The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-30
CHAPTER TX.

As the men had been up al night
recommended the carpenter to 90 to
them and tell them that the watches
would not be altered, and that the
watch whose spell it was below should
turn in.
Some, it appeared, asked that PUN
should be served out to them, but
the carpenter answered that none
should be given them until breakfast
time, and if they got talking too much
about the drink he'd run q brad-awI
into the casks and let the contents
! drain out; for if the men fell to drink
ing the ship was sure to get into 4 mess,
in which case they might be boarded
ply the crew of another vessel and car
ried to England, where nothing less
than hanging or transportation awaited
them.
This substantial advice from the lips
Of the man who had been foremost in
planning the mu;iny produced Il good
effect, and the fellows who had asked
Tor spirits were at once GENEROUSLY
assaulted by their mates; so that, in their
temper, had the carpenter proposed to
fling the rum casks overheard, most
of the hands would have consented and
the thing been done.
All this | was told by the boatswain.
l took the opportunity of being alone
with him to ask him some questions
about the mutiny. l found him to be
a thoroughly honest man. He said he
only consented to join in the mutiny
when he saw it was useless to oppose
the men and took the course to save his
own life. | questioned him as to the
intention of the carpenter referred TO
by the man named Bill" but he
knew nothing as to its nature. He was
sure, however, that he could ascertain
what it was, rs a secret could not be
kept by so many men.
AT this point our conversation was
interrupted by the carpenter coming
aft to ask me to keep watch while he
and the boatSwain turned in. He said
he was ''dead beat and would BE- of
no service until he rested.
Left alone, | seriously considered my
situation. My principal anxiety was
to fOreSee how the men would act when
had brought them TO the place they
wished to arrive nj. Would they give
such witness against their murtlerous
dealings rs was a chance to save my
life? |, whose plain testimony could
set Justice on the hunt for every one OF
them. l could not place conf
dence in their assurances. The oathS
of such ruffianS as many of them I'M
dOubtcdly were, were worthless. They
would murder me without an instant's
scruple. if by so doing they could i'm
prove their own chances of escape; and
was fully persuaded that l should
have shared the fate of COXon and
Duckling. in spite Of the sympathy
had shown them, and their declaration
that they did not want my life, had
they not foresecn that they would stand
in need of some competent person to
navigate the ship for them, and that
was more likely to come into their
projects than either of the men they
had murdered.
Ny agitation was greater than l like
to admit. turned over in nv mind
various plans for escape, none of which
upon mature consideration seemed
practicable. To let the men see that l
stood to my work, never quilted the
deck until six o'clock.
On arousmg the carpenter in the |
cabin formerly occupied by me q found |
him in the bunk on my mattress with |
his boots on and pipe belonging to
me in his handy, l told him that the |
ship could now carry all plain sail, and |
advised him to make it. He got out |
of the bunk in pretty good temper. |
and went along the cuddy; but rs he |
was about to mount the companion
ladder called to know if he would see
the steward and speak to him about |
serving out the cuddy stores. as pre-
ferred that he should give the man in !