The Red Cloud chief., 1877-11-29


deck. now in his state-room.
He held consultations in the latter
place over a bottle of choice wine. and
under the liquors influence he soundly
cursed the Yankee prlvateer.
Becalmed on the water and beheath
the stars the Meteor lay like a huge
slumbering leviathan. Her lights were
hidden, and the spectral figures that
trod her decks conveIsed in subdued
whispers.
In a small apartment not far remote
from the council cabin stood a beautiful
young girl. There was a look Of sOr-
row in her dark eyes and she vas quite
pale.
She appeared to he listening, for her
ear was bent toward GuilderOy'5 room,
from which direction came a faint muir.
muir of voices.
Il know that we are becalmed," she
said to herself in an audible tone, "and
I know, too, that the officers are WORT
ed about it. The men? l know that a
great many of them hate GuilderOy.
Didn't l hear the helmsman say last
nigh. that the sailors would refuse to
fight for the man who rules them with
rod of iron, and when he had spoken
thus. didn't he remark to a fellow tar
that the prisoners did not know their
strength? Yes, that he did. The men
think of mutiny, ar the man at the
wheel is now ready to rise against the
captain of this ship. They only want a
leader. They gnaw in silence the chain
of tyranny. with which their captain
has bound them. I will springthe mine.
I will lead the MeteOr's mutineers, and
the Revenge may have our prize"
Alkaline 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 mutinears -that shea fragile
girl of nineteen, had resolved to re the
English navy of m of its best vessels,
or to perish in the attempt!
She left the OK with a resolve well
formed. and steadfast in her determine
ton. Like q spectre she glided down
the darkened corridors of the vessel and,
at las, climbing upward with care,
reached the deck.
Captain GuilderOy and his lieutenants
were below, discussing the situation
over several bottles of wine. Alkaline
Saw the stars overhead, and turned her
face to the various points of the com
pass without greeting a 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 movement toward his belt, when
he saw her figure.
Il want to talk with you" she said, in
a low tone, making no display of the
knife whose hilt she clutched-a knife
like the helmsman's. II want to say a
few words, and are you going to listenp
l heard you use mu. inOus language last
night, and l could have you hung at
the yard by speaking to the tyrant Gull.
derOy.
He was her man!
you are harbOring schemes of mutt
ny at this very moment" she continued,
after a brief pause, "and you are not
alone in the diabOlical work. l can tell
the captain before an hour, If"
Alkaline paused a mement, and heard
the beating of the sailors heart. He
stared into her face like a man sudden
ly frightened by a ghost, and she fin.
ished her sentence with lips almost
touching his ear.
IF you do not obey mel"
Then the helmsman's lips parted.
"FOr the love of heaven do not throw
us poor devils at the feet of GuilderOy,"
stammered the sailor. He would hang
every n of us before morning. Do
you want us to mutiny to night? Our
time has not yet come. There be but
nineteen of us now"
"But the prisOners-sixty two strong
men and brave"
"They are Americans!'
Nevertheless, they will not hesitate
to rescue gallant English sailors from
the tyranny of the captain of tn 8 ship.
Tonight! If you say no, l will dr. We
this knife to your heart, and have your
comrades 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.
"WeIl do it!' he said. "But Chester
is wOunded-hurt yesterday by a ball
from your ship. Chester was to have
led U.s."
Il will take his place." 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. Alkaline soon discovered
this, and at length seven determined
sailors, armed with knives and pistols,
prepared for the fray.
She stationed fwO Of tho ~atronooat af