The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1879-02-13

man walk the plank 7 NOT Well,
III show you some rare sport, then.
Now be off to your pos. And
, bark ye, Robbins, do you see this
bowie knife Z
"Of course | do, was tho reply,
spoken, it seemed to me, rather
, family.
"Of course you do }! Well, then.
tell the men that ii il ready to drink
; the life blood Of the first man who
shows the white feather. They have
} gone too far to shirk now, mud let
them remember the gold.
: Tho conversation Terminated, and
M the speakers moved away, also
left my perilous station on the lad
der.
To describe my feelings, as list
ened TO this dlabolical plot, were im
: possible my blood ran cold with
horror, my powers Of thought were
paralyzed.
l was conscious OF ono idea only,
that l must wake tho captain, and
acquaint him with tho imminent
danger that threatened us.
To make my way to his stateroom
was the work of an instant.
"Captain, captain | gasped. shak-
ing him by the shoulder "Wake up,
for Gods sake, wake up /
He sat up in his berth, rubbing
his eyes and staring vacantly.
"Captain, captain, rouse up : /
reiterated. stamping my foot in my
excitement. "rhero is mutiny on
board "A plot to murder us all =
He was fully awakened by such
startling intelligence, aud in q lew
hasty words | explained all that l
had learned of Mr. Briggs perlidy,
Captain Clay listened in silence
he expressed no surprise. time was
too precious to be wasted in idle
words, but the dark frown on his
face and the sternly knit brows prov
ed that ho was fully alive to the aw-
ful responsibility devolviog upon
him.
A single false atep might sacrifice
the lives OF the passengers entrusted
to his care no wonder then that
his cheeks grew pale.
Bnt he was not the man to shrink
when danger started him in tue face.
In few moments his decision was
made
'Ir II,rno, believe you always
carry u revolver.
"Ye-, sir, here it is" tapping my
breast, "a four barrel"
That is well I have one also,
and two cutlasses. Do you take
oue--yet stay not yet Look to
your pistol, is it all righ:?'
"Ay az. sir T.
"Mr. tIerne, I am going to i'm
pose dangerous task on you
Those villains do not expect you on
deck for half an hour, you say
suppose yon return at once, before
they have time to complete their
arrangem ants I 1t may have tho
effect of postponing them for to
night"
80 it may, SIR exclaimed,
rising, "I'll 90 at once.
I'm the meantime I will rouse
the passengers fortunately they
are all men-and give them the
alarm at tho least call from you we
will be ready to rush on deck to
your support"
"Ay !! ay 4! sir.
The mate WAS standing near tho
after hatchway as approached he
turned sharply at the sound of my
footsteps, exclaiming:
Whv, Mr.. Ilerne, hoped you
were asleep by this time your head
has got better very suddenly. But
I'm glad it has, for yon are the very
man want. The lookout declares
he sees light off yonder, but I
cant see it l was just going for
ward to look from the bows-but
your eyes are younger than mine.
Let us go and see
lie walked hastily away, expect
ing me to follow, but knowing all
that did. it may we'll be believed
that had no intention of doing so,
He stopped and hailed me to
come OH.
1T is not necessary | answered
in as indifferent a manner as ] conld |
answer-"l can see the light from
here y
you're dreaming, Herne,' he
cried "Come along"
"rhauk you, but moving about
makes my head worse, and I can
see the light just rs we'll from here,
right off the starboard bow it is"
Listening intently heard u smoth.
cred curse.
Come forward, sir, | order you!"
he shouted.
! made no reply all my faculties
were absorbed in ondeavoring to
discover among tho mon, who, | had
every reason to believe, were by this
time collected on the forecastle.
But il was in vain that l sought TO
pierce tho deep gloom around me,
while tho sighing OF the wind amidst
tue rigging rendered IL impossible
to detect any slight sounds that
might be made.
"By-,' shouted tho mate, los.
ing all caution in tho rage that pos,
a n A. % a i