American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-08-30

nation I am abont to give you. Neg
lect it, and your ship will I've at the bot
tom of the sea in'-he looked at his
watch-'yes, in exactly an hour and a
half
"'AI right, my man. said L, you
may 60 I'll send the ships doctor to
look ut YOU for of course l thought he
was wandering in his wits.
"Then what had seemed anxiety in
his face became mortal fear-genuine
abject terror such as no actor could have
initiated. He threw himself upon his
knees, and, clasping his hands together.
besought me not to treat his words with
incredulity.
"sThen why, SIR replied, do You
talk such - nonsense about my ship?'
"'Because it's true, Captain he
groaned. There's dynamite on board
and clockwork machinery connected
with it. As am living man, if the
thing is not ut once looked to the ship
and all on board of her will be blown
to atoms within the time mentioned
eat this confess i felt cold shud-
der down the nape of my neck, for not
three months before the very catastro-
phe at which he limited had taken place
at q think) Bremerhaven, and had
struck terror into all ships, Captains
like myself. Some infamous villain had
insured a vessel very heavily, and had
taken means for its destruction on its
voyage in this very manner, only the in
fernal machine had burst on the quay,
killing scores of people, and its inventor
with it.
"sGood heavens, man. tell me all,
l cried, and quickly
"' Nay, but daren't and can't he
pleaded, 'unless l have your solemn
promise that you will never betray me.
know that you are man of your word,
and that will suffice for me. You must
promise, whatever may happen, never to
allude to the conversation that we are
now having, or to make use of it in any
way to the disadvantage of myself or
Others f.r,
"'Well," said I, Il promise. Now
where is this cussed dynamite?'
"One moment, Captain. There is
still time. to spare, now, since you have
istened to reason, and 1 must prove to
you that though 1 once hardened to the
whisper of the devil, 1 repented, and
would have undone the mischief if /
could This ship is insured in London
never mind where and how-for huge
sum, and have been employed to sink
her. brought the machinery, set to
this very day Qor you have made the
voyage quicker than was thought pos
sible), down to Liverpooll in a small
portmanteau which was sent on board
the night before she sailed. 1t was a
stipulation that should sail with you to
see that nothing interfered with the ex-
ecution of the plan. But I swear to
you, no sooner did touch the deck than
1 repented. 1 wanted the package
placed in my own cabin-ask your own
man if it was not so-in order that l
might have some opportunity of throw
ing it overheard in the course of the
voyage. They had already, however,
put it below-where, indeed, it was in
tended to go-with the other baggage.
It's a small portmanteau of bulleck's
hide, and they might as well have let
me have it in my cabin
ssThe dread had passed away from
the mans voice directly after had given
my promise that no harm should happen
to him. He bad doubtless every conf
denee in the clockwork machinery, but
that, of course, was not my case. ,..-.s
"'Come up on deck, you scoundrel, ;
cried 1, 'and identify this internal
thing Z g.sail sss.5-fs71 .al -
al set 20 men to work at once to bring
up the luggage on the deck, which, since
we had not yet sighted land, astonished
them not a little. st. 81 Gris
"Quick, quick, my good fellows; there
will be extra grog for you,' said, -sif
you turn the things out within the hour >
sc The passengers, who had not Been
across the water before, thought it q
natural thing enough perhaps, but my
officers imagined had gone demeutsd
There stood with this Yankee tailor
Gas he looked like) by my side, Who,
though he affected to be quite alncon-
cerned, kept a sharp eye on every thing
that came up, and was to let me know
by q nod when we. got to the drafted
thing. The luggage of a Cunarler is no
joke in point of quantity, but in quail
ity it varied more perhaps than any SIM
liar collection to be found anywhere
else. There were arks belonging to fine
ladies, large enough to go to sea. in;
chests that contained clothes and tools
of emigrants; dapper portmanteaus of
gentlemen touring for pleasure; bags Of
carpet-baggers that had no other lug
gage nor property on earth; hampers
full of English fare to astound the ma
tives of New York; and photograph
cases smelling of nasty stuff for twenty
feet round 'em. ..
al won golden opinions from the la
dies, through my being so very particu-
lar, and calling OUT Gently, gently;
handle 'em smart, my men, but be care
full not to shake 'em,' which, iof course,
was put down to my carefulness of their
precious possessionss whereas. was
thinking of the dangers of dynamite,
which-explodes, you know, by concus-
sion. That blessed portmanteau, as it
happened, was at the very bottom of all
"a NANCY, Unlocking thing enough,
and, though small, as heavy as lead.
Now, Just throw that overheard, nv