Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-04-09

me through The bunSnole OF my CasA-
..Ouickr said a husky voice; overhaul
the cargo hcre"
| heard some half dozen troopers busting
about the hold and tugging out the bales OF
wo.i.
.Hir' called Master Pottery; IAN when
.t,,' We done rumInaging my ship put every
n hack as You found it"
'roke about with your swords, command
ed the husky voice. whats In those barrels
yonderr'
"Water, sergeant" answers trooper, roll
ing out couple.
Nothing behind themr
''No; they're right against the side"
drop em, then. Plague on this business
It's my notion they're mile away, and Capn
Stubs no better than fool to send US back
here. He's grudging promotion, that's what
he isl Hurry, there-hurry!n
Ten minutes later the searchers were gone,
and we in our casks drawing long breaths of
thankfulness and strong odors. And so we
crouched till, about midnight, Capt. Billy
brought US down a supper of ships biscuit,
which we crept forth to eat, 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.
Histl We be all kings men aboard the God
send, though hearing nought say little. Yet
l 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-
clusion is-damn all mutineers an rebels!
Though, to be sure, the words be bit lusty
for young gentlewoman's ears"
We went back to our casks with lighter
hearts Howbeit twas near in the morn
ing, dare say, before my narrow bed cham
Der allowed me to drop asleep.
woke to spy through my bunghole the
faint light of day struggling down the
matches Above, heard a clanking noise,
and the voices of the men hiccoughing dis
NAL chant They were lifting anchor.
crawled forth and woke Della, who was yet
sleeping, and together We ate the breakfast
that lay ready set for us on the head of a
barrel.
Presently the sailors broke off their song,
and we heard their feet shuffling to and fro
on deck.
Sure" cried Della, 1--WE are mOving!"
And surely we were, as could be told by the
| altered sound of the water beneath US, and
the many creakings that the Godsend began
+, 10 keep. Once more l tasted freedom again
and the JOY of living, and could have sung
| for the mirth that lifted my heart LET US
but gain open sea, said l, land I'll have tit
/ for tat with these rebelsp
But alas! before we had left Avon mouth
twenty minutes twas another tale. For l lay
| on my side in that dark hold and longed to
/ die. and Della sat up beside me, her hands III
her lap and her great eyes fixed most dole
/ fully. And when Capt Billy came down
with the news that we were safe and free to
! 90 ON deck we turned our faces from him and
said we thanked him kindly, but had no
! longer any wish that way-too wretched,
! even, to remember his deafness.
Let me avoid, then, some miserable hours,
and come to the evening, when, faint with
fasting and nausea, we struggled up to the
deck for air, and looked about US
Twas gray-gray everywhere; the sky
lead colored, with deeper shades towards the
east, where bank of cloud blotted the coast
line; the thick rain descending straight, with
hardly wind enough to set the sails Tapping;
the sea spread like a plate of lead, save only
| where, to leeward, a streak of curded white
crawled away from under the Godsend's keel
On deck, few sailors moved about, red
eyed and heavy. They showed no surprise to
see us, but nodded very friendly, with smile
for our strange compilations. Here again, as
ever, did adversely mock her own image
But what more took our attention was to
see row OF men stretched on the starboard
side, like corpses, their heads in the scuppers,
their legs pointed inboard, and very orderly
arranged They were dozen and two in all,
and over them bent Capt. Billy with mop
in his hand and a bucket by his side; who
beckoned that we should approach.
"Arrayed in order O. merit, said he, point
ing with his mop like Snowman to the line Of
figures before him.
We drew near.
This here Is Matt Soames, master o. this
vessel-an' he's dead"
"Deadr
Dead drunk, THAI is the gifted mani
Come upIn He thrust the mop in the fellows
heavy face. There uowl Did he mOvel did
he winkl No. says you o an accomplished
drunkardI"
He paused moment, then stirred up No.
2, who opened one eye lazily, and slut it
again in slumber.
you sawl Opened one eye, hey! That's
Benjamin Halliday. The next is a black
man, as you see; a man Of dismal color. and
hath other drawbacks natural to such. Can
the Ethiop shift his skins No, but he'll open
both eyes. See there-a perfect Christian, in
so far as drink can make him."
With like comments he ran down the line.
To he brief, twas not till the fourth after
noon Coy reason of battling head Winds that
we stepped out of the Godsends boat upon a
small beach of single, whence, between a
rift in the black cliffs, wound up the road
that was to lead US inland. The Godsend, as
we turned to wave our hands, lay at half a
miles distance and made a pretty sight; for
the day, that had begun with white frost,
was now turned sunny and still, so that look
ing north we saw the sea all spread with
pink and lilac and hyacinth, and upon it the
ship lit up, her masts and sails glowing like a
gold piece. And there was Billy, leaning
over the bulwarls and waving his trumpet
for "Good.by." Thought I, for l little
dreamed to see these good fellows again,
"what a witless game is this hfel to seek
ever in fresh conjunctions what we leave be-
hind in a handshake."
We followed the road after this very mood
lily; for Della, whom had made sharer Of
the rebels secret, agreed that no time was &c
be lost in reaching Bodmin, that lay good
thirty miles TO the southwest. Night fell and
the young moon rose, with a brisk breeze al
our backs that kept Us still walking without
any feeling of woarineSs Capt. Billy had
given me at parting a small compass, of new
invention, that man could carry easily il
his pocket; and this from time to time l ex
==z1irsai n he moonlight, guiding cur way
almost due south, in hopes Of striking into the
main road westward I doubt not we lost q
deal of time among the byways; but at length
! happened ON q good road bearing south, anC