THE MERCHANTS' CUP

From "Broken Stowage," BY DAVID W. BONE


I

"Fatty" Reid burst into the half-deck with a whoop of exultation.
"Come out, boys," he yelled. "Come out and see what luck! The _James
Flint_ comin' down the river, loaded and ready for sea! Who-oop! What
price the _Hilda_ now for the Merchants' Cup?"

"Oh, come off," said big Jones. "Come off with your Merchants' Cup.
Th' _James Flint's_ a sure thing, and she wasn't more than half-loaded
when we were up at Crockett on Sunday!"

"Well, there she comes anyway! _James Flint_, sure enough! Grade's
house-flag up, and the Stars and Stripes!"

We hustled on deck and looked over by the Sacramento's mouth. "Fatty"
was right. A big barque was towing down beyond San Pedro. The _James
Flint_! Nothing else in 'Frisco harbour had spars like hers; no ship
was as trim and clean as the big Yankee clipper that Bully Nathan
commanded. The sails were all aloft, the boats aboard. She was ready
to put to sea.

Our cries brought the captain and mate on deck, and the sight of the