Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-07-18

CHAPTER X.
CAPT. POTTERY AND CAPT. SETTLE.

thought l; for that the follow had not heard
lur noise was starkly incredible. / stepped
llong the deck towards him; not an inch did
he nudge. / touched him on the shoulder.
He faced round with a quick start.
Sir said l. quick and low, before he could
get a word out-"Sir, we are in your hands
/ will be plain. Tonight | have broke out of
Bristol Keep, and the coloncls men are after
me. Give me up to them, and they hang me
tomorrow, give my comrade up, and they
persecute her vilely Now, sir know not
which side you be, but there's our case in a
nutshell"
The man bent forward, dis playing a huge
rounded face, very kindly about the eyes,
and set atop of the oldest body in the world:
for, under n trunk extraordinary broad and
strong, stradded a pair of legs that baby
would have disowned, 50 thin aud stunted
were they, and do make it queererl ended in
feet the most prodigious you ever saw.
As l said, this man leaned forward, and
shouted into my ear so that fairly leaped in
The air;
My names Pottery-Bin Pottery, cap'n
o. the Godsend-an' you can't make me hear,
not if you bust yoursern
You may think this put me in q fine guam
Diary.
II be as deaf rs nailsl" bawled he
Twas horrible; for the troopers, l thought,
if anywhere near, could not miss hearing
him. His voice shook the very rigging
AN O my crew the half ashore gettin
drunk, an the half below in very accom-
phshed state o liquor there's no chance
for ZEE TO speakln
He paused moment then roared again:
What a pityl Cos you make me very
curious-that you dol"
Luckily at this moment Della had the sense
/. IL.
round without another word, led us aft over
the blocks, cordage and all manner of loose
gear that encountered the deck to a ladder
THAT towards the stern led down into dark
ness. Here he signed to us to follow, and
descending first, threw open a door, letting
out faint stream Of light in our faces. Twas
the captains cabin, lined with cupboards and
lockers, and the light came from an oil lamp
hanging over a narrow deal table. BY this
light Capt Billy scrutinized US for an instant
then, from one of his lockers. brought out
pen, paper aud ink, and set them on the table
before me.
caught up the pen, dipped it, and began
to write:
l am John Marvel, servant of King Charles,
and this night am escaped out of Bristol castle
ii you be
Thus far had written without CHANGING
up, in fear to read the disappointment of my
hopes. But now the pen was caught sudden
ly from my fingers, the paper torn in shreds,
and there was Master Pottery shaking US
both by the hand, nodding and Decking, and
smiling the while all over his big red face
But he ceased at last, and opening another
of his lockers, drew forth horn lantern, a
mallet and a chsel Not word was spoken
as he lit the lantern and passed out Of the
cabin, Della and l following at his heels.
T.. 10 e H.. L
stopped, pulled up a trap in the flooring and
disclosed another ladder stretching, as it
seemed, down into the bowels Of the ship
This we descended carefully, and found our
selves in the hold, pnchng our noses twixt
finger and thumb,
For indeed the smell here was searching to
very painful degree, for tie room was mar
row and every inch Of it contested by two
puissant essences, the one raw WOOL the other
bilge water With wool the place was piled,
lat also | noticed not far from the ladder,
several casks set On their ends and to these
the captain led Us.
They were about a dozen in all, stacked
close together; and Master Pottery rolling
two apart from the rest, dragged them to
another trap and tugged out the buugs. A
stream OF fresh water gushed from each and
splashcd down the tr.n into the bilge below
Then, having drained them, he STAYED in
their heads with few blows of his mallet
His plan for Us was clear. And in very
few minutes Della and | were crouching on
the tiubers, each with a cask inverted over
US our noses at the bungholes and our ears
listening to Master Pottery's footsteps as
they climbed heavily back to deck The rest
Of thcGasks We're stacked close round us so
that, even had the gloon allowed, we could
see nothing at all
Soon heard the noise of feet above and a
string Of voices speaking one after another,
louder and louder. And next Master Pottery
began to answer up and drowned all speech
but his own. When he ceased, there was
silence for some minutes; after which we
heard party descend to the cabin, and the
uaAaping of their feet on the boards above
10, They remained there some while discuss
ingi ana then came footsteps down the sec
oud ladder, and twinkle of light reached
me through the bunghoe of my cask
"Quickl" said husky voice; overhaul
the cargo herel"
l heard some half dozen troopers busting
about the hold and Juggling out the bales OF
wool.
"Hi' called Master Pottery; "an' when
you've done rummaging my ship put every
thing back as YOU found it,"
Poke about with your swords" commaur
yonderP
"Water, sergeant" answers trooper, roi
ing out couple.
Nothing behind themW
mo; they're right against the side"
drop 'em, then. Plague on this business
IT'S my notion they're mile away, and Capl
Stubs no better than fool to send us bacl
here He's gfudging promotion, that's wha,
he isl Hurry, there-hurryl"
Ton minutes later the searchers were gone
and we in our casks drawing long breaths OF
thankfuluess and strong odors. And so ",
crouched till, about midnight, Capt. Billy
brought US down a supper Of ships biscuit
which vie crept forth to cat, being sorely
Cramped.
He could not hear our thanks but guessed
them.
"Now, say not a world Tomorrow we sal
for Plymouth sound; thence for Brittany
Histl We be all kings men aboard the God
send, though hearing nought | say little Yet
! have my reasoning heresles holding the
Lords Amounted to be an anOinted rogue hut