Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-02-04

NAAsNe All AhuAiAOlt W 1o W pt ODrN-
ed, so long as he was my mate. | made
up my mind too, that once back in
New York | wouldn't ship again with
Capt. Hnxham. | think this resolve
helped Inc to bear a good many hard
words In this believe | should have
succeeded had it not been for Jack
Hensdale, an English sailor, who was
always having trouble with Mr.. Run
dell. Hensdale WAS my watch-m mate,
and | was doomed TO hear continually
his threats of vengeance against the
man he hated. You're a fool, Tom. to
let him lord it over you so. He treats
you like dog. Why don't you turn
on him and show your teethp'
| was tempted the next afternoon 10
FOLLOW Jacks counsel. | asked to be
let off duty. | had bad headache and
wanted to get below. Mr.. Rundell
looked at me with a mocking smile as
asked him To let he of. $50 To Samp-
son with your headache,n he cried in
haunting tones. He would have said
go somewhere else if Mr.. Bland hadn't
been standing near.
lie looked as If he wanted to spit at
and spurn me. Night after night did
Jack threaten what he would do to Mr..
Rundell, but he never did it, and be
gan 10 turn 4 deaf ear to his promises of
revenge. / got tired of hearing him
talk Oh one subject, and | WAS thankful
when We neare1 Bristol. Now INV
trouble was half over. | had bori the
mates cruel treatment coming out and
| could bear it going back, SO | said to
Jack.
He swore at me and called me green
hand and fool. AS We were going into
the harbor fresh trouble arose between
Hensdale and the mate.
Jack made some bold answers to Mr..
Bundelll, aud the latter took ropes
end to him. He lodged il, and ran aft
and made rs if he would jump into the
water, but remembering he would lose
his chest If ke did this, he turned back
and went to his work. As Mr.. Rundell
passed lie gave me some order. | de-
spiSed him at that minute. | dare say
| showed what | felt, for pretending
that didn't move when spoken TO, he
brought his fist down upon me like a
trip hammer. 1t was hard to keep up
courage under such treatment. When
| reflected that | should have to bear
this, and worse, perhaps, on the voyage
back, my good resolutions faltered.
Jack was always at my side TO nurse
my wrath and TO tempt me. He said
there wouldn't he any passengers going
back, and that the mate would treat us
like bTutes. ''suit the vessel, he said.
Come with me, and | will show you
where to get gold. Wen leave these
fellows and live like princes" Jack
was a serpent in human form. listened
To his words, gave up my struggles,
adopted his evil counsel and tried 10
desert with him. But our plan was
thwarted. Some of our messmates got
wind of it and betrayed us. We were
taken prisoners. handcuffed and put on
board the Sea Bird just as she Was on
the point of sailing. Jack would tight
but he was soon OyerpOWered by two
strong men. "CuTse our luck, he said,
as he felt himself a captive. The cap
taiu and the mate seemed like evil
spirits. No pity had they in their hearts
for the poor tars who had borne insults
and cruelty till they could bear them no
longer. | know we were deSerters and
deserved punishment, but We didn't
deserve to be Knocked at always. MIR.
Rundell would cut a joke at our expense
every time he passed US. The captain
made ms jibes, too, ard the crew smiled
and winked TIL | hated every one OF
them. | had got to be bad fellow
then. but grew worse. 1t seemed as
if the mate showed more malice every
day. Jack didn't appear to mind his
language, but when we were together
he would swear revenge and vow To
throw the mate overheard. One night
| was at the helm. y rough sea was
running, and | couldn't prevent the
ship from pitching heavily. Mr. Run
deli gave me bad words, which raised
nv blood. Just then the foresheet
slipped, and he ordered Jack to haul II
aft. Jack said he couldn't do 1t alone.
The mate went forward TO lend a hand.
In another minnie the man that had
made both of US miserable was battling
with the sea Twas a black night;
black enough for any deed. L can see
now lust how the sky looked-nOt blue,
but slate color. Every star seemed ike
a staring yellow eye. They al wllNed
AS if they would pierce my soul-but
cared for nothing, even when the mate S
call for help should have touched my
heart. They reused the captain ana
crew. All iocked on deck. Cries Oh
murder filed the air. Hensdale and
were knocked down, secured ana CON
fined. Oar doom was sealed. We both
felt sure of that from the first, but we
were not left long in ignorance OF our
future. The captain visited us every
day and assured us rs often that we
should be hanged as soon as we got INTO
mort. Not a word of comfort fell from
his lips, not a ray of pity beamed from
his ewes as he told us what we had 10
expect.
IL was through him that Satan visited
me. / no longer cared what did 10
ANYBODY. One idea filled my mlhu.
that of saving my life. why shoulI
lack and let the captain reach land IL
he was going 20 tie us 10 the rope end
when he got us there. L was deter
mined against il. We began TO try our
irons to see if we could get them on.
For some time il was impossible, Dut
by dint of working We IN Inaged 10 get
-
them on and off again. This was lhe
first step toward freedom. We We're
nearing Newport rapidly The captain
Maid ms last visit. and grinned spite,
fully as he told us We should be IN Jan
before II O'Clock the next day. The
time for rising had come. we sllppeu
our irons and went on deck. All IS CON
fusion in my mind as | try to remember
what followed. 1 know that captain
and crew were sent to their last ac-
count. One murder had scared my
conscience-the others were easy y-Dut
1 didn't lift nv hand against the cap
tain. Thank God for that. Nel.neT
did | lift a finger to help him. as l
said before, my mind is in a whlrl when
| think of the bloody business thaI
made the day black as pit. Two na-
tures were in me-my old self and me
devil and since had been tTeateu lIhe me- |"
dog the devil had swamped Tom Hen
way. c,a ond
The deadly work was finished, anu