San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-05

not II you bust yourself
You may think this put Inc in a fine guam
dairy
81 be as deaf as nails!' bawled he
Twas horrible; for the troopers, | thought,
if anywhere near, could not miss hearing
him His voice shook the "ery rigging
An o my crew the half ashore gettin'
drunk, an the half below in a very accom-
plished state o liquor; so there's no chance
for zee to speakp
He paused a moment, then roared again
What a pity! Cos you make me very
curiOus-that YOU dol"
Luckily at this moment Della had the sense
to put a finger to her lip. The man wheeled
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 and ink, and set them on the table
before me.
| caught up the pen, dipped it, and began
to write:
am John Marvel a servant of King Charles
and this night am escaped out of Bristol castle.
If you be
Thus far | had written without CHANGING
up, i'll 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 u>
both by the hand, holding and Decking. ana
smiling the while all over his big red face
But he ceased at last, and opening ano,acr
of his lockers, drew forth a horn lantern u
mallet ami chisel. Not word was spoken
as he lit the lantern and passed out Of the
cabin, Della and following at his heels.
just outside. at the foot of the steps, he
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, pinching our noses twixt
finger and thumb.
For indeed the smell here was searching TO
a very painful degree, for the room was mar
IUm and every inch of it contested by two
puls,ant essences, the one raw WOOL the other
bilge water With wool the place was piled,
but also noticed, not far from the ladder,
several cusis set on their ends, and to these
the captain led us.
They were about dozen in all, stacked
close together: and Master Pottery, rolling
two apart from the rest, dragged them TO
another trap and tugged out the bungS. \
stream of fresh water gushed from each and
splashcd down the trap into the bilge brlo,,.
Then, having drained them, he sta "i in
their heads with few blows of his M. let
His plan for US was clear. And i'll a very
few minutes Della and were crouching on
the timberS. each with a cask inverted over
us, our noses at the bungholes and our ears
listening 70 Master PoUtery'e footsteps as
they cii.ulnI heavily back to deck. The rest
of the c,,,k, were stacked close round US 50
that, even had the gloom allowed, we could
see nothing at all.
Soon | heard the noise of feet above, and
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, aud the
trampling of their feet on the boards above
us. They remained there some while discuss
ing; and then came footsteps down the sec
ond ladder, and a twinkle of light reached
me through the bunghole of my cask.
Quick said a husky voice; overhaul
the cargo here"
| heard some half dozen troopers buoting
about the hold and tuGginG out the bales Of
wool
HI" c,,..c. Master Pottery; an when
you've dore rummaging my snip put every
thing back as you found it
poke about with your swords, command
ed the husky voice What's in those barrels
yonderf
Water, sergeant" answers a trooper, roll
ing out a couple.
Nothing behind Them
No they're right against the side"
drop EN-, then. Plague on this business
IT'S my notion they're mile away, and Cap'n
Stubbs no better than a fool to send us back
here. He's grudging promotion, that's what
he Isl Hurry, there-hurry"
Ten minutes later the searchcrs were gone,
and we in our casks drawing long breathS Of
thankfulness and strong odors. And 50 we
crouched till, about midnight, Capt Billy
brought us down a supper of ships biscuit,
which we crept forth to cat, being Sorely
cramped.
He could not hear our thanks, but guessed
them.
Now, say not word Tomorrow we sail
for Plymouth sound; thence for Brittany.
Hist We be all kings men aboard the God
send, though hearing nought | say little. Yet
| have my reasoning hereSieS, holding the
Lords Amounted to be an anOinted rogue, but
nevertheless to be served; just as aboard the
Godsend be Cap'n Billy an you plain Jack,
be your virtues what they may. An the con-
cusion is-damn all mutineers an rebels
Though, to be sure, the words be bit lusty