The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-07-06

The four men who were Imprisoned
there were all up and dressed but had no
light burning, preparing 20 wait in The
dark for the expected attack of Tho
mutneers They had been reused by tie
pistol shot in the other part Of the ship To
find themselves imprisoned.
M 4 part of the partition between them
and ne was in the form Of light woosen
grazing or lattice, to admit a free circula-
of airsl This had already been silently
, removed, and AT a whisper from me- We
all went aft together. No firearms could
be got until we could open communica-
ton with the officers in the cabin. This
we dared not yet attempt, as the partition
was solid, and some noise must be made in
wrenching plank off VI
The brig had been whaling on previ-
Gus voyage and the bunch of lances, tied
! together, were still on board These we
found in a rack under the deck.carhnes.
Though little rusty, they were still sharp
enough TO be terrible weapons in the
hands of desperate men, If brought 10
bay.
We had hardly secured these, when
there was rally at the hatchway, and the
pot OF fire and sulphur was lowered down.
The hatch was instantly clapped on, and
the tarpaulin drawn ali over. Had we
been taken unawares, minute or two
would have been sufficient to smother us
to death. But we were prepared to meet
it, several tin cups having been brought
from the forecastle and filled with water
from the cask. Before the tarpaulin COW
ering was fully secured over the matches.
the fire was all out, and had given the
word to the officers in the cabin to open
communication by forcing off a plank.
The planks ran up and down, and few
blows of an axe at the foot, given from the
after side, would start the spikes. AT the
first blow, we heard the sound of dancing
feet over head, and then the drunken shout
Of Dark Bill-"Ay knock away, my
hearties thought the birthstone would
start we Keep a good watch on the fore
scuttle you darkey Go there with him.
Paine! We shall have break-out soon,
either forward or aft, but they'll be blinded
with smok G, and we'll have the advantage
of EN-"
A few more blows of the axe-the plank
is starting But how those three spikes
seemed to cling to the tough wood. The
enemy became suspicious, and lifted off
the hatch.
Hallol the fires Quit" The voice was
that of Ugly Barney. Here, BILL
Paine! rally here at the after-hatchl
Quick, before they break through the
bulkhead!"
Barney jumped down to seize the pot
An opening was already made and we were
through it, one at time. He caught sight
of us, but before he could retreat Joe Bon
ner let drive his trusty lance, which passed
through the ruffan's body, pinning him to
the stanchion. His cry of mortal agony
brought his comrades to aid him. We
were beyond their reach. Our whole force
was collected in the cabin.
But we had friend in the enemy's camp.
My chum Dave Kent, was at the wheel,
and Bill, at the pistols mouth, had kept
him there; for he could not spare one Of
his trusty men to relieve him. He intend
ed, no doubt, to kill kim, as well as myself,
after he got full possession of the brig.
had heard them hunting for me, and Bill
decided that must be either under deck
or aloft
If he is aloft," said he, "well attend to
his case when we get daylight. If he's
crawled below. let him smell birthstone
with the rest!
knew all along that Dave Kent wouldn't
lose chance of helping US, if he saw one.
But he was poweriess until the moment
when the mutineers rallied to the hatch.
way, at the piercing cry from Barney,
leaving only the steward at the cabin-door.
Quick as thought, Dave seized this fellow
from behind with his powerful grip. The
pistol and cutlass were both useless to him,
for the movement had been so sudden and
well timed, that, before lie could raise an
alarm, he was ierked over the low taffrail
into the sea, the cabin-doors were open,
and up we poured. with every advantage
opposition, holding the quarterback in pos
Session
1t was give and take for a minute But
there were only four of the mutineers left,
and we were the stronger party The
second mate got his arm broken by shot
from Bill, and got cut on the arm from
cutlass thrown at my head by the Parsee
But he and Paine were both shot dead
and Dark Bill, the chief desperate, crazy
with rum and rage, bleeding from two or
three wounds, knock ed my chum senseIess
with his last empty pistol, and jumped
overheard, with a defiant oath on his lips.
You may well suppose that we did not
stop to pick him up. The last man fell on
his knees and his life was spared till we
arrived at Sydney, where he was tried and
hung
Our voyage was broken up by this scrape,
for we were too short-handed 10 venture
among the savages. But we made good
cruise for the short time we were absent.
for we brought our gold home safe, and
spent it without troubling ourselves much
about where il came from.