The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-01-22


something that mis sht answer for screw
driver. The man soon returned with a
stout knife, and the commodore set to work.
He worked very oaefully, however, at the
same time keeping a bright lookout, for
the string.
At lebgth the screws were out and the
lid very carefully lifted from its place.
A"Great God in heaven !" bnrst from the
lips Of the commodore.
"By Sam Hyde /" dropped like thun-
derclsp from the tongue Of young Sam.
"God bless you, Dan !" said the commo-
dore
"Know'd {" uttered Dan,
The men stood for moment aud gazed
upon the coffin There was no dead man
there, but in the place thereof there was
material for the death of score. The oof-
fin was filed with gunpowdeI and pitch
wood Upon light frame work in the
centre were arranged four pistols, all cooked
and the string entering the coffin from
without, communicated with the triokor Of
each.
The first movement of the commodore
was to call for water, and when it was
brought, he dashed three Or four buckets
full into the internal oontrivance, and then
he breathed more freely.
"No, no." he uttered, as he loaped from
the hold. "No, no-men. Do nothing
raehl5. Let me 30 into the cabin fret
Yon may follow me-"
Commodore Tucker strobe into the cabin
walked up to the bunk whorO his rassen-
ger lay, and grasppg hold Of the female
dress, he dragged its wearer out upon the
floor. There was a sharp resistance, and
the passenger drew a pistol, but it was
quickly Knocked sway~-the gown was torn
OF, and man came forth from the rem,
nauts 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 twino, which he had left in a conven-
lent place he intended to have gone aft,
carefully unwinding tho string as he went
along; then to have got into the boat, cut
the falls, and, as the boat fell into the wa.
ter, he would have pulled the twined
And think you kuow,' he continued,
with wicked look, "what would have fol-
lowed. should not have been noticed in
the fuss -Id have got out Of the way with
the boat, and you'd all haye been 70 the
next world in short order. And all I can
say is, that I'm sorry didn't doit"
1t was with much difficulty that the cons
mOdoro prevented his men from killing the
villain on the spot. lie proved to be one
Of the onemy's officers, and he was to have
a heavy reward if he succeeded in destroy
ing 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 a horrid death that villain ment
for US y said Carter.
Yes, he did" said Tucker, with a shud.
der.
"EIe belongs to the same gang that's
been Robin aud burniu' the poor folks
houses on the coast" said one of the men
"Yes," said the commodore, with ner.
vous witch Of the muscles about the
mouth.
A bitter curse from the prisoner now broke
on the air, and with clenched fist the COM
modoTe went beoow.
In the morning, when Tucker came on
deck, Seguin was in sight upon the star
board bow, but when be looked for the
prisoner be was gone.
"Carter, where's the vslain 7 lashed
here last night?"
"I'm sure | don't know where he is,
commodore. Perhaps he's jumped over
board"
The old commodore looked steruly in
Carter's eyes, and be saw a twinkle Of salts.
faction cleaning ;here. He hesitated a
mOment-thon turned away, and muttered
to himself:
"Well, well-I cant blame them. If
the murderous villains gone to death, he
has only meta fate which he richly desery,
ed. Better far it be him than that my
, noble crew were now all in the ocean S cold
grave"
Hnshnnh nAuor4;.Oo H.. llNI- &C.