THE INDIAN OCEAN. 63 



" I reckon," said the cowboy, " that they 

 look on this as the easiest way to drown them 

 all to onct." 



Then from behind one of the other boats sud- 

 denly appeared a huge German sailor with a hose. 

 The devoted imbeciles in the shore boat were 

 drenched as by a cloud-burst. Back and forth 

 and up and down the heavy stream played, while 

 every other human being about the ship shrieked 

 with joy. Did the victims rise up in a body and 

 capture that hose nozzle and turn the stream 

 to sweep the decks ? Did they duck for shelter ? 

 Did they at least know enough to scatter and 

 run ? They did none of these things ; but sat 

 there in meek little rows like mannikins until the 

 boat was half full of water and everything awash. 

 Then, when the sailor shut off the stream, they 

 continued to sit there until the mate came to 

 order them out. Why ? I cannot tell you. 

 Perhaps that is the German idea of how to take 

 a joke. Perhaps they were afraid worse things 

 might be consequent on resistance. Perhaps they 

 still hoped to go ashore. One of the Englishmen 

 asked just that question. 



" What," he demanded disgustedly, " what is 

 the matter with the beggars ? " 



Our cowboy may have had the correct solution. 



