Beadle's Dime Novels No. 94: The Mad Skipper — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A STRANGE TASTE. 19 “ Ay; ay,” interrupted the old _ sailor, “it’s just what I do mean to say. While in the Arctic ocean we lost over three Nantucket mates, one by falling overboard while aloft, another by sickness, and t’other by being struck on the head with a Whale’s flukes. What does the captain do but put in the places of all of ’em the three boat-steerers of the ‘board boats—~three big-headed savages !” “Te must have a strange taste,” said Frank. “Strange! That doesn’t express it, mate,” replied the other, “P'r’aps you'll think him more than strange when you get. acquainted with him. Hows’ever,” he added, “if you are willing to take up your quarters in this craft, T ain't the man to go back on you. But, yeu’d better keep yourselves close until the craft sails, for if those heathens got sight of -you they wouldn’t hesitate to betray you to the ‘ vigilantes,’ for they are a treacherous set.” “Do they try.to quarrel all time with you white men? inquired Joe. “Well, no, I can’t say that they quarrel with us, though there’s a good deal of fighting and scratching of faces a-going on among themselves. What I complain of is, the noise they make, keeping me from sleeping when it is my watch below, and shirking duty whenever the captain’s eye isn’t up- on ’em; besides which, they can’t talk like rational beings on any subject, which is very disagreeable when we have to hud- dle all together in a small forecastle.” “Tt can’t last for a long time, at any rate,” said Frank, “the craft being homeward bound. I guess we'll take up our quarters here.” “ Just as you like, mate,” replied the old tar. “Tt sartainly pleases me to have another civilized being added to the few in the ship. The captain, ['m certain, will be glad to have two more in the craft, seeing as we are a little ‘ short-handed,’ ” He pulled away one of the fore-hatches, and pointing sig- nificantly into the hold, continued ; “Tl find you a good hiding-place, my lads, if you'll jump Yetween decks. We must be quick about it, too, as I expect my relief to come up every minute.” ‘The two men sprung into the hold, followed by the old tailor, who soon conducted them to a little cell or chamber, connicloooks.comn