298 BEACH GRASS 



'Goll dong you, didn't I tell you last time I see 

 you that if ever our ways crost again I'd kill 

 you.' The old fellow pleaded pittyful, but the 

 mate he grabbed an iron belay in' pin and hit 

 him a welt over the head — I had my eyes on 'em 

 both by that time — and over the fellow went 

 on to the lower deck strikin' his head on the 

 way. 



''I didn't know what I was doin', but I rushed 

 out from my hidin' place and says 'Mr. Green 

 you've killed him for sure I' He turned like a 

 flash and grabbed me by the collar and the seat 

 of my trousers and held me over the rail. For 

 a moment I thought I was done for too, but, 

 whatever made him do it, he changed his mind 

 and pulled me back. There wasn't no one 

 'round to see what had happened and he pulled 

 me into his cabin, which was on deck — the captain 

 was down below and asleep — and he says to me, 

 he says, puttin' his face within three inches of 

 me and lookin' me straight in the eye: If you 

 dare breathe one word of this, remember you're 

 the next one.' Then he give me some terbaccer 

 — I hadn't had none, but had chewed coffee 



