The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-06-21


and the Commodore carefully picked up
the ball of twine, and found that it was
made fast to something below. He de-
scended to the hole, and there lie found
the ball of twine ran in beneath the lid
of the coffin He had no doubt in his
mind now that there was mischief boxed
up below, and he sent Carter for some
thing that might answer for a screw-dri-
yer. The man soon returned with a stout
knife, and the Commodore set to work -
He worked very carefully, however, at
the same time keeping a bright lookout
for the string
At length the screws were out, and
the lid was very carefully lifted from its
place.
"Great God in Heaven. :" burst from
the lips of the Commodore.
"By Sam Hyde! dropped like a
thunderclap from the tongue of young
Sam.
"God bless you, Dan !" said the Com
modore.
81 know'd it," uttered Dan.
The men stood for moment and gazed
upon the coffin. There was no dead man
there but in the place thereof was mate
rial for the death of score. The coffin
was filled with gunpowder and pitchwood.
Upon light frame work in the centre
were arranged four pistols, all cooked,
and the string entering the coffin from
without, communicated with the trigger
of EACH
The first movement of the Commodore
was to call for water and when it was
brought, he dashed three or four bucket
fuls into the Internal contrivance, and
then breathed more freely.
"No, no." he uttered, as he leaped
from the hold. "No, no-men. Do
nothing rashly, Let me 60 into the cabin
first. You may follow me-"
Commodore Tucker strobe into the
cabin, walked up to the bunk where his
passenger lay, and grasping hold of the
female dress, dragged its wearer out on
the floor. There was sharp resistance,
and the passenger drew a pistol but it
was quickly knocked away-the gown
was torn off, and man came forth from
the remnants of calico and linen.
The fellow was assured that his whole
plot had been discovered, and at length
owned that it had been his plan to turn
out in the course Of the night, and get
hold of the twine, which he had left in a
convenient place; he intended to have
gone aft, carefully unwinding the string
as he went along then to have got into
the boat, cut the falls, and as the boat
fell into the water, he would have pulled
the twine.
"And | think you know" he contin-
ued, with a wicked look, ."what would
have followed l should not have been
noticed in the fuss-Id have got out of
the way, and you'd all have been in the
next world in short order. And all
can say is, I'm sorry I didn't do it,"
1t was with much difficulty that the
Commodore prevented his men from kill
ing the villain on the spot. He turned
out to be one of the enemy's officers, and
he was to have heavy reward if he sue
ceeded in destroying the Commodore and
his crew.
The prisoner was carried on deck and
lashed to the main rigging, where he was
told to remain until the vessel got into
port.
What horrid death that villain
meant for usw said Carter.
Yes, he did," said Tucker with
shudder.
lie belongs to the same gang that's
been robbing and burning the poor peo-
pies houses on the coast" said one of
the men.
Yes, said the Commodore, with
nervous twitch of the muscles about the
mouth.
A bitter curse from the prisoner now
broke on the air, and with clenched fists
the Commodore went below.
In the morning, when Tucker came ON
deck, Seguin was upon the starboard bow,
but when he looked for the prisoner he
was gone.
Carter, where's the villain l lashed
here last night ?"
Pm sure 7 don't know whara ha 10