Bettie's Books

To Those Who Love AdventureOpening: The harbor-master entered briskly but dubiously the room of the ship's first officer."What about the five men for the Domus?" he bellowed."All ready to sign, sir," assured the manager of the employment agency, pointing toward two saddle colored negroes, a Spaniard, and a limp figure half asleep, slouching in the corner on a narrow bench, one hand clutching an expensive leather bag."It is the best I could do on such short notice," assured the agency man in an undertone, noticing that the first officer's inventory was not very encouraging."Get them up here to sign. We're anchored in the stream, losing two thousand dollars every hour we stay here. We need five more firemen—anything that looks human," he added impatiently, spreading 10the ship's articles on the counter that reached across the smelly water-front den."Come on and sign up, boys," said the agency man with assumed good nature.