Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1880-10-27

.A0 NU8U0 We8O 0QU0 u10u0e0x 3AQ i went
lcft myself, % II generally, the, custom
hen Ill hAnds are called. While / xas
the we4thef esfstine And taking
be lms ttfn, / heard 6haling Zone Of the
oremAst hands, who was knotting AreeE-
Ioint next to me, } AJAX: ".Whete y Bar
;erf Idon't zee him on the yard"
looked over the line Of men, and sure
he was not there. / tell you /
wasn't long in getting on deck and stat
ng my suspicious to the captain. We
i once rushed forward, followed by sew
sral Of the guard, and Just ~ We reached
The forecastle who should make his ap.
pearance but Barker.
The old man yelled at him: "What
are you doing down there2 Speak upl
what are you shirking below for when
all hands were called Tor duty?"
II was SICK growled the scoundrel,
/" and could not 60 aloft."
"You are lying, you villain! and you
know it, said the skipper. "Im he
bound you are up to some deviltry.
Nj. Steerway, just keep your eye on him
till / come back
Gay, az, siry' I responded.
By this time all hands had come down
from aloft.
me captain soon returned and stated
tnat ne could ind nothing out OF the
way. but l was convinced in my own
mina tnst something was out Of the way.
low myself. I could find nothing, but
ct the same time was far from being sat
isiied. asked why was Barker, OF all
Others. down below We told the crew
OF our suspicious, and ordered them to
Keep . lookout on Bakers movements.
A. the night came on the guard was
relieved and cautioned by the sergeant
TO be on the alert. 1t seemed kind Of
queer to me that the convicts renamed
quiet, Tor beyond q low conversation
their voices we're scarcely audible, but !
thought afterward that probably they
intended to get = good nights rest, and
preferred to keep quiet.
lay awake some time after turning
in; my eyes finally grew heavy and 1
was soon in the land of dreams-away
Of in Boston. NY mother came up to
my room Il was still in my dreams) to
in my bed-clothes. I felt her
touch on the blankets; but why
did she place her hand over nv mouth ?
/ opened my eyes to see the reason.
The glittering blade Of a sheath knif e
was held before them. I knew the reason
then pretty quick, I assure you. for Bar
ker held it.
"Now. Steeraway," saws he. "you
iust keep quiet and Won won't be hurt.
Open your mouth and you won't know
what hurt yon."
/ knew that n movement on nv part
would be my death warrant.
"Will you keep quiet il I take nv
hand from your mouth ?"
I nodded my head in the affirmative
and his hand was removed. "Now.
he saws. "I am going to tie
you and put q little stopper in your
I won't hurt you, for 1 know
how 10 do these tb;nos.6
He evidently did. Tor / war yery soon
hand and foot, a gag wal placed
in nv mouth. and YOUR humble servant
was rendered as useless az a dead man.
The convict then left me and disap-
I had not been alone more than
ten minutes when / heard a voice near
the berth-head sav. "AlI right"
In q moment more a light draught Of
air entered INV atate.room- and r. smelt.
strongly of pent-up air-n sort Of con-
vict odor. go to speak.
The bulkhead had been removed. and
the cabin was soon crowded with prison.
ers. Not a sound did they make. for
their irons were of. and the thought
quickly upon me. a ship Is in
their hands. and NAV the Lord have
g on o,lr crew.
Silently they went up the cabin stairs:
then / heard a quick rushing sound.
wells. cures. then a few shots in
quick Succession: several splashes near
my cabin headlight: more shouts and
wells.
"Down with theml Now or neyerl
No Van Dieman's for us! Down with
In vain I heard several voices pleading
for mercy. But those men knew no
mercy. Finally the shouts and wells
ceased. then the quick. hurried tramp of
feet overhead. Presently a step de-
sends the stairs. the rope binding me
was cut. the Gag torn from INV month.
and q gruff voice said: "Come. Steer.
Won are wanted on deck. Lively.
nowi"
1 came to the conclusion that il was
useless to deliberate. and I obeyed the
order at once. 1t was not necessary for
me to ask what the matter was. knew
that well enough at a glance.
Barker-that scoundrel Rarker-was
an escaped convict, and had shipped on
board the Marathon for the nnrrosa ri
aiding his friends, and from the appear
ance of thinner he hal ancceeded hevond
his utmost e-xpectations. As I emerced
from the cabin / was Greeted with
]" Here he ia" by several az the strined-
Jacket gentry. "Nov. Steerawav. We
want you to mind and do inst IA we tell
you-or whatJoe Gosshavk. the captain.
tells you-and you won't be hurt; but i
Won don't why OVERHEARD Won ia. We
know 6 can navigate: which ia II.
sharks' dinner. Or nhev orders >"
OF course I didn't want to ease the
appetite Of the iet-fnned wolves that