{"product_id":"2940015817713","title":"The Yazoo Mystery","description":"The Yazoo Mystery\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE harbor-master entered briskly but dubiously the room of the ship's\u003cbr\u003efirst officer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What about the five men for the _Domus_?\" he bellowed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"All ready to sign, sir,\" assured the manager of the employment agency,\u003cbr\u003epointing toward two saddle colored negroes, a Spaniard, and a limp\u003cbr\u003efigure half asleep, slouching in the corner on a narrow bench, one hand\u003cbr\u003eclutching an expensive leather bag.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It is the best I could do on such short notice,\" assured the agency man\u003cbr\u003ein an undertone, noticing that the first officer's inventory was not\u003cbr\u003every encouraging.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Get them up here to sign. We're anchored in the stream, losing two\u003cbr\u003ethousand dollars every hour we stay here. We need five more\u003cbr\u003efiremen--anything that looks human,\" he added impatiently, spreading\u003cbr\u003ethe ship's articles on the counter that reached across the smelly\u003cbr\u003ewater-front den.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Come on and sign up, boys,\" said the agency man with assumed good\u003cbr\u003enature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the two negroes and the Spaniard were signing, the ship's first\u003cbr\u003eofficer went to the sleeping figure in the corner, took up his free hand\u003cbr\u003eand felt of the palm, then dropped it disgustedly as he took the man by\u003cbr\u003ethe shoulders and shook him vigorously.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Come on and sign up, Strong,\" he shouted into his ear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStrong labored with himself, still holding to his bag, half staggered to\u003cbr\u003ethe counter and signed on the line indicated--\"Hiram Strong, Jr.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe signature was plain and businesslike. Evidently the Candidate had\u003cbr\u003eknown better days.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"He's been kicked out or disowned,\" muttered the first officer to me\u003cbr\u003ewhile he was signing up. \"He won't be worth a cuss. Look--those hands\u003cbr\u003enever did a lick of work--but he will fill the list,\" he added, walking\u003cbr\u003eabout nervously and sizing me up with apparent approbation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe agency man came up at once and held the pen towards me, and without\u003cbr\u003ehesitation I signed \"Ben Taylor\" on the line beneath. While I was thus\u003cbr\u003eengaged Hiram leaned against the counter weak and listless, his bag\u003cbr\u003ebetween his feet. We had both signed as firemen or stokers on the\u003cbr\u003esteamship _Domus_ for a round trip to an unnamed Gulf, or Mexican port.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlthough pretty well awake by this time Strong did not resent my taking\u003cbr\u003ehis arm and helping him a bit. He made no comment at first, but after he\u003cbr\u003egot used to the lively walk along the dock, he began to show signs of\u003cbr\u003esaying something.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Old pal,\" he began, without turning his head, \"I--I've got a\u003cbr\u003eheadache--top's coming off--and my stomach is all jelly. It shakes as I\u003cbr\u003ewalk and makes me sick,\" he ended under his breath.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47074290598128,"sku":"2940015817713","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940015817713","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}