



Produced by Al Haines









[Illustration: Cover art]




  THE
  SECOND MATE

  BY
  H. BEDFORD-JONES


  GARDEN CITY NEW YORK
  GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO., INC.
  1923




  COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY
  DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, INCLUDING THAT OF TRANSLATION
  INTO FOREIGN LANGUAGES, INCLUDING THE SCANDINAVIAN

  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES
  AT
  THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

  _First Edition_




THE SECOND MATE



I

The _Sulu Queen_ was steaming south at an eight-knot clip, which for
her was exceedingly good, bound for Macassar, Singapore and way
ports, according to the dispensation of Providence.  Her tail shaft
was likely to go at any minute; she had an erratic list to starboard;
her pumps could barely keep down the water that seeped through her
loose plates; but she was going.  Just to be going was an achievement
for the _Sulu Queen_.  She was certain not to be going for very long.

Her Macaense--or Portuguese Eurasian--skipper was enjoyi