Beadle's Dime Novels No. 94: The Mad Skipper — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

A TEMPERANCE MAN. 58 « As in the present case,” said Collins, bowing. “I honor the profession.” “Thank you—ahem! Will you take some more ?” “ Repeating, as I said before, that I’m temperance, but bringin’ in medicine as a qualifier, I ew /” He took a deep draught, and returned the flask to the doc- tor, with a curious, one-sided bow. Claret put the bottle by the side of the stove, resolying to warm his ankles thoroughly before drinking again. “ Ah—abhoo! it is a cold night,’ he remarked. _ “Very,” answered Collins. “In fact, particularly so.” As he spoke, he struck fiercely at the empty air with his clenched fist. “ Ah!” ejaculated Claret. “Ah!” returned the steward ; and suddenly picking up the bottle, he poured every drop of its contents down his throat. “ Rascal !” cried the doctor, in a rage, “ who gave you per- mission to do that ?” “Tt's a-coming on, sir; my smashing-up fit; and I thought best to empty the bottle before breaking it! Tie me up— hold me—or something. There'll be ruin if you don’t !” He danced about the cabin like a madman, dashed the empty bottle into fragments, and pulling the doctor's night-cap from his head, trampled it under foot. Then he rushed on deck, and picking up a handspike, proceeded to smash the belaying-pins in the weather quarter rail, “ Tley, dere!” shouted Onoolo, turning to the watch under the round-house, “ tie dat feller up! quick—he got de fit again |” Several of the men rushed toward the steward, who had now got astraddle of the rail; but before they could reach him, the ship lurching violently, as a swell struck her under the lee counter, threw him overboard. The main-yard was instantly hauled aback, and a boat lowered, and manned by a good crew, among whom were Frank Harland, Ben Williams, and Portuguese Joe. The moon, which was now gleaming coldly down from an opening in a mass of dark, ragged-looking clouds, lighted the careering waves with a strange, spectral gleam, revealing, for wn instant, the ghastly face of the steward, as, with wild conmicloooks.comn)