The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-20

bit of hurt. Dye hear that? And I
give you fair warning that if any one of
you attacks his messmate or tries to rob
him of his rations, I'll shoot him rs
would any other wild beast
''Thc lien, Hal Wcscott included,
gave inc Il hearty cheer, and promised
inc implicit obedience.
Our first bit of luck was q heavy fall
of rain, SO rigging piece of sail cloth
in such way as to catch as much
water as possible, proceeded to empty.
the red wine, one bottle at time, into
the sea and to fill it with water, cork it
it again securely and pack it away care.
fully in the boats locker, upon which
took up my position.
Nov it was that great black
brute, Hal Wescott, first showed his
teeth, If may be permitted to express
myself SO, and big white, sharp and
animal-lilsc teeth they were, too, take
my word for it. When Wcscott caught
the low gurgling sound of the wine as
1T spurted like rill of life into the sea,
a strange look came over his broad,
bfonze-colorcd face, his little pig eyes
Glowcd with n wicked fire, his lips
twitched convulsively, and his huge
hands opened and shut with snap in
the iron llnuclllcs. He was like a thile-
ty beast suddenly reused by the trick
ling sound of water. I could hear the
big fellows tongue fairly click between
his massive jaws as he watched nv
movements.
when the time came for me to take
up the second bottle and uncorls it
Wcacott could hold his rcbellious
in'ards no longer in control. With
half scream, half gronn, he burst out:
For Gods sake, captain, give me
drink O. that! Don't waste it, I'm
burnin' up inside; I'm all on fire, can.
tain; l swear am! can't stand it,
captain For the love of Heaven don't
say no! Just give me taste of it-iust
Il taste''
Il needn't tell you, sir, that even a
few mouthfuls of that wine would have
transformed the big mulatto into %
hend incarnate. Poured into his fast
ing stomach, it would have set stream
OF fire in his blood and wouldn't be
here to-day to tell you this story, for he
would have Drained every mothers son
OF us, sure rs fate. So in an instant I
determined what course of action to
pursue, and in that brief space of time
l said my prayers, felt for nv pistol
and bid Uncle Bob and you good-by.
Silence, sirn ronred, with all the
strength could muster, as turned
upon the writing, twitching monster
whose face. already frightfully distort-
cd with suffering, was now made still
more rcpulsive by ill-disguised rage
which burned in his red eyes.
1T took all my self-control to keep
my gaze rivcted upon the man without
linching, but I was successful, and the
mulatto crouchcd down in his corner
again like lialf-cowcd, half-defiant
tiger. Things went passably well now
for q day or SO. The men obcyed me
chcerfully, and bore the pangs of hun
ger with wonderful calrnncss. I kent
Wescott at the bow of tho boat so
could have my eye upon him. Next to
me was the steward-never n strong
man and hence the first to sink silent
and lifcless in heap on the bottom of
the boat.
1--WE had now been washing about for
three days. Hunger was beginning to
give our faces that wild, haggard look
that robs the human countcnance of nil
traces OF n soul and leaves nothing be.
bind bnt the dnu. distrustful glare of
the animal
But thirst was the thing I most
dreaded. In spite of the few thimbie-