Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-07-24


mind which made him what he was, be set
coolly to thinking. In few moments he call
cd one of the men aft to relieve Carter, and
then he went down into the cabin to look after
his passenger. The latter had turned in and
seemed to be snoring. Tucker returned to the
deck and took Carter to one side.
"No noise, now, Carter; but follow me az
though nothing had happened"
"Sartin," responded Dan.
The two approached the main hatch, and
Carter stopped to raise il, when his hand
touched q small ball that seemed to have been
pinned up under the after break of the hatch.
" It's ball of twine," said Dan.
Don't touch it, but run and get lantern,
replied Tucker.
Carter sprang 10 obey, and when he returned
a number of the men had gathered about the
spot. The hatch was raised and the Commo-
dors carefully picked up the ball of twine, and
found that it was made fast to something be.
low. He descended to the hold, and there he
found that the twine ran in beneath the lid of
tie coffin. He had no doubt in his mind now
that there was mischief boxed up before him,
and he sent Carter for something that might
answer for screw-driver. The man soon re-
turned with asstout knife, and the Commodore
set to work. He worked very carefully, how
ever, at the same time keeping bright look
ont for the string.
At length the screws were all out, and the
"Great God in Heaven burst from the
lips of the Commodore.
BY Sam Hyde" dropped like young
thunder clap from the tongue Of Dan.
"God bless you, DAM" said Tucker.
"I Enoty'd it," uttered Dan.
The two men stood for a moment and pazed
into the coffin. There was no dead man there,
but in the place thereof there was material for
the death of q scOre. The coffin was filled with
gunpowder and pitch wood Upon a light
framework In the center were arranged four
pistols, all cooked and primed, and the string
which entered the coffin from without, COM
municated with the trigger of each.
The first movement of the Commodore was
| to call for water, and when it was brought he
dashed three buckets full into the internal con-
trivance, and then be bresthed more freely.
No, no, he uttered, as be leaped from the
hold. "No, no, my men-dO nothing rashly.
Let me 90 into the cabin first. You may fol-
Commodore Tucker strobe into the cabin.
walked up to the bunk where his passenger
lay, and grssping hold of the female dress he
dragged its wearer to the floor There was q
sharp resistance, and the passenger drew a
pistol, but it was quickly knocked away = the
gown was torn of, and q ma came forth from
the remnants Of calico and linen.
The fellow was assured that his whole plot
had been discovered, and at length he owned
that il had been his plan to turn out in the
course Of the night and get hold of the bali of
twine, which he had left in q convenient pIase.
he then intended to have gone aft, carefully
unuinding the string as he went then to have
got into the boat, cut the falls, and as the boat
fell into the water he would have pulled
smaruy upon the twins.
|" And think you know" he continued
Win wicked look, what would have fol-
lowed. shouldn't have been noticed in
the fuss-Id have got out Of the way with
the boat, and you'd all have been in the next
world In short order. All can say is, I'm
sorry didn't do it"
1t WAS with much difficulty that the Conmo-
dore prevented his men from killing the villain
on the spot. he proved to be one of the enc
my's shcers, and he was to hays had heavy
reward If he succeeded in destroying the
American Commodore and his crew
The prisoner was carried on deck and Iashed
TO the main rigging, where he was told he
should remain till the vessel got into port.
what herrid death that villain meant for
Us, " uttered Carter. ~ .. - 80
H fes, he did, " said Tucker, with q shudder
lie belongs to the same gang that's been a
rooblH and burnin' the poor folks houses on
the Eastern coast, said one of the men,
Yes returned the Commodore, with a
nervous twftch Of the muscles about his mouth.
A bitter curse from the prisoner here broke
upon the air, and with clutched fist the Com
mOdore went below.
In the morning when Commodore Tucker
came on deck, Seguin was in sight upon the
stsrbOsrd bow, but when he looked for the
prisoner he was gone.
Carter, where's that villain lashed hore
last night ?''' ---
" I'm sure don't know where he IS, Com
modore. Perhaps he's jumped overheard"
The old Commodore looked sterrly into
Carter's eyes, aud he saw a twinkle Of satis-
fsction cleaning there. He hesitated a mo-
msnt-then he turned away and murmured to
himself:
"Well, well-I can't blame them. If the
nurderous villain g gone to his death, he only
met fate which he richly deserved. Better
far that II be he, than that my noble crew
were now all in oceans cold grave