Part 10 (1/2)
Having left Pierce for a time, Smooth, with that resolution so characteristic of his countrymen, wherever found, entered into the codfish business Transfor himself (after the manner of his uncle Jeff Davis), into a captain of the fishi+ng schooner Starlight, which said schooner he ran over the treaty line straight into Fox Island, on the coast of Cape Breton, where he proposedthe acquaintance of the inhabitants, and, if possible, a treaty of friendshi+p and commerce The waters in and about the port were alive withfish ever seen in any waters They sported round us, looking clever enough to make all on board the schooner believe they wanted to co acquaintance with the thereat bugbear--the treaty line Hard was it to tell where this line was; it ht to the contrary, be on the top of a wave, upon which we ainst S, however, inside of the line and surrounded by mackerel, one would have supposed the Nova Scotians had been on the alert catching them The case was just the reverse, for not a Nova Scotia a law to protect the lazy, so he never approved of, y and railroads A determination was come to, after mature deliberation, that fish there were and fish our boys must have, so you ot them Deacon Hawkins kept an inn for the entertainment of man and beast It was not the very best kind of an inn, for it was ed by the deacon's wife, whose parsis had lost her nearly all her guests and driven her children barefoot into the street On the day following the Starlight's arrival, as luck would have it, a 'political ' was to be holden at the Deacon's, when a considerable a was sure to coeneral, was honored with an invitation which he declined in consideration of his anxiety to be a must indeed be done for the mackerel; the case was a serious one Had the Britishers shown a resolution to be a the fish, Smooth had lent theht them back, merely to avoid the penalty of the British law, and secure the bounty given by ours Well, the Britishers were all gone to a political , where a noisy politician of the na coreat men of the political world of Nova Scotia, would relieve themselves of ponderous speeches, to hear which all the oldsons Shly, and hadthe their potato fields With this opinion er in the present instance, he counselled Mister Splitwater, the ic never was known to be at fault Splitwater, agreed that it was expedient to be in pursuit of the fish while the Britishers were attending their political gatherings and prayer- fish, he said, and could with good feed be coaxed across the line, and into the waters not held sacred against Aoodly a in the quarter ht, and in charge of Splitwater, as directed to keep a bright eye on the warshi+ps, she put to sea like a thing of life dancing with snoings over the blue, blue waters While he was taking care of the fish, S those who attended the politicala speech or then called upon
”To hear the eloquent Joe Howe tell the Nova Scotians what they would be were it not for Jaot to tell thethat a nice little salary was attached When S of course no one thought there was any fish-taking going on Then he endeavored tothe the crude process of electioneering down in Texas and Arkansas No sooner had the politicians got through their speeches than they retired to as called an 'open house,' where all good radicals could drink _ad libitum_ and make merry Slasses, but he rather doubted the policy of drinking so ht under certain circureater interests of a nation A drinking man is sure to fool himself in the end, nor can a lects his own But, be it here understood Uncle Sa the practical to s profitable, whichoneself cheerful and courteous with those a e may be cast This Smooth always aiot politics enough; an'
knowin' how Splitwater was 'commodatin' the mackerel outside the line, he steps down to Deacon Saht after the 'lection ht; Smooth was just as er face nobody could desire Smooth, at the Deacon's, ell known for his pious principles; but the good folk about there had never seen Sratulated Smooth on his appearance, his spiritual welfare, his happy prospects of soood to see the brothers and sisters crowd round him, lookin' so excited 'bout the care of solectin' business (We here give Se in its crude state) It was aet into his face, and then get his face into a right focus; but when brother S a little too close-- about Splitwater and the mackerel could shoulder
Had not a ood folks with 'est and seriousest face out doors--a face that would beat the Deacon's; but couldn't go t'other thing Smooth could rather beat the Deacon on a serious face; but the old hoss was a regular steas Wouldn't 'a done to have a brush with the Deacon, without being sure of beating hiotistical about his prayers Well, there was no help for it, we must feel kind and happy to see so many happy ones around one, who could not? It was strictly in accordance with Smooth's philosophy toanxious questions, gettin'
satisfactory answers,--answers that would be sure to ht in the pious, with a day or two's consideration
”In this way the spirits kept up until the pleasant hour ofup at his house It was just the thing for Sot over the polite so to accept: and then he knew Split was taking the mackerel aboard like sixty So he went ho ht
”Now hethe mackerel with fresh bait, just as General Pierce does the Soft Shells Split un to get to the line, outside of which he could fish according to law Split and he were old cronies, and they just _heaves to_, and has a talk about what's best to be done 'Twarn't long afore they had negotiated the plan, which, when carried out, they were to divide the spoils equal Seeing how the Britishers, every year, pay over aquestion, driving the fish out of the water with biga deal of pleasant fun for a great entle a fish; and that the United States pay about one-fifth asshi+ps to help the Britishers play the genteel, while hoping that stupid diploive them the same Opportunity, Split and Pluck reckoned how they'd coreat point was to steer clear of the big British steamer, Devastation Pluck said he seed her steamin' away down to the northward t'other a'ternoon, and so it was agreed that Pluck, with the Pinkey spunk, should run down in her track If he sighted her in the ot thein search of him, the spunk went after her, and, as luck would have it, met her just inside of the treaty line The spunk pretended to be shying--put on the rags as if he was going to try legs with the Devastation
Crowdin' steaoing to s!
whang! booun or two, but seem' how ther' warn't no iron fallin'
about, Pluck reckoned he'd keep her to it a tiot the Devastation away froht, so much the better for Splitwater and the , afore whir! ziz! ziz! cahty splashi+n', and looked savagarous, square across her stern sheets
Pluck reckoned how the Britisher had got his dander up, and about cleverest thing would be to round to, seem' how the feller astin'
his shot, and sendin' things what ht-cap about bedtime 'Now,' said Pluck, 'the Devastation feels kind a out o' sorts, and 'll just knock the spunk into an apple dumplin';' but she didn't! Well, the skipper and his dandy officers ca all so shi+ned up, and vented their indignant feelins' by takin' it all out in a shower of cussin'
that would 'a ht In a few minutes more, a feller in a monkey jacket, a brass button on his hat, and otherwise officially costunity of the quarter-deck, and out-talked the skipper 'Nohy the devil didn't you coers, and looking at Pluck as if he was goin' to spring the main-mast with his teeth
'Hand up yer papers here--quick, bear a hand! Take off yer hatches, too; you've been fishi+ng inside of the _line_,' he grumbled out, as quickly as you'd overhaul a chain cable Pluck bore it like a philosopher, cool and quietly 'No we hain't nether, stranger; hain't hooked a fish for two days Can't 'coet a chance at the shore, but ain't had one for more nor three weeks; true! by Christopher Columbus,' rejoined Uncle Pluck, puttin' on the most innocent face ye ever did see
”'We'll talk about that by-and-by,' says the Britisher 'If you'd a cu chase after you, you enerosity We are only carrying out Her Majesty's orders for the benefit of the Colonial fisheries'
”'Lord love yer soul, stranger! had I but known that, ye wouldn't a seen this salt-water citizen about these diggings Pluck had been hu Cousin Gethro to keep school--would!'
”'Never mind that We don't want yer Yankee soft sauder! Bear a hand, get your hatches off, and your papers up!'
”'Ye hain't seen Uncle Caleb's craft--her na Weazel--as ye co the mate a side wink
”'What the devil do I care about yer Winking Weazels? I' inside of the line, or you had obeyed our suain, like a bear in trouble 'Blow my buttons, if I warn't most scared to death when I seed ye comin'! Couldn't tell what on 'arth ye wanted; and I know'd that if there war' a chance at all, it was to run If I'd know'd ye war' such a clever lookin' fellow, and that ye warn't a going to hurt a body, I'd coot all the philosophy in his natur' up 'Suppose ye step down into the cabin and have a leetle of so's cos clear, so ye can take a look round, and be satisfied hoe ain't been takin' advantage of the lahile you and me wets t'other eye with a little on't taste bad,' continues Pluck, doing the polite all up The good natur' of the chap was a good way down' in hiht place, brought it up all over hiood, I don't mind,' he replied, reflectively It war down below, he wet t'other eye twice 'Stonishi+n' to see how good the critter got all at once He was just the best natured Britisher that ever ca 'Twas just the medicine to cure his disease
”'Now! here's the dockerments' (Pluck hands him the papers), 'and ye can take a squint into the hold Hain't touched a fish for three days Just so, stranger,' rejoined Pluck, tellin' the cook to get the skipper of the Devastation to be kind enough to lend hi of water
”'Schooner spunk, of Barnstable, 84 tons burden, Jacob Pluck, hty formidable combination,' ejaculated the Britisher, lookin' his eyes alht hand over the spunk's Certificate Then turning to Pluck, a sort of half-way grin of good nature on his countenance, he continued: 'You Yankees are curious speciood-natured when it's profitable, hard to understand, and as cute as--'