Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-08-05

New Orleans. have no fancy for ihem half-and-haf places. What I wanted was to get away into the Gulf ot Guinea, and coast along down to Congo, or that way. I know the coast, but never was in Amerikey, and, /" he added, fetching the chart blow with his fist, 'tcurse me if like the notion of going therer' r "lt won't do to be shifting about, said l, frightened that he would go and get the crew to agree with him to run down to the African coast, which would seriously prolong the journey, and end, for all could tell, in defeating my scheme; i've shall be running short of water and eatable stores, and then we shall be in fix. Make up your mind, MT. Stevens, to the Florida coast; you can't do better. We shall fetch it in a few days, and once ashore, we can dis perse in parties, and each party can tell their own yarn, if they are asked questions"
 'Well, I'll talk to Fish and the others about it," he growled, going back to his seat. 'I think you're right about them West Indie Islands. We must keep clear O them. Perhaps some of 'em for'ard may know what this here Florida is like. I was never ashore there"
 He fell to his breakfast again, and, finding him silent, and considering that enough had been said for the pre- sent, left him.
 I did not know how well I had argued it until that evening when he came to me and said the men were all argeed that it would be better to leave the ship off the Florida coast instead of trying to make New Orleans.
 then told him that, with a good wind. I would give the ship eight or nine days to do the run in, and recom- mended him to let the crew know this, as they must now turn to and arrange, aot only how they should leave the Ghip-in what condition, whether with their clothes and effects, as if they had had time to save them, or quite desti- tute, as though they had taken to the boats in a hurry-but also make up their minds as to the character of the story they should relate when they got ashore.
 He answered that all this was set tied, as, of course, l was very well aware; but then my reason for talking to him in this strain was to convince him that had no suspicion of the dia- bolical project he was meditating against my life.
 1t may appear strange to the.reader that these men were so easily duped but the fact was, none of them knew any thing about navigation and all were ignorant of every thing except the most commonplace duties. Now that had a well digested plan in my mind was under much less apprehen- sion and only 1onged for the time to come for putting it into operation.
 CHAPTER XIII.
 Having no other log-book than my memory to refer to, l pass over six days, in which nothing occurred strik- ing enough for my recollection to re- tain.
 This brought us to Sunday; and on that day at noon we were, as nearly as can recall, in 37 degrees north fati- tude and 50 degrees west longitude.
 In round numbers Bermuda lies in latitude S2 degrees and longitude 65 degrees. This is close enough for my purpose. We had consequently some distance yet to run before we should heave to of the coast of Florida. But we had for five days carried a strong following wind with us, and were now lheading west by south half south) driving eight or nine knots an hour under fresh wind forward of the port beam.
 The crew continued to behave with moderation. The carpenter, it is true, grew more rude and offensive as his sense of importance increased, and Johnson and Fish put themselves for ward disagreeably at times, but on the whole we had little of which to com- plain.
 This Sunday afternoon MT. Robert son and his daughter came on deck. was grieved to see that his memory was completely gone. His daughter bore up bravely under this deep afflic- tion. What touched me most was the unlimited confidence she reposed in me. Knowing fully the perils of our position and realizing that death might await us at any hour, she was as calm and serene as though no danger threatened us. It was exquisite flattery to me to feel her trust, to witness the comfort my preseMSe gave her, to re- ceive her gentle whispers that she had no fear now; that I was her friend; that she knew me as though our friend ship was of old, old standing. |,
 say, God bless her for her faith in me! l look back and know that I did my best. She gave me courage, heart and cunning; and SO I owed my life to her, for it was these things that saved it.
 She exactly knew the plans concert ed by the boatswain and myself, and was eager to help us; but I could find no part for her.
 However, this Sunday afternoon, while stood near her talking in a low voice, her father sitting in a chair that l had brought from the cuddy, full in the sun, whose light seemed to put new life into him-I said to her, with smile:
 " If tonight is dark enough the boat swain must be drowned"
 ... "..Yes," she answered, "I know. It will not be too soon, you think?'
 "No. I shall not be easy until I get him slowed away in the hold"
 "You will see," she exclaimed, ''that the poor fellow takes plenty to eat and drink with him?''
 "A good deal more than he wants is already there," I answered. "For the last three days he- has heen dronnino O