Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-02-21
CHAPTER XVII.
EEE BoAIsWAN' 5 10.

CHAPTER XVII.
THE BoATswAINs STORY.
aThe Hero was on the home station in
August, continued AbsalOm Bright @to
refit and fill out her complement Of men,
which had suffered by the actions we had
been in the last year. Wehad been at the
Downs anchorage, where We got q few
men; and then we came upon the Essex
coast for the same purpose. We dropped
anchor we'll out in the bay on which the
Red Lion inn stands on the afternoon of
September third, and toward night came
ashore with a good boats crew, we'll
armed. expected to press good dozen
men,.
"I had never been ashore here, but one
Of our officers was we'll acquainted with
the Red Lion and the people that came
there and he said that might make a
good haul there.
I'VE came in at dusk. I left the boat
around the high point. telling the crew
stay by, look sharp, and all but the
Oarsmen rush for the inn when they heard
my whistle. Then went to the tavern,
and began to look over the ground.
L had dressed myself as common
sailor, and L told a story about getting
an hours leave from the captains boat
that satisfied everybody. There were
four stout farmers lads in the tap-room
when 1 came in, and 1 marked them all
for my prey. Soon Robert BarnwelI
3
Your arrival, Captain COurtenay, rather
/ upset my plans.
at don't do to be too bold about inn
! pressing men. You may take them from
/ an inn, or from the street, or even from a
! house; but when a mil tary officer is by.
/ who might watch you and report the af-
! fair, it is we'll to be cautious. Nothing
! might come of it, but we don't like to
! have the soldiers around looking on when
! we are at this kind OF work.
Il heard the landlord story about you,
! Captain, and Barnweu When you ar
rived and all hands went out to the sta
bles to look at your horse, I hoped you
/ would be able to go on at once, and not
stay there to be in the way of my opera
! tiOns. So, while I was alone, I went and
| checked up the windows so they could
not be opened, and locked the door into
/ the dining-roOm.
Presently all came back, and you, Cap
tain, went into the parlOr.
"The landlord was in a fdget, fearing
/ a fight between you and BarnWell, and
did his best to get me to stay and prevent
IT. laughed at him and went away. If
there was to be fight, so much the bet
ter for the press gang; they could mix in
and take their men. I went out, softly
locking the door, having taken the key
/ when nobody saw me. My mistake was
that 1 left the key in the lock. If [ had
taken 1t with me, 1 should have found
the cOuntryman safely shut up when I
came back.
Il fastened the blinds with braces that
had brought and hid. Then hurried
back to my boat.
the men had pulled out from shore.
They had heard loud talking up the
beach, and thought that the coast guard
/ was Watching them.
at took them some time to recognize
my whistle, and come in. 1 berated
them sOundly for disObeying my orders,
/ s--A- -.-sI. 70
pull softly round the headIand, and beach
the boat in rear of the inn.
GIt took some minutes to do this. When
it was done, and we were lying quiet a
moment, listening to hear what might be
going on, I saw man run out of the door
Of the inn parIOr. It was hazy; but 1
could see his figure as he st arted.
He came down on the beach. He did
not see the boat at first. He looked wild
and troubled. 1t was Robert Barnweu.
I didn't mean to kill him, he said to
| himself. I struck him hard, but I didn t
want to kill him. Is he dead, I WOnder?'
Cautiously I stole up from the boat
and seized him. I took him by the arm
and put a hand over his mouth. In the
Kings namer I said. Make no noise; I
? take you for the Kings seaman.
He fought hard. and would have
t shouted for help if had not mufied his
mouth. Three of the men came to aid
me, and we dragged him into the boat,
bound and gagged him.
3 Next I heard a noise from the inn
shouting and yelling. I was on the point
Q of going up with my party and making
l j more captures, when I saw the lantern
l come round the end of the house and
/ some men with it.
&. Il had to guess what it all meant, an6
I guessed wrong. The words of Barnwel
/ / ought to have made me understand thai
p, he and Captain COurtenay had had a tus-
e sic, and that he was afraid that he haC
8 killed the Captain. In the excitement Of
9 the moment forgot this, and took up witt
the notion that you, Captain. had dis
f covered what was about, and were com
ing with the landlord, the hostler, anC
e the cOuntrymen at your back, armed viii
whatever could be picked up, to release
e BarnWeu.
1T seems ridiculous now that I look
d back on it; but the idea was very strong
g in my mind then. My party was strong
t enough. but a fight with a crowd Of rus
), tics, armed with iron pOkers aud pitch
l. forks, and led by Captain In the mill
6 tary service, was the last thing L wanted
It ordered the rOWers to pull out softly
e We took Barnwell with US; he served hi
: King most unwillingly, and died as I hav'
I told you. We rOwed out 30 silently, ant
S the Hero took up anchor so quietly, anC
- sailed out of the bay, that my presence
S ashore, as it seems, was never taken int
account in the inquiry after the fate o
Robert Barnwell."
CHAPTER XIX.
HOW IT ENDED.
t The experience Of Ralph COurtena.
d and his wife after the pardon was but
Z repetition of that which has Occurrst
thousands Of times, the world over.