FOXHOUNDS AND VANILLA

POISED on a tip of Australia, Fremantle is a busy port. But the two-funnelled tug, engaged in towing to sea the small cargo-steamer on whose after-deck a pack of foxhounds yelped and squabbled, was in too great a hurry. The steamer's tow-line carried away.

When the tug had puffed back to ship a new hemp, the Mate on the fo'csle head had hard things to say. But the tug-master, raising a megaphone to exaft his voice above the music of the hounds, flippantly retorted : " Tally-Ho !

The steamer being in the pilot's charge, the Captain moved his slight figure idly to and fro across the Bridge. The Captain was that rarity among Australians, a vege- tarian. A cool, even-tempered man : in that respect a contrast to his inflammable Mate. Yet the Captain seemed to feel so much barking oppressive, for he shouted to the Second Engineer, who was standing on the after- deck beside the hounds' pen : "Don't pet those excitable dogs." • When the tug had returned,. and the pilot had been dropped, the Captain, leaving the :Mite on the Bridge, retired to his comfortable white flat for'ard, shutting on the outside world several sound-proof teak doors. The voyage across the Indian 'Ocean was beglin.

November is summer in that latitude, yet the first days were cool, rainy. The foxhounds, under their shelter. on the after-deck, kept up their sonorous spirits. But as theweather improved, so, 'alas ! did their' music. • Care was lavished on them. Four members of the 'dusky Calcutta crew waited on their needs ; a fifth sailor prepared their food. For hours together the officers, particularly -the Mate and Second Engineer, tried to soothe the hounds to quietness, but in vain.

• One hot afternoon, with a fair sea running, the Math entered the Captain's room.

"Cap'n, we've lost two dogs. I loosed 'em for a change. In the excitement two jumped over the side."

"Fool idea to loose them, Mister."

"Second Engineer's idea, Cap'n Hardy."

"Then we've thirty dogs left," pursued the Captain. "Can't I hear 'em, too ? Shut that door."

The Mate's voice rose in choler.

"They've climbed up on the boat deck. They've cap- sized the poultry coop. Now they're scoffing our thirteen chickens and our nine ducks."

There was a silence in the cabin. Then, in mildness, the voice of the vegetarian was heard : " Bow-wow ! "

"Oh, yes, Cap'n Hardy. You would think it funny." The Mate's cheeks were very red.

"Go and shut the dogs up again, Mister." This time the Captain's voice was peremptory.

The voyage continued ; also the barking. By day the hounds barked at the crew : by night at the moon. The moon could not hear : the Captain's ears were immune. But the officer's sleeping quarters, being aft, received the monotonous serenade.

On la tropical November night a burly figure in blue overalls lurched into the Captain's bedroom : " Gie me yet pistol, Cap'n."

_The Captain switched up the light.

"What's the matter with you, Second ? "

"I want ter ihewte the breivte that's bit me."

"And I thought you liked dogs ! " The Captain, rising in bed, put to the carpet one blue, silk-pyjama leg.

"Them cratures aft, Cap'n, is tairned to wild brewtes." The Engineer held out a wounded wrist.

• "You're not a hunting man, Second ? " observed the skipper airily, reaching down the iodine bottle.

"I weir born in Glasgie," confirmed the casualty. "The Mate's the only friend those dogs have left," said Hardy, annointing the wound.

"Aye, Cap'n, the Mate's their fren' yet : but no fer love. It's for the back-hander he'll git fra the dogs' new owner at the Island."

The Captain raised his eyebrows in mock surprise.

"Mercenary motives ? " he answered, gaily. Doctoring always pleased Captain Hardy. He was fond of saying he'd never been called on to doctor a vegetarian.

An albatross, helicopter-ing over the masthead, signalled the land. The ship stopped off a prosperous vanilla island near Madagascar. At sight of the French pilot,. who came in white uniform and white pith helmet, the excitement of the hounds increased to frenzy.- ' The ship was taken safely up the shallow creek, though one ground-bump amidships did throw the Mate down on the fci'csle deck. At the little jetty the other officers jumped ashore,- drawn towards a blue wooden building, with a hospitable veranda and with a big flag lettered -Hotel. When the gangway• was loweredt- Captain Hardy, calling to the Mate to look after everything, walked sedately ashore with the pilot.

The Mate, reflecting on the thanklessness of his job, was attending to moorings, when an opulent-looking French colonist turned up on deck.

"My officer, I order thirty-two dogs from Australia." " Well, listen to your property!"

The choleric, hard-working Mate did not often make jokes. But after his long labours with the hounds there was a satisfaction in handing them over so very much alive. Besides, the prospect of unofficial compensation for his trouble . . .

"Mon Dieu ! " denounced the colonist : "What do you think ? Zey are not the kind of dogs I order. Take zem back : take zem back to Australia ! "

It was too much. The ship was not returning to Australia. The exasperated Mate opened the pen.

Fifty yards up the village street wooden buildings hid the careering hounds from view of the ship. But the dust trail, rising above the palm-trees, informed Mate and colonist that the ownerless, vagrant pack was heading for the interior of the fertile vanilla island, and running well.

F. JACKSON.