The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-08

Q
thought at first that it was mutiny-then
fire. While | was composing my mind for
action, tile screaming was renewed tenlold.
Coolies streamed and crawled on deck in
dozens, They were all violently excited,
but did not seem disposed to do any mis-
chief sent one OF the hands TO ascer-
tain what was the row, before ! gave my
command; but before he returned, the
native doctor sprang to my side with n
CLASSY terror-stricken eye and trembling
limbs. Mr.. TOpsAl, says he, our lives
are in dangerl Who could do itl You
must act very prudently, Mr., Topsal, or
this will be our last voyage
awhile | was staring ut the poor hor.
rifed doctor, unable to see his DRIFT, the
man returned, and said that tile row was
caused by the coolies having discovered
that the bundle was gone-or, as they
said, THAT their god had carried 1t off. 1t
was yet early dawn, and tile great fact
had Just been discovered. had forgot
ten about the affair. Now | glanced up
at the truck of tie main mast, No bun
die was there. 1t was gone. Howl
Nothing In the way of atmospheric force
could have removed 1t. OF course, We
could not admit the supernatural, (nnless,
indeed, u half.forned suspicion OF the
devil having done tile thing. Only one
other explanation remained, that Of hu.
man intervention. But how and whol
] felt cold and giddy, clammy perspira.
tiOn oOzel out on me, and felt shaky.
nerve1 myself. must act ut once, aud
secretly.
"The doctor whispered: 'oh, Topsal,
we'll all be murdered in cold blood, IL
they discover the trick Who could it
have beeni'
al could only echo his question with Il
groan. / called the second, much to his
surprise and disgust; but having left the
deck in his charge, the doctor and went
on voyage Of discovery. First we re-
paircd to my room, and thought. Sud
denly We both raised our eyes, and staring
at each other, whispered: The boys
oh, confound tlieml' cried /; only
wait. II we make this voyage, and get
quit of this load of gunpowder safely, oh.
won't IL
Let US hunt them up, said the doctor.
$50 We set out for the forecastle. We
entered noiselessly, and crept in tbe direc-
ton of tile boys hunks. AT first there
seemed nothing unusual. The lamps
swung and Creaked, the tmbers strained,
tue water went tllud, thud, on the ships
bows. We crawled nearer. We held
our breath. Hush What sound was that .
Was it not the Chinking of money o
horrorl
"The doctor and pinched each other
black and blue, and shuddered. We
crawl,d still nearer. We got behind
coil Of rope and some barrels Wepeeped
into the corner where the two young
scapegraces dwelt. Yes, the metallic sound
proceeded from that direction. We
stretched our necks. There before our
eyes sat the two little creatures, with the
bundle between them, costly but secretly
dividing the spoil. Such a combination of
daring and folly almost made US commit
ourselves. But we watched our chances,
and pounced on them, and clapped our
hands oil their mouths. In an instant we
had them tied up and gagged. The con-
tents Of the bundle we quietly concealed
about our persons, and dropped overheard
when we went aft. We set watch over
the boys, and | read them lesson in
whispers, which put the terror of death
on them. 1t was dark night, you know;
tAcy had climbed up tie stay uRaOtiesd and
taken The bWhdlel
"Ah! doctor, III never forget that yoy
ag.. was forever thinking that the
blackies were rising, or that they had fired
the ship, or that they were conspiring.
On deck, | walked on needles and pins
every sound startled me. / had taken all
possible precautions, had my arms ready,
&c.; but it would have been madness to
hare thought OF resistance. had all the
burden on my own shoulders, for never
told the skipper, and the second did not
seem to understand the affair nor to ap
preciate our danger. But the native doc.
tor did; and assisted me ably. Even my
turn below was no rest; couldn't sleep
Il dOzed and started till was called on
deck again. o, man, 1t was awful Sns.
pense, doctor, is terrible thing | felt
lust as II | were living over Volcano
never sure but that M eruption might oc.
cur. 1t would almost have been relief
to have had the worst, Ny hair turned
gray, doctor-no mistake. The second
even noticed that. turned shaky and
fanciful No, doctor didn't drink that
had nothing to do Withit. How reioiced
at the close of each dNyl We made a
pretty good voyage; and almost felt as
If the land, when we first sighted it, was
paradisial When we actually got that car
20 safely on shore, and I felt my thi oat
still uncut, almost thought it too good
to be true-no mistake!"
don'tknow how many ofmy cigarettes
Mr.. Topsal smoked, but know that the
stock was sadly reduced.
"But, | say, Topsal,"l | put In, what
about the boys, you knOwl Did you give
them an awful thrasllingp
Mr.. Topsal looked sulkier than usual as
hc replied: swell, they got loose as
soon as we got into port--Slipped me,
and deserted the ship. That was the last
saw OF them"
INSANITY. 1T is curious fact that in
the United States the ratio Of insanity
Is greatest among our foreign residents
Thus, in the United States the proper
/ finn NJ snaaua IL, f1a ,.n.,,Ink;n,, ts 1 Nn