The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-01-25

OF clothes bundled up Ill large hand
kerchief and fifty cents in his pocket.
AS soon rs the hall door closes after him,
the brute instincts of secrecy and evasion
pull his jelly bag hat over his eyes and
send him off at run.
Outside barroom at the corner is q
policeman. Here was victim worthy
of his "steal," SO he Immediately gave
chase, shouting "Stop thief p and firing
his revolver at the fugitive.
Our Rat gave in at the second shot,
and was walked off in triumph to the
station.
Captain Gilbert spends the evening
with his agent, and returns to the ship
about eleven o'clock.
"Sorry to say, sir" begins the chief
utlicer, that most of the men are
ashore"
"Without leave?'
A shrugof his shoulders is his answer.
Whose watch is it?'
Mr.. Andrews.
"Send him here. How's this, Mr..
Andrews? ?" asks the captain, angrily.
Its not my fault, sir. They don't go
over the gangway, They crawl over the
side, and ON to the beams of the wharf.
It's impossible to stop them"
The captain knows New Orleans, and
being a just man, has no more TO say.
1t is very provoking He is going to
sail tomorrow, and those men will come
Oil board drunk or stupid with the effect
of drink. Some of them, perhaps, won't
come at all.
The weather for the last few days has
been oppressively hot, and now there is
hope of rain. The sky is dark and low,
and the faint evening breeze has gone
down. The captain goes to his cabin,
which is on deck, and tries to read, but
the mosquitoes won't let him, so he gets
into bed, tucLs in his bar, and sleeps the
sleep of tired man.
Something makes him conscious that
two bells tone o'clock are striking.
Then he hears whisper: "Cap'n! Cap'n!"
close by his side. In an instant he has
his revolver ready, and is in the act of
striking match when the whisper says:
"Hush. it's me, Dick. Don't say a word:
don't light match. Hush Is there
man named Phil Wood in your crowd ?"
Eyes, q fireman but he deserted last
week" The captain whispers too.
Have you got specious aboard? ?"
"Specious? Oh, specie, you mean."
"Wot's that?
"Money."
81 thought SO Well, cap'n, Phil
Wood and five more is after that there
specious, aud they's aboard now."
"Good God Why didn't you tell me
before ?" gasps the captain.
"P'liceman cbevied me, COS I'd got a
bundle that the lady give me. Took it
away, he did, and locked me up" ex-
plains the Rat 80 but got out.
"On board row, Go you say? ?" asks the
captain.
"Yes, and at work, too. Listen -
What the captain hears sends him out
OF his berth with a spring.
"l7ire that, >" he SAYS, thrusting pistol
into Dicks hand, land run forward,
shouting help rs loud as you can
scream" Then he darts out on deck.
And no time to spare The thieves
have overpowered and gagged the man
on watch. have cut round the fastenings
of the hatch leading TO the specie room,
and already two boxes are out and ready
for spiriting away.
Dick does as he was told, and then
rushes back. -Four of the thieves are
on deck, firing at the captain, who has
lodged behind the cabin skylight, and is
shooting steadily. Dick has five shots
left, and these he discharges one after
the other, with his eyes shut, as fast as
he can pull trigger. 1t is IL brisk affair
while it lasts; which is until the chief
officer, doctor, steward and some others
(aroused by Dicks shouts and the firing)
come upon the scene. Then such OF
tba tbiovaC ac no,, lp ca iI1,11,, oyarloo ri
for their retreat forward is cut off.
Three remain; me-the leader-dead,
another with his thigh splintered, and Il
third with several balls in non-vital parts
of his body.
The first thing done is to release poor
Mr.. Andrews, whom they find still insen-
sible from the blow on the head which
had put him hOys du combat. BY this
time the police have come, and are search
ing the ship, lest others of the thieves
might be hiding.
"What's that in the wheel house ?"
says the chief officer; "bring a light
here. All it's another of them; turn
him over. Oh, Lord Captain, look
here Here's gratitude If it isn't
that Rat that the lady
"My God !" cries the captain; 81 for
got all about him Is he hurt p
"Shot through the body, and serve
him right" is Mansfeld's reply. 1t
struck the speaker " silly" as he after
ward said, to see the skipper fall down
ON his knees beside the Rat" lift his
head upon his shoulder, and, in voice
hoarse with emotion, say: "Are you
hurt, Dick? Oh, Dick. Are you bad,
my boy? Don't start. I'm your friend,
the captain, Dick-speak to me !"
Is the p'lice gomez" he moans.
"They sha'n't hurt you, Dick-no one
shall, Oh, doctor, come and attend this
poor brave little fellow. Any drop of
his blood is worth more than the lives
of those scoundrels. Do your best for
him, and send for all the surgeons i'll the
city if they can help poor Dick Poor
little faithful chap!"
The wounded thieves are carried off to
the charity hospital by the police. Dick
is taken to the captains cabin, and
placed in his bed. The ships doctor
does his very best for him. The most
famous surgeon in the city comes and
looks grave. Captain Gilbert never
leaves him.
"Say !"-Dick's voice has become
very low and tremulous-' that
there money yourn ?"
"No; but it was in my charge"
you'd got thunder if you'd lost
it, eh? ?"
81 should have been ruined"
"She wouldn't ha' liked that"
"She? Who do you mean, my boy p
"The lady-her as you was good to.