Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-01-17

TOL. XIII -: No. 81.
the first taste. But Stafford's discipline
and tho mems trust and obedience endured
even in the deadly oppression OF the fetid
hold, where each breath was sickening, and
the dull gIoony light barely made one drOop-
ing form discprnable by the rest 1t was
worse than even the coral reef. and the men
sickcned fast, two died. and were almost en-
yied nv their mates, who. whatever Stafford
mghtsay to cheer them. felt that they had
before them Cnly the alternative between
being hnDga pirates or burned by the In
aulsition 70 heretics. stafford. .sa
mar, had no better chance. Mark alone
had the chance Of being thought worth
keeping tor ransom. anl, when some one
limited this to him he answered, Never! One
and all /! | willinIly cast in my lot with you
and | will live or die vii, YOU. One aud
all y Aa =
CHAPTER VII.
THE KNOT HOLE.
Four days had passed. and the captives
We're counting on the t,nth with sense
that at the very worst they should ut least
breathe one breath Of pure air ere they
died, when one evening Mark Lynch ti-
lently laid his hand on his captains shoul-
der and, putting finger to his lips. heck
oned to him. Moving cautiously they
reached the hatchwny, where the lowest
deck so nearly approached the hold that
they could not stand upright beneath it.
Here Mark Showed that he had found q
knot which by dligent pushing he had forced
out, and then b.: the help of an ingenious
moose had obtained tho power of drawing
back the bolt, and admitting himself into
Il large, lighter, freer space, filled with bar
iels.
Their powder said Mark: had we but
spark we might send the whole Of the
villains and ourselves into eternity togeth
err
We may do better than that, trust,'
rejoined Lionel. With this possession we
may make our own terms
On the ground lay small chisel, proba-
bly, used for obtaining access to the bar
rels of powder. and Of this Stafford at once
took possession. The next object was to
ascertain whether there was sentry on
guard over the magazine. as would have
been the case in the poor Elizabeth; but
listening closely at the door no sound
could be heard, and Stafford now sent
Mark back to summon Kingcombe to their
councils, if this were possible without at
tracing attention, Or prcnatureiy exciting
the other men,
The stupor of the oppressive atmosphere
here was favorable To him; many of the
men were doing. and there was sluggish
indifference over the others Il at made
them unwilling to exert themselves even to
isten; and one sniferer lay half delirious.
alternatcl y moaning and murmuring about
dra wing the seine in his own free waters.
Kingcombe, though halt asleep. UNDER
God aud obeycd the summons, and pres
| emily he too was in the comparatively re-
| freshing magazine. In the meantime.
Stafford had discovered and with his chisel
opened the lock of chest containing pis-
tolls aud eutlasscs, and as he pointed sient-
ly to them. with gesture Of intense
| thankfulness, Mark cnuld hardly repress
his ecstasy. Kingcosnbe who had served
| on board a captured Spanish vessel. was
aware of the rohable arrangements with
in, and also aware that the best mOmtIt
for finding the Spaniards unprepared was
at the noon tide heur, when they were al
most certain to be taking their siesta. with
the sole exception of the stcersman and Of
him who kept watch aloft. The present
day would be the best, since the Dext they
might fall i'll with other Spanish vessels,
and moreover each hour OF their prOtract-
ed misery robbed them of their strength
and some Of tl.eir hopes of life.
One by one then the still effective men,
Numbering. alas! 10 more than twenty,
We're summoned, received their arms and
their instructions. and the glcam Of hope
shone ont on their rcsolute faces, lately
fixed either in acgged despair or manful
resignation. Meantime, Mark had as
noisclessiy as possible been working away
at the door. and having produeed a hole
large enough to peep through, had convinc-
ed hms' If that though there wac guard
outside he was inGu giag in the universal
! luxury Of IA siesta. Farther, lalther. the
hnlc was enlarged. the plank yielded, the
staple was pushed hack. the door opencd!
The sleeper started to his feet. but ere
he could utter a sound he was surrounded,
gagged, his weapons taken from him. his
4 arm 5 hound with his own belt and he was
4 handed from one Ensllshman to the other
till hewas tumbled into the hold.
There, by Staiioro's command. he was
Invested Of his garments. and Mark, whose
brown and HOW deeply tanned colo:ing
made him very Spanish looking at first
t sight. hastily donncd them and rcconnoitr.
, cd ur,her unfas,ening Goor that opened
opposite TO that Of the magazine, and then
| ascending the ladder fiom it. he found him
self on The middle deck, where, some in
the gra hammocks newly adopted from
! the South Americans, many Of their cap
tors reposcd.
One step downwards. one signal, and
with bare feet and silent tread ten we'll
armed Enslishmen had Il cended the lad
r der. Meantime, Mark. his Spanish garb
s rendering him mconspcuous, went softly
to the bcrlhs and closed the sliding PAN
nels attached IA them, all which kad out.
er buttons, so that the inmates were incap-
!! I, able of Withdrawing them Only when he
= . came to the fourth cid the wood make .
= = grating sound, which aroused the sleeper.
- not before he was made fast; hu: his drum.
= ming. roaring, and swearing at the trick
II that he believed to be played on him was
enough 20 awaken all the rest. His next
/ neishbor. however, was already secured.
d and though the remaining oceuPan. VI
|. berth aud all the hammock sleepers started
o up at his outcry. yet half dressed and to-
e taliv unarMed. it WAS no difficult matter
d Tor the Euglislnnen To master them aud "a
II replace them in their hammocks, bound