Connecticut western news., 1889-02-20

sake, he having nothing to do. All of sudden as the captain paced the quar- ter some one in the fo'castle shouted 'Murder!" There was scramble and a rush, followed by splash, and chok- ing voice from the water gasped out:
 ''Its mutiny, captain, look out!'
 It was the voice of Needham who had been stabbed and flung overheard.
 Next moment the captain saw every other man before the mast advancing aft armed with capstan bars and belaying pins. The cook was with them, and the old man was not long in realizing that something worse than mutiny was on. Instead of ordering, or arguing, or wait ing for explanations, he leaped down into the cabin and bolted the heavy doors behind him. had heard the row, and was now dressed, and so it came to pass that the captain, Jess, and myself were to- gether aft, and all made prisoners at once. "It's mutiny, MT. Loring" shouted the captain as I entered the main cabin. "Arm yourself and we'll teach the ras- calls lesson not to be forgotten!"
 He had scarcely ceased speaking when bullet struck him in he right shoulder, and shot fired at me grazed my head. One of the mu.ineers had fired through the open skylight. The captain stag gered to the sofa, and in jlffy had the lights out. Then I pulled the heavy sash down and secured it, and we were safe for the moment. It needed no explana- tion to satisfy me of what had happened. The crew had seized the schooner, and Needham had been murdered because he would not join the conspiracy. I had a revolver, and I started for the deck, but the captain stopped me:
 s'Come back, MT. Loring. You have no show! They would kill you before you got on deck"
 ssBut we must get the schooner back I" said.
 "Certainly; but we can't do it by throwing our lives away. We are. safe for the present. Help me off with my coat and attend to this wound. Jess, you take my revolver and stand in the companionway to guard the doors."
 got at the wound as eoon and as carefully as could, and was rejoiced to find that the bullet had struck the bone and glanced off. Indeed, it fell out of the flesh as washed away the-blocd.e It was thus painful but not dangerous wound. I soon had it attended to, and the captain thought he would not be prevented from handling a revolver. I had just got him fixed up when some one rapped at the doors, and voice ex- claimed:
 "Below, therel I want a word with youp
 '.What is it7" demanded the Cap tain.
 "The schooner is ours, as you of course know. We don't want your lives. You can have boat and start off as soon as you please
 ''But we don't propose to go"
 "Don't get cantankerous, old man. We've got the schooner, and we know enough to keep her. We don't want you here. If you accept our offer, all right. If you want to fight it out, then look out for yourselves!'
 "That's what we propose to do," re- piled the Captain, and then all was quiet. -.s
 I crept to the head of the companion stairs and heard the mutineers convers- ing in low tones, and while I sought tc catch what they said, man ran aft tc the wheel ard the others began to make sail. The calm was broken. I knew the course they would make without seeking sight of the cabin compass. They would head to the west, probably for King Island, and while between the coast of Van Dieman's Land, a stretch o1 over 200 miles, there would be no feal of meeting with any craft larger than { coaster, owing to the numerous shoals and shallows. The breeze came up live ly, and the schooner went dancing away as lively as if all had been at peace.
 "They won't try to get at us for time and perhaps not until morning." sai6 the Captain, land we must make ready
 We first made barricade at the dool of the main cabin, using the sofa, tabl, and chairs. Then we got out and load ed five muskets, placed three cutlasse handy, and, in addition, each had re xolver. We worked in the dark, bu we knew where everything was to b. found. You might have looked for tn girl to break down, but there was neve sign of it.
 The schooner reeled off the miles at lively pace for the next four hours, an( morning came without our having beer disturbed. Then sail was shortened the craft laid to, and, as soon as the mel had had bite to eat, the leader sum moned us with:
 "Below. there!"
 "Wel!," answered the Captain.
 .1'We will give you another chance t leave. You can have boat, oars, sail water, and grub, and no one shall hinde