Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-05
THE BIG QUICKSAND.


1sPapa, don't like the way those mel
huddle together forward. They are up Il
some mischief, you can depend upon it.
Nonsense, Ella; nonsensep cried bluff
old Captain Myers; and he pushed bach
the broad brimmed straw hat which pro
tected his head from the fierce tropica
sun. "The crew is all right, and by
sundown, if this breeze holds, wen be al
the mouth of the Colorado"
perhaps you know best, papa" said
the captains pretty daughter; "but
believe they are plotting mutiny or some
other dreadful thing, and Mr.. Ed
wards
"Humph!" growlingly interrupted the
captain, and he scowled darkly. "It's
from Frank Edwards then that you get
these false ideas about my crew."
Nothing of the kind, papaw protested
Ella, although she blushed rosily. ''It
was who first noticed the queer actions
of the men, and called his attention to
the matter. He said he would suggest
to you
''Well, don't want his suggestionsr'
beloved the captain. 'srm commander
of the Peerless, and have sailed these
waters long enough to know my bust
ness. These things are all in your imag-
ination, and l don't thank Frank Ed
wards for encouraging you in ibeling
my most excellent crew even by
thought"
Having thus delivered himself the cap
tain turned on his heel and entered the
cabin, while Ella, with another direful
look toward the sullen faced crew,
heaved deep sigh and sank into a
chair which the first mate of the Peer
less, handsome Frank Edwards, had
placed for her on the poopdeck beneath
an improvised awning that had been
stretched to shelter her from the rays of
the burning sun.
Her face frightened presently, when
quiet step sounded on the deck, and the
mate stood beside her.
"What did he sayY' he asked in an
eager whisper.
''Pooh-poohed the whole thing as a
silly girls foolish fancy, and stalked into
the cabin, red with anger, when men,
,honed your name"
81 feared as much" said the young
lman sadly. "He is blind to the daily
vaccinations of those copper faced ras-
Gals, and it is no use giving him advice.
''They were plotting mischief before
we were out of sight of Guaymas.
''That scar faced scoundrel, Manuel
Rosario, has learned that we have a
cargo of arms, ammunition and general
stores for the troops at Fort Yuma, and
this knowledge has excited his cupidity.
4'When we stopped for water at San
Francisco island he met an agent of the
insurgents, and was promised a liberal
sum if he would capture the vessel and
turn it and the cargo over to them.
''He does not know that l overheard
him plotting.
eff he did he would be cowardly and
desperate enough to knock me on the
head with Delaying pin some dark
night"
''Oh, Frankr' cried Ella, and her beau
Tiful face paled with apprehension. "Do
be careful and watchful-for my saker'
81 will" was his response, "and as
your father will not take the precaution
TO checkmate any move these ruf1ians
, may make 1 will perfect my plans so
, that we can escape from the bark in case
! Rosario and his men mutiny and seize
her"
'"And papa?" faltered Ella.
<'I'll force him to go with us. Now
don't worry, dear heart, for feel able
to cope with these rascals when the time
for action comes"
They were in the upper Gulf of Cali
fornia, where it narrows to meet the
waters of the Colorado river.
The bark Peerless, of which Elias fa-
with arms and ammunition and other
supplies for the United States troops at
Fort Yuma.
All but two of the original crew ship
ped in New York had died of the yellow
fever, which broke out with terrible vir-
ulence shortly after they passed Cape
st. Lucas and entered the gulf.
The captain had managed to get his
vessel into Guaymas, and there the two
remaining members of his crew had de-
serted.
In consequence he was obliged to ship
'ssative crew and employ Manuel Re-
sario, an ex-pearl diver who, unknown
TO him, was implicated ina revolution
then in progress on the peninsula, to en-
list the requisite number of men.
Rosario had got together hand of as
bloodthirsty rufians as it was possible to
find, and had no difficulty in inducing
them to lend willing acquiescence to
all his nefarious schemes.
He boldly planned to make Captain
Myers, the captains daughter, Ella, and
the mate, Frank Edwards, prisoners,
seize the vessel and run it into seclud-
ed harbor between the head Of San Fran
cisco island and the mouth of the Colo
RADIO river.
Here he would be joined by party of
the insurgents, who would loot the ves-
sci, after which it would be broken up.
The tides on the Gulf of California
are gigantic, the rise and fall of the
water averaging seventy five feet.
Rosario knew that they would enter
the mouth Of the Colorado river that
night, and as the tide was particularly
swift at that point the bark would be
securely anchored during the ebb and
flow of the tremendous current.
This he resolved should be the time