The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-06-22
THE MUTINEERS.

THE MUTINEERS.
"Good-morning, Mrs. Herbert!" said
the captains nephew, Malcolm Sher-
wood, who was also first officer on board
the Albatross.
Helen stepped out of the cabin on the
main-deck, and the young man-who
could boast a certain kind of good looks,
but whose assurance and self-conceit
were too apparent for a gentleman
came toward her, cap in hand, bowling
gallantly.
She avoided his glance Of bold admir-
alton while returning his greeting, and
looking out W the ships side at the
smooth and shining waves, exclaimed
ooh, how lovely the sea looks this
morning."
81 wish it we're a garden, where I
could gather you q bouquet" said Nal
colin. beautiful women like you,
should always be surrounded with flow
ers. But isn't there something I can
offer you? All, yes, q nautilus I saw
some a few moments ago, and remem-
bered your wish"
He turned quickly. Only two men
were in sight on the leeward-side of the
galley. One was coiling rope in front
of a locker, the other was tarring the
bung Of o water-cask-
"Drop that, you .ubber, and swing
a bucket over the side, dye hear ?" cried
Nh. Malcolm Sherwood, first mate of
the A No. l government-built clipper
Albatross, among whose graceful accom-
plishments the art of addressing his
men as if they were hrutes was pre-emi-
nent. "Sccop me a good specimen
nautilus, and don't spoil it with your
bungling either"
As he had not spoken to either Of the
sailors by name, it would have been
difficult to tell which he meant. Only
one turned round-a fne-looking sea-
man, fair.skinned, rudy, blue-eyed and
Aaxen-haired. He dropped his calk-
ing-pot, caught up a wooden bucket,
made its rope-handle fast to another
rope by a running-knot, and throwing
back his broad shoulders with a 1.-THE
motion OF his shapely figure, he prepared
to launch it over the gunwale, when the
mate roared out with q gush of oaths
that he didn't mean him.
"You're too ready with your desire
to show off," he muttered between his
teeth !; and, seeing that the other sailor
continued to quietly pursue his labor,
as if unconscious of his existence, the
brutal tempered officer rushed on him
in a rage, and with a violent blow felled
him to the deck, where he lay without a
motion.
"You've struck a sick man, Mr.. Sher-
wood" said the fair and brawny sailor,
who was q Dane, and bore the sonbli.
quet of Neptune among his fellows.
"Poor lad! he fell on his marlingspike
off the Plata, and he hasn't been him.
self since. He's deaf, too, and didn't
hear you"
Helen had uttered a cry Of horror as
the mates clenched fist descended on
the slender rope-coiler. She knew him
by his pale face and painful cough ; and
although her fathers illness had hereto
fore allowed her little time for any duty
except waiting on him, she had sent
many delicacies to the ~forecastle by
Zillah, her maid, for this same sick
sailor. As he fell, she ran to his side.
Neptune stood with his arms folded,
with a strange expression on his dead
white face.
"Don't fret yourself, MISS" he said,
in a cold anG bitter tone; "if poor
Pierre has got his discharge he's in
OK. There's plenty more willing to
leave this service the same way. for want
of a better"
A cleaning smile, full Of contempt
and suppressed anger, playedround his
thin lips, an he looked steadily in NAL
collins face, as II defying him.
Such daring could not pass with i'm
punity. If tue mate was silent q mo-
ment, it was because his fury mastered
his ~utterance.
"Mr. Shelton-Mr. Frero !" he ejacu.
lated, as soon as he could speak.
An elderly man, whose originally fine
face was marred by signs of habitual
intemperance sauntered ont of the cabin,
and a slight and youthful fellow, with
flashing, black eyes and a quick, nerv'
Gus movement of the body, seemed tc
drop from the shrouds on deck.
Both made an inclination of the head
in reply to the savage mates call, and
addressing first the younger of the two
by the name Of Frero, he ordered hin
at once to put the sailor Neptune il
irons.
For q moment the young man, who
was third mate and also ships carpen
ter, stood silent; the next, he fatty re
fused to obey.
Meantime, the frightened girl haG
helped the young Frenchman to RISE
from the deck, and was gently support
fng him toward the forecastle when two
Norwegians, called Christian and Oddo
relieved her Of her charge, and lifting
him in their arms bore him away.
She stood looking till his poor, droop
ing head disappeared down the gang
way, and then, hurrying around thu
windward sides Of the galley, tried t.
gain the cabin without encounterine
the man whose brutality made hin
odious in her eyes; but just as SHE
reached the main deck she saw Sher
wood with his own hands snap the iron:
on Neptune's wrist, while his maudlir
assistant did the same for Frero.
her heart beat high; she tremblet
from head to foot; and, clinging to thu
water casks as she passed along, slit
gained the cabin-door.
The cabin was fitted up with unusua
elegance. Sofas of blue damask, blu'
silken hangings, handsome mirrors ant
well-cushioned fauteuils, rendered it
really luxurious apartment.
At it's upper end were two very larg'
staterooms, in which every appliance
for comfort aid pleasure were arrayed
and where taste, ingenuity and wealth
had united to foil the exhaustion aut
, tedium of a long voyage.
This unwonted splendor was readil.
explained. The ship belonged to
very wealthy merchant, who, with hi
only child, took this long westward voy
age, in the full conviction that it would
thoroughly establish his health.