Within the next day
or so we were to take on coal for the West Coast. We were to load down
so heavily, the mate, who had conceived a hatred of me, informed me,
that even in fair weather the scuppers would be a-wash. Significantly he
added there would be much danger for a man who was not liked aboard a
certain ship ... by the mates ... much danger of such a person's being
washed overboard. For the waves, you know, washed over the deck of so
heavily loaded a ship at will.
* * * * *
On the _Lord Summerville_ was a mad Pennsylvania boy who had, like
myself, gone to sea for the first time ... but he had had no uncle to
beat timidity into him ... and he had dared ship as able seaman on the
big sky-sailed lime-juicer, and had gloriously acquitted himself.
He was a tall, rangy young bullock of a lad. He could split any door
with his fist. He liked to drink and fight. And he liked women in the
grog-house sense.
One of his chief exploits had been the punching of the second mate in
the jaw when both were high a-loft. Then he had caught him about the
waist, and held him till he came to, to keep him from falling. The mate
had used bad language at him.
Hoppner had worked from the first as if he had been born to the sea.
He and I met in a saloon. The plump little barmaid had made him what she
called, "A man's drink," while me she had served contemptuously with a
ginger ale.
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