Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1883-12-27

minutes Wnen n6ard sound from below,
and I whispered to Stephen and asked
him If he had heard it.
"Yes," he said. '"They are moving
away board from the bulkhesd.''
could hear them very plainly, and as
soon az I wss satisfied that they we're com
Ing threw q small stone upon the
quarter-deck. This was the signal agreed
upon With Jack, and he Immediately came
forward and took up his station directly
abaft the foremost. he had dashed the
tiller 30 that all was safe for the time on
that score.
Presently heard the tread of the vii.
laips among the rubbish In the forepeak,
and directly afterward / saw human
head slowly rise above the opening of the
little hstchwsy. It remained In sight
moment and then disappeared. l asked
Stephen II he saw 1t.
YES" said he, "and they'll both be
up presently"
Your hand Is steady ?" asked.
LAS steady as ever dead calm was, and
| as stout as hurricane" he replied.
Just as he answered, heard foot
upon the ladder, and grasped my hand
spike with firm grip, and looked TO my
| pistol to be sure that it was ready for use
l
peared, and this time body followed it.
One of the rascals came slowly, and
stepped upon the deck, not four feet from
where / was concealed, and in few
seconds afterward his companion followed
him.
/ Hist !" said the one who had come up
FIRST as the other reached his side. "Thev
are aft. Shall We use our knives first, or
get some clubs ?''
Get clubs" was the response, land
use the knives if we need them.
"All right. Well find handspikes
some where. We shall take 'em by sur
prise and finish 'em before"
| l don't know what more the fellow
might have said, for at that moment he
began TO look around, as though hunting
for hanGspike, and was fearful that he
might discover me in my hiding place, 30
Iassed so yI'l - Stephen, and we
leaped to our feet My man heard the
movement behind him but before he could
turn, my handspike WAS upon his head,
and he staggered against the weather rail
close by the cat head. l saw that he was
stunned, and / lesped after him. He
warded off my next blow with his right
arm, but it COST him dear, for it broke the
bone short off above the elbow. The
knife which he had drawn fell 10 the deck,
and before he could recover himself sue
ceeded in knocking him down.
Stephens first blow had been more effe
tive than mine, for his man sank beneath
it, and was securely bound before he
could give any signs of returning CON
seriousness. Jack hao sprung to my assist
ance, and was ready with his pistol Just
az broke the villains arm but he saw
how matters were going, so he reserved
his fire, knowing that l wished to take
the fellow alive if possible. We bound
his legs together, but when | found how
badly his right arm WAS broken left that
one to hang, and dashed the left arm to
the body.
As soon as this was accomplished we
: put the schooner about and made back
toward the bay for / was determined to
land the rasoals in Mobile as quickly as
possible. We moved them aft upon the
quarterback, and when they came to theii
senses and realized what had happened
: they raved In all sorts of shapes. They
swore that no Jail or prison could hold
them-that they should surely Get away
: again, and that their first work should b.
{ to send me and my two boys out of the
world; but il we would let them go, the,
would be more considerable and would no
y harm us. They kept up this strain unit
3 they found 1t would not work, and theI
they assured us that they had untold sam
of money concealed in various places, an(
. If we would let them go they would max,
US rich.
Bat they succeeded no better than be
: fore, and then they went into the blood,
g threats again. This they kept up unit
they found that we were paying no atten
ton to them, and then the one whom
had attended TO, and who proved to b.
~ Matt Vickers, seemed to discover that hi
erm wanted caring for, and ere long h
% began to groan with pain. Bat | couli
's give him little help. / fixed cushion 70
" his arm to rest upon, and thus he had Il
% remain and make the best of it. FL
10 begged me to let him up, but there was s.
y much ugliness in his tone that / wouldn'
/ trust him.
We dropped anchor close to the cit
% about II O'Clock at night, and Jack pule
]. ashore in the boat aud soon had officer
lie aboard, into whose hands we resigne
5e our prisoners Matt Vickers had his arr
70 set by an experienced surgeon when he.9C
e. ashore, but not long afterwards he hA
g. his neck broken by the hGngman, and II
d this latter catastrophe Adolph Leroy keE
* him company.
le The reward OF $4,000 was cheerful
al paid over to us, so that our little BIT q
VI trouble and excitement turned out we
NJ for both us, aud the community
8. large.