Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-04-09
CHAPTER Y.
CAPT. POTTERY AND CAPT. sETTLl

OAF1s EO4AGAs4 AM N<AL l. oA444@hls
''Now either l am mad or dreaming"
thought 1; for that the fellow had not heard
our noise was starkly incredible. stepped
along the deck towards him; not an inch did
be bulge touched him on the shoulder.
He faced round with a quick start
Sir" said 1, quick and low, before he could
get a word out-"Sir, we are in your hands.
/ viii be plain Tonight have broke out of
Bristol Keep, and the coloneIs men are after
me. Give me up to them, and they hang me
tomorrow; give my comrade up, and they
prosecute her vilely. Now, sir, I know not
which side you be, but there's our case in a
nutshell"
The man bent forward, displaying huge
rounded face, very kindly about the eyes,
and set atop Of the oldest body in the world;
for, under a trunk extraordinary broad and
strong, straddled pair of legs that baby
would have disowned, so thin and stunted
were they, and ito 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-Bill Pottery, cap'n
o. the Godsend-an' you can't make me hear,
not if you bust yourself"
You may think this put me in fine guam
dairy.
II be as deaf as nailsI" bawled he.
Twas horrible; for the troopers, l thought,
II 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 a very accom-
plished state O. liquor; so there's no chance
for. ZEE to speak,"
r. ~
''What pityl Cos you make me very
curious-that you doP
Luckily at this moment Della had the sense
to put 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 10 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, servant Of King Charles,
and this night am escaped out Of Bristol castle.
If you be
Thus far had written without CHANGING
I'D. in fear to read the disappointment Of my
hopes. But now the pen was caught sudden
" 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, 6
mallet and 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, ht
stopped, pulled up trap in the flooring ant
disclosed another ladder stretching, as il
seemed, down into the bowels of the ship
This we descended carefully, and found our
selves in tine hold, pinching our noses twixt
finger and thumb.
For indeed the smell here was searching K
q very painful degree, for the room was mar
row and every inch Of it contested by two
puissant essences, the one raw wool, the othel
bilge water With wool the place was piled
but also noticed, not far from the ladder
several casks seton their ends, and to thes'
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 t,
another trap and tugged out the bungS
stream Of fresh water gushed from each aEC
splashed down the trap into the blge below
Then, having drained them, he STAYED il
their heads with a few blows Of his mallet.
His plan for US was clear. And in a verl
few minutes Della and were crouching OF
the timbers, each with a cask inverted owe
us, our noses at the bungholes and our ear
listening 70 Master Pottery's footsteps a
they climbed heavily back to deck. The res
OF the casks were stacked close round US, S
that, even had the gloom allowed, we coul'
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 Potter.
began 70 answer up AMI drowned all speec
but his own. When be ceased, there va
ssisrce Tor some minutes. after which y
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