The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-11-29

was raised, and the Commodore care
fully picked up The ball of twine, and
found that it was made fast to some
thing below. He descended to the hold,
and there he found that the twine ran in
beneath the lid of the coffin. He had no
doubt in his mind now that there was
mischief boxed up below, and sent Car
ter for something that might answer for
a screw-driver The man soon returned
with stout knife, and the Commodore
set to work. He worked very carefully,
keeping bright lookout for the string.
At length the screws were out, and the
lid very carefully lifted from its place.
"Great Heavens !" burst from the lips
of the Commodore.
"By Sam Hyde" dropped like a
thunderclap from the tongue of young
Dan.
"God bless you, Dan !" said the Com
modore.
Il know'd it," muttered Dan.
The two men stood for moment and
gazed into the coffin. There was no
dead man there, but in place thereof was
material for the death of score. The
coffin was filled with gunpowder and
pitchwood; upon light frame work in
the centre were arranged four pistols,
all cooked, and the string entering the
coffin from without communicated with
the triggers of each.
The first movement of the CommO-
dore was to call for water, and when it
was brought he dashed three or four
bucketfuls into the Internal contrivance,
and then he breathed more freely.
mo, no." he uttered, as he leaped
from the hold. "No, no, my men. Do
nothing rashly let me go into the cabin
first"
Commodore Tucker strode into the
cabin; walking up to the bunk where
his passenger lay, and grasping hold of
the female dress, he dragged its wearer
out upon the floor. There was sharp
resistance, and the passenger drew a
pistol, but it was quickly knocked away
the gown came forth from the remnants
of calico and linen.
The fellow was assured that his whole
plot had been discovered, and at length
he owned that it had been his plan to
turn out in the course of the night and
get hold of the ball of twine; then he
intended to have gone aft, carefully un-
winding the string as he went along,
then to have got into the boat, cut the
falls, and, as the boat fell into the water,
he would have pulled smartly upon the
twine.
"And think you know" he contin-
ued, with wicked look, "what would
have followed. All can say is that
I'm sorry 1 didn't do it,"
1t was with much difficulty that the
Commodore prevented his men from
killing the villain on the spot. He
proved to be one of the enemy's officers,
and he was to have a heavy reward if
he succeeded in destroying the Commo-
dore and his crew.
The prisoner was carried on deck, and
lashed to the main-r rigging.
"What a horrid death that villain
meant for us !" uttered Carter.
eyes, he did," said Tucker, with a
shudder.
HE belongs to the same gang that's
been robbin' and burnin' the poor
folks houses on the eastern coast" said
one of the men.
EYES," said the Commodore, with
nervous twitch of the muscles about his
mouth.
A bitter curse from the prisoner now
broke on the air, and with clenched fist
the Commodore went below.
In the morning, when Tucker came
on deck, Seguin was in sight upon the
starboard bow, but when he looked for
the prisoner he was gone.
"Carter, where's the villain / lashed
here last night?"
"I'm sure / don't know where he is
Commodore. Perhaps he jumped over
board"
The old Commodore looked sternlS in
Carter's eyes, and he saw a twinkle of
satisfaction cleaning there. He hesita-
ted a moment; then he turned away,
and muttered to himself:
"Well, well, can't blame them. If
he is dead, 1t Is only what he deserved.
eB- A man isn't fit to be the controller
of the columns of a newspaper unless he
has strong spinal column of his own.