It’s my dog and I’ll look after it. If you want to pitch it over you’ll have to pitch me over flret, eir." “You'll keep your mouth shut and j*ou'll do ae you’re told, Healey,” the Taptaln enapped, his eyes blazing.‘Til fcarn you if that dog comes my way I’ll shoot It. You’ll pey for Its keep till then.” He turned and strode sway, mutter lng darkly In his beard. Th* cook shot a scared look at th# second mate. "You’d better get rid of the animal, sir,” he mumbled, "you know what th# old man is with dogs. He'll ahoot the thing 'for* long. I’ll tell the world ’# will.” "Oh, ehut up, doctor." Th# other snorted wrathfully. "I’ll look after the dog. You Juet save scraps to feed him and leav* th* rest to me. Why why, darn ltl I never had a dog be fore.” Thf cook sighed and ehook hie heed as he turned to his etov# and banged a frying pan Viciously to prevent some steak from burning. Th# mat# Tscovered a little of his good temper. H# snapped his fingers and th# dog looked up eagerly, licking ^ ills chops. P*v"’ "Com# on, Waffles,’’ he eald. “If you’ve finished, I’ll give you a drink. Hltlpper or no skipper, you're my dog, and that's all there Is to It." Ills new-found possession at his heels, he left the galley snd went to the water-butt stood on Its ^**'ks with a square of canvas shelter V* It. \ The wrettiful captain w»s growling to th* soir-faced, lean mate, ‘The second's got a dog! If the brute comes aft or Interferes with the ship's work, kick its blasted ribs in! I'll shoot it if it comes .near me.” To which the mate, a somewhat melancholy individual, aged, sea-weary, answered, "Aye, aye, sir. Kick his blasted ribs in, sir!” The captain grunted after that and went below. The Hemro yawed wildly, swinging from side to side as she raced along. The wind was astern and somewhat gusty. Grinning a little, the mate walked aft to the binnacle and peered Into It, "Make the courts good," he eald. And the helmsman answered a» he spun the kicking wheel. "The course good, sir." Then the mate walked to the for 'ard taffrall and cupped hts hands round hls mouth. “Take another reef In yer tops'ls!’’ Came a faint answer from for'ard against the freshening breeze, "Taka another reef, sir"’ The fore and main rigging shook under the shoe* of climbing men. Astern the roast of northern New Zealand faded Into the horizon. On the second day out Waffles fell foul of the captain. Hls n*w master had taken good care to keep the dog shut In the cabin as much as pos sible. He allowed Waffles on the deck only when -he was there himself to stop the dog from going to the poop. But this time he happened to be asleep during hls watch below. The weather being warm, he had hooked shut the door before turlng In. The steward had come along to clean ont the room, unhooked the door, and the whining, much Improved Waffles was free and running ex citedly along the maJndeck, sniffing at everything that came hls way. He must have been a seadog, for he ex hibited a strange familiarity with a ship's gear. The boom of the wind In the canvas overhead and the rat tle of the blocks In no wise worried or frightened him. More significant thnn all, he was not seasick. Tlie captain came down from the poop and was going for’ard to Inspect the fo’o’sle and see whether the boy told off to keep It clean wss doing hls duty. Waffles, eagerly chasing a fragment of rope yarn blown across the fore-deck by the wind, got mix ed up In the captain'*'unsuspecting legs. The captain, side-stepped hastily, swore and took a running kick at the dog, notv busy worrying the rope yarn. The captain's heavy shoe took him in the side and sent him surprls ed and snarling with a jar against the bulwarks. He came back like a rubber ball, all bristling teeth and writhing musclea. lie snapped at the captain’s leg and ripped hls trousers at the knee. With an oath the bearded meeter sprang for the rail, tore out a helay Ingpln and hurled It savagely. Waf fles dodged. Perhaps he had such things thrown at him before on other ships. He rushed sgaln and nipped the captaln'a calf. The captain kicked and mlased and then retired pro fanely and precipitately for the poop, Wafflea snapping at hit heela. "My revolver," the captain snarled ns he stumbled down the companion from the poop deck to the saloon and to hls cabin. Wnfflea sat on hls launches at the foot of the com panion from the main deck and enlf fed, hls red tongue hanging out and hls head cocked on one side. "do 'way, laddie." called down the sour-faced mate softly, leaning over the taffrall. "Go 'way, laddie, or ye'll find a watery grave. Haven't ye enough sense not t' touch a ship master? Shame on ye! Hhnosh! Go 'way ..... Hopkins!" The mate mllcd to an A. H. who was olllhg down a backstay dear the mtzzen sheer pole and watching the arena with amusement. The man dropped hls fragment of black waste Into hts oil pot and came down to the deck. "Bun along and tell the second to get his dog," the mate said in • low voice, for fear the captain might hear him. The seaman nodded and grin ned more expansively. “I’d better take him," he said. The mate grunted. "Good Idea.” The seaman stepped forward, hesi tated as Waffles growled, and then stretched forth a cautious hand. “Come on, "Waffles," he crooned. "Come on t’ yer daddy 'fore the skipper slugs ye. Conte back to yer home. Good dog." WO* . ... . . JH An oath, a splash, and the raptaln was In the water. Waffles looked Interested, ceased to growl, wagged hie tall. Next mo ment the seaman had him under hls arm and waa hurrying toward the second mate’s cabin, the dog protest ing loudly. The second mate stopped the noise as soon aa he was awakened and told what was happening. And Waffles was gagged and bound and thrust Into a very dark locker for a while. All that afternoon the captain searched, revolver in hand, "for a blasted dog that ought to be dead!’’ Also he poked hls head Inside the second mate's cabin every half-hour or so, glowered at the apparently sleeping officer, and listened Intently for any noise. And several times the second mate and he pessed long min utes in hot argument, when the for mer worked up for a while—reapec tlve rank forgotten. The captain loathed dogs, but at the same time he wasn’t the sort of shipmaster who cared to rule hls officers with too high a hand. That only meant con stant trouble and Inefficient work. The captain did not find Wafflse. Nor did the dog appear on deck again for several days, not until the captain had put hls revolver sway and recovered some of hls cantanker ous temper. It was noticeable that Waffles bore the captain no grudge. He never harked at him when he •aw him. He proved s good-tempered dog. Perhaps he knew what others aboard quesaed, that the captain's bark was lots'worse than hls bite. At last the Hemro slid Into thedol drums, and th# great calme held £#r captive. Her full spread of canvas slattered and cracked, her decks reel ed and tossed to the endless glassy swell. At night flying fish scattered over the bulwarks and thrashed about th# planking. The crew wel comed them for they made good eat ing. Waffles was wont to snap them as they made to fly overside again. Like the crew, he welcomed them too. Kvery night the stare grew hlg and hot aeerned to come down from the velvet sky to play In fan tastic <^ueer shafts across the water. Occasional whale# sported about. Dolphins, alhocore, all the phenomena of the life of the greeter deep appear ed, hunted, killed, played, or died, and vanished. Dav after day th# sun drifted from horlaon to horlaon burning to the eye balls. And the berk reeled and rolled and baked and waited for th# wind that.was *o long In coming. On such nights and on such days th# second mat# dosed fitfully, dur ing hls watch below, on the top of th* mldshlphouse where hie cabin was. And by the side of hie mattress wefflee dosed, head on paws, bright eyes half closed end watching the Iteavo and fall of hls master’s breast. Whatever loyalty he had given to past masters, there Avaa no doubt of hls loyalty 'o and love for hls pres ent possessor. The crew amused themselves in va rious ways. There was little to do aa regards ship's work, except repeated washing down to keep the wooden dock* and th# boats In good shape. The men fished, made met# and fancy rope baskets, seabsgs, picture frames of clgarbox wood and ditties. They swam In the enol of the morn ing and In the evening It was on* mnnilew while some were swlnimlnr, the some morning that the first nf the hreere came when It happened Th», sun had*not yet speaied, but the A ft blue Iky was alight with golden shaft* and the line of the horizon was blazing ] Near the bark a raw-boned Swed j ish sailor slid through the swells with ; powerful strokes, his white body glis-j toning In the greenish water, his tan j ned neck, lace, and hands show ing | very plainly against the rest of him.! A little sandy-haired cockney swam chlrpily by him, and a black mous j taohed, stocky Dane was a little ahead and to his right. The rest of the crew, officers In eluded, hung over the poop and the main deck rail and listlessly watched the ewlmmers. AVafflea was mid ships with the second mate, his gold en head through an Iron port that forced him Inboard etfery time It swung shut when the ship rolled. One of the men hanging In the fore rigging, where there was greater cool ness shouted suddenly and pointed. All hands turned first to him to aee where he was pointing and then look ed over the swells. The lean trlangler fin was not hard to pick up. "Come aboard!” bawled the cap tain from the poop to the swimmers "Shark! Shark !” bellowed and chor used the seamen midships. The mate, standing near the cap tain, sprang to life and called the car penter to him. There was a chance of sport, and any such chance Was to he eagerly Mixed an In » calm. It waa good for officer* to encourage aport. It kapt tho men In condition, kopt them good-tempered. And *o long at It did not Interfere with ahlp'a work It waa all right. "Get your hooka on deck, Chip*," aald the mate, reaping hi* grey un ahevan chin with one long hand. "We’ll try end retch the heealle. Tell tho cook to bring eome pork on the fore-deck. Oet a couple of men to rig a watah-tackle on the fore yard-arm " •‘Aye, aye, air,'* murmured the pleaeed and grinning carpenter, look ing up at the team mate, lie waddled away, a bow legged wlap of a anllor with a face the color of mahogany and a month that alretrhed form eat ♦o enr and made him extremely iiglv I.lka tho male, tie wna drcaaed In thin blue cotton dungaree*, with a while cotton ehlrt, a white blue peaked cap, peak hai kward, covering hi* neck, and dirty canvaa ahoe*. Maanwhlle the ewtmmerg war# heading for (aftiy- The cockney and. I the Dane reached the piolet ladder I lowered over the bark's side, and ! clambered gasping to the deck. Once I there, they loaned over the rati with | their shipmates, their naked and drip ping bodies rapidly drying, to watch the Swede frantically swimming for the ship. Tile man was not a fast swimmer and fear now caused him to muddle his stroke and lose a lot of head way. The triangular fin quickened and raised a little wave. The seamen on deck raced for the galley, secured some lumps of coal, and flung them hastily at the great fish. The shark was hungry, that was evident, for the splashing coal failed to drive him away. The captain brought his revolver from ills cabin and took a shot, but the bullet glanc ed off the water and left the fish un harmed. The Swede and the shark arrived at the pilot ladder well-nigh together. The man heaved up ns his clutching hands found the ladder. His eyes glistened with fear, his muscles were crawling and tense, llis blond, droop ing mustache and his hair were al most Invisible now because he was white, even his tafi appearing to ebb away. He wrenched himself up three rungs as the shark arrived with a rush beneath him. Eager hands jerked the pilot-ladder Inboard as the Swede climbed. The captain fired again and missed. Men were shouting, swearing, still throw ing goal. The shark leaped clear of the water open-mauthed. Ilis teeth filled Jaws rang shut. He fell hack with a great splashing. Blood spout ing, the Swede sank sobbing at last on the fore-deck. His right foot was pone. "That,” swore the mate, stamping across the poop and shaking his fist at the shark, swirling away in a cir cle of red-tinged water, "finished you, m’son. Carpenter, got those hooks?" "Aye, aye. sir,” shouted the carpen ter from for’ard. “I'm getting the gear rigged.” The captain stuffed the gun Into his pocket and went down the poop companion, followed by the mate, The seamen were crowding midships round the injured Swede, who was calling out in frightened tones for ths mate to come and look at his hurt. The two officers pushed through the seething, Interested crowd. They knelt beside the scared Swede end examined his ankle. It was In shreds, ^'he mate pressed with his thumb on the artery and checked the blood. He looked at the captain, who mumbled and frowned. "Hot tar's a good thing." the latter said. "Or can you fix it other way's?” The mate thought awhile. "I think I can. We ll use hot tar If other ways don’t work. . . . You, Hopkins, run to my room and get that doc tor book from the shelf over the bunk. And tell the steward to bring some hot water and the medicine chest along.” "Aye, aye, eir,” called the seaman at he started aft. The captain raised his hand. "Juet a minute, Hopkins.” The seaman stopped. "Tell the steward to bring the brandy bottle from mv locker.” Brandy, sir? Yessir.” The sea [ man went on. With most of the crew watching In tently and talking in low tones, the two officers ten.ded the hurt seaman. Swede, mate and captain emptied the brandy-bottle between them before the operation started and whlla the two latter were studying up from the doctor book. The liquor carried them through successfuilly. IVhen the oper atton was finished, moat of the crew were feeling a trifle slrk. The two of ficers were covered with blood. The Swede was unconscious. "Take him in the fo’c’sle head,' Thor* *m no donM of tho doe'* loyally nn<l loro for his prooont possossor said the captain, rising and wiping hla hands on a bundla of atainrd bandages. "Put an awning over him. . , , Now, where'* that Waited ahark?” Kverjr man turned to tha aide save tw-o who picked up th# Swede and took him away, Tho second mate had remained In the for-rigging watrhtng Ing th* lean fish awlm agitatedly about the atilp. evidently mad# hun gry by Ita fragment of a meal. Waf fle* had been barking at th# ahark whenever the port awung open and allowed him to poke out hla head. "Where la he"" the mate called up to the aecond when he noticed where that young officer was Waffles gave the a newer In a feroolou* volume of noise ns the second mate pointed The captain suddenly noticed the dog and scowled, hut aald nothing. A\nf flea was too far away from him to kick. Ma turned hla attention to the men who were finishing the rigging of the fishing apparatus TUi cook mum firm Mi* ator* m I room with a side of fat pork thaf smelled like the hrinetub whence it had come. On the end of a fathom oi chain a great bathed hook was faat ened. The chain was bent to a stoul manilla strop that was hooked tc the tackle from the yard arm. The rook stabbed the pork oh to the hook. “Lower away!" sang out the mate. IA couple of 'seamen overhauled the tackle, and one ntan, who stood on the malndeck, slacked the strop be tween his hands till the pork and hook struck the water. Overside leaned all hands and watched, hardly daring to breathe. Even Waffles ceased harking, struck dunTh with the tension, though he growled deep in his throat. The shark swam tip to the pork with a rush, hacked off and edged around the bait. A sigh went up from the seamen. The captain climbed on to the rail and balanced there, one hand clutch ing at a backstay. Showing consider able excitement, he reached for his revolver with the evident intention of taking another shot at the fish below. In some way the hammer of the gun caught In his pocket and he wrench ed savagely at the butt to get the weapon clear. He let go the main stay. And at that moment the Hemro rolled in a trough. It all happened very suddenly. There was an oath, a few startled shouts, a splash, and the captain was In the water. Dressed as he was he started to sink at first, struggling desperately to keep to the surface. The heavy revolver was not an aid to him and he couldn't get it free The mate ripped out a stream of oaths. “The dory!” he shouted. “Some of vou come along!” He raced for the little yellow-paint ed craft lashed upside down In the neck near the port bulwarks midships. Some of the seamen raced after him. "Coal!” shouted the second mate from the fore-rigging. “Get some more coal, you men, and pelt that shark!" Then he put his hands above his head, breathed deeply and dived for ward and outward. He knew the cap tain was a poor swimmer. He thought of nothing else. He struck the water with little more than a gentle splash and came up beside the fighting, strangling master. “Steady, sir,,” he panted as he caught him under under the arm. He held him up with one hand while with the other he pounded on the water's surface. The shark, startled off from the pork by the splashes and the agita tion, now came hack. There was n smell of blood about the captain that was most attractive. It was the blood from the Swede, some of which still remained on the captain's clothes and hands. The shark had already tasted that blood. Also there was no bus piclotts-looklng chain about either ol these live pieces of squirming meat I Slowly at first, quickening, th« | great fish drove forward. The dory cracked into the watei on the opposite side of the ship. Three seamen and the mate tumbled lnt< ------ it. Hastily It was jerked around the bark's stern. But everyone knew that it would go too late. The watching seamen groaned. One man fumbled at his hip for his sheath-knife, and hurl it savagely down on the shark's back. There came a yelp and another splash. The seamen shouted fran tically. They waved excited arms. "You dung fool. Waffles!" screamed the second mate, raising himself I from the water. The captain gurgled. "The deuce!" The little terrier was swimming with i scrambling haste 'o where his master pounded on the surface and supported the captain. He whimpered as he pad died. He forged between the driving fish and the captain’s black beard, that now floated fanwlse on the sur face. He took no notice of the fishe's fin. His eyes were fixed on the sec ond mate's twisted face. He did not, could not know what was Impending, but he did know a fierce, thrilling desire to be at his master's side, to be with the man who had befriended him when that man faced danger. And danger was certainly near. The air reeked of it. The strange action* of the mortals told of It. More than all. Waffles could see it In his master's eyes. Despite his predicament, the cap tain mumbled, "You son of a gun!” and grinned a bit. "Come hare!" yelled the desperate *econd mate, endevering to force himself and his burden nearer the dog. The dory raced down the length of the bark toward the group. The shark, already made nervous by so many goingson, was startled anew by the Interference of the little goldenhaired terrier. Suspicious al ways of danger he swerved with a swish of h1s tall, skinning the cap tain's hand with his rough hide. He came shooting and curving back to Investigate. Waffles, his attention drawn now to the flah, trod water and harked Indignantly at him. The captain chuckled between gasps. The dory arrived. The seamen back ed water hastily. . "Come aboard, for heaven’s sake,” wheezed the breathless mate, leaning over the bow and jerking the cap tain up. "My nerves are gone for to day.” “Take him." gurgled the bearded master of the Hemro, holding up Waffles by the scruff of the neck. The mate grinned and tossed the dog to the bottom boards. The captain was hauled over the gunwale a mo ment later. The second mate followed. Two of the seamen were hammering on the water with their oars to keep the shark off. A cheer went up from the bark's deck. Once aboard, the dripping captain and the second mate gulped down the whisky the wise old steward had wait ing for them and waved back the enthusiastic seamen who wanted to shaks hands. Not unpopular In his way, the captain. The second mat* too e*m* In for attention. "Get that blasted shark, boys:'' the i captain roared. Then he looked down I ahd frowned to see Waffle*, his head • {on one side, looking up at him and wagging hi* tail, sending water-drop' flying in all directions. The captain'* cold eye tinkled. "Which reminds me." he added “Anyone I find mistreating this doc —what's his name? Waffles?—anyone touching Waffles will have to reckon with me. He's a man's dog and that' i all there Is to it. Mister"—he turned to the grinning second mate—"bring him up on the poop and we'll give him some canned chicken and milk. And thanks for giving me a hand I shant forget it " "Aye. aye, sir," said the young of ficer, wringing out Ills shirt In the scupper* ami chuckling. He bent and picked the fawning Waffles up and tucked him under his arm. The tea men went track to the rail to get the shark. The second mate and his dog fol lowed the captation to the poop and went below with him to the saloon. When they came on deck half an hour later the second mate wa* smoking one of the captaln'e cigars and Waffles was licking his chop* and looking contented. Then he caught sight of the yellowish bulk thrashing about on ths fore-deck with laughing eeamen all around It. He rushed down the companion and tore forward, barking his very heart out. The captain grinned and winked at the second mate. "Some dog,” he said. Then he stif fened and turned his cheek to the port beam. "The wind, by all that's holy! Get your men at the braces. Mister Mate, so soon as they get that mesa for'ard cleaned up!” (Copyrlsht. 1524 > ♦ There would be no fear of another “war" If an enforceable agreement could be made, binding all nations to pay in full for the re<%nt war before they interest themselves In another. —Washington Star. I SAY “BAYER ASPIRIN”-«^W^«e Unless you see the “Bayer Cross” on tablets, you are not getting the genuine Bayer Aspirin proved safe by millions and prescribed by physicians over 24 years for • Colds Headache Pain Neuralgia Toothache ' Lumbago Neuritis Rheumatism Accept only “Bayer” package which contains proven directions. Handy “Bayer” boxes of twelve tablets Also bottles of 24 and l(X>— Druggists. ijptniria is the trade mark nf fU>*r Manufacture of Menoav'tticacidester of Saticvliceci^ i 4 * %