The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-10-27


She appeared TO be listening, for her head
was bent toward Guil6eroy's room, from
which direction came faint and confused
murmur of voices.
81 know that we are becalmed,'' she said
to herself in an audible tone and know,
too, that the officers are worried about it.
The men p-I know that many of them hate
Guilderoy. Dind't | hear the helmsman
sey last night that they would refuse to
fight for the man who rules tlIefn with rod
of iron, and when he had spoken thus,
didn't he remark to fellow tar that the
prisoners did not know their strength?
Yes, he did The men think of mutiny,
and the man at the wheel is now ready to
rise against the captain of this ship. They
want leader they gnaw in silence the
chain of tyranny, with which their captain
has bound them. / will spring the mine
L will lead the Meteor's mutineers, and the
Revenge may have our prize
-Adaline Temple spoke with stern de-
termination and clenched her hands.
The observer would have laughed to
think that she had decided TO head a body of
mutiueers-that she, fragil girl of nine
teen, had resolved to rob tile English navy
of one of its best vessels or to perish in the
attempt
She left the room with resolve well
formed, aud steadfast in her determination.
Like spectre she glided down tie darken.
ed corridors of the vessel, and, at last,
climbing upward with care, reached the
deck.
Captain Guilderoy and his lieutenants
were below discussing the situation over
several bottles of wine.
Adaline saw the stars overhead, and turn
ed her face to the various points of the
compass without greeting breeze that
would have pleased the British captain.
The man at the wheel having nothing to
do seemed to have fallen asleep, for he
started when Adaline's hand fell upon his
shoulder and his hand made a rapid move
ment toward his belt when he saw her
figure.
81 want to talk with you," she said, in a
low tone, making no display of the knife
whose hilt she clutche0--a knife like the
helmsman's. Il want to say few words
and are you going to listen? l heard you
use mutinous language last night, and L
could have you hung at the yard by speak
ing to the tyrant Guilderoy.''
He was her man!
''You are harboring schemes of mutiny at
this very moment" she continued, after a
brief pause, land you are not alone i'll the
diabolic work. l will tell the captain be-
fore an hour, if"
Alkaline paused a moment, and heard the
beat ing of the sailors heart.
He stared into her face like a man sud-
I,
ed her sentence. with lips almost touching
his ear.
''If you do not obey me ~
Then the helmsman's lips parted,
"For the love of heaven do not throw us
poor devils at the feet of Guilderoy," stam-
mered the sailor. ''He would hang every
one of us before morning. Do you want
us to mu.iny tonight? Our time has not
yet come. There be but nineteen of us
now"
But the prisoners-sixty- strong
men, and brave ~
''They are Americans ~
"Nevertheless, they wili not hesitate to
rescue gallant English sailors from the ty-
ranny of the capita in of this ship. To-
night! If you say no / will drive this
knife to your heart, and have your COM
rades hung at the yard before day"
Then the helmsman saw the knife whose
blade flashed very near his breast, and the
next moment he stood on the deck.
'We'll do it ~ he said. ''But Chester is
wounded-hurt yesterday by ball from
your ship. Chester was to have led u.s.
81 will take his place y said Alkaline.
''Now let us strike -
Captain Guilderoy, unsuspicious of the
mutinous spirit on his ship, had placed
watches who had belonged to the Chester
party.
Adaline soon discovered this, and at
length seven determined sailors, armed
with knives and pistols, prepared for the
fray.
She stationed two of the strongest at the
door of the council room, while as many
more guarded the matches. Then the prls-
oners were called forth, one by one, until
sixty-two strong limbed Yankee sailors
stood ON deck, ready to do their duty.
There was tumult among the captains
party when the mutiny was discovered, aud
the officers were apprised of the state of
affairs by the discharge of several pistols in
the hold.
"Mutiny % cried Guilderoy, springing
from the table; and the next moment, hav
ing opened the door, he found himself flung
to the floor by one of the mutineers who
guarded the portal.
Another British officer was knocked
down, when several prisoners made their
appearance, and the inmates of the cabin
were secured.
1t was one of the most startling and sue
cessful mutinies in the annals of the British
navy {; but the most thrilling part was yet
to come.
SHOW three cheers for the English sail
ors y cried stalxart mutineer who had
ably seconded the patriot girl.
Three cheers were given with will.
They swept far into the night and startled
the tenants Of another vessels deck.
''No more such cheers ?'' suddenly cried
Adaline Temple in tone of command.
THE Meteor is to bear the flag OF Aneri-
can Congress at her mlzzen peak. The
British mutineers will lay down their arms.
Yankee sailors will prepare to shoot those
who refuse to obey
A moments silence was followed by cur
ses, and the nineteen mutineers looked into
the faces of the men whom they had armed
with English pistols and cutlasses.
Obedience alone would preserve their
lives, and in few moments the British
mutipeers were prisoners like their more
faithful comrades, and the good ship Me-
teor, was in Yankee hands
Before dawn rockets revealed the Me-
teor's position to her pursuer, and the as
tonished Conyngham soon stood ON her
bloOdless decks
Then the young American lieutenant en-
couutered the heroine of the hour-the
girl on whose finger he had already placed