The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-16

hdn ~ go0u as another. propose 10
take what will make me comfortable and
happy. and 90 ashore for good time"
Every single man except Chips was at
once agreed At this point they were
simply In for lark and had no evil plans
There was no mate to argue with them,
and none Of them would see the captain,
though he sent word to several by name.
What was II to him, anyway The brig
was ashore, there was nothing to be done,
and II rescue arrived they could easily be
found ashore. You would have thought
the steward and cook bound to remain by
the people in the cabin, but they were
among the first to go. They were very
impudent about 1t, too, and 1t was pretty
plain that the entire lot were determined
to do as they pleased. The men were gone
about three hours and returned Ia high
spirits. The island was a veritable para
disc, they said, and they proposed making
permanent camp about mile from the
brig. Tom Dean had apparently been
chosen as their leader, and he was very in
dependent and saucy. He ordered his
crowd to help themselves to whatever they
fancied. and when Chips demonstrated
Dean threatened him. They collected
bedding, spare sails beef, bread, -four and
other provisions, and then removed the
main hatch and broke out cask of brandy
and preached it. The captain knew what
was going on. but he felt that he was pow
erless.
The ingrates left the brig loaded down
with plumber, and we knew they would
enter upon a spree which might last until
next day. Chips and got the dead body
Of the mate down on the sands and buried
it, cleared up the decks, attended to the
wants OF those in the cabin as far as able,
and it being now about o'clock in the
afternoon he lowered himself over the bows
to search for something we could make use
of as signal staff He carried with him
a light ak, and did not expect to be absent
over half an hour Two hours had slipped
away without his return when the captain
sent for me to say:
Harry, I'm worried over Chips. be-
lieve Deans gang has made him prisoner.
Go at once and pull inboard every rope by
which they can board u.s."
The brig was an even keel, and her rail
was ten or eleven feet above the sands
Her bowsprit had been broken off with the
masts, and one could not board her by
way of the forechains. / had pulled in the
half dozen ropes hanging over when Chips
suddenly appeared He was hatless and
coatless, with blood on his face, hands and
shirt | threw him rope, and he was
over the rail in minute and crying to me:
''In with the rope, Harry, and then bring
the fowling piecesr
He staggered and fell to the deck, but
did not stop to ask questions. The captain
called to me as got the guns, but hu-
ried away without replying. | found
Chips sitting on the forehatch with his
hand to his side, and the red blood oozing
out between his fingers. Before could
ask question he said
"Tom Dean stabbed me with his own
hand They mean TO come and kill the
captain, and take the women awayl You
must kill them if they try to get aboardl"
With that he staggered aft to the cabin
and disappeared. He was seriously but
not fatally wounded, and while the cap
tain's wife at once proceeded, under the
captains directions, to staunch the flow OF
blood, her sister Emma came forward TO
me. She was very pale and her voice
trembed, but there was no cowardice in
her eyes,
Harry, you and I must defend the
shipr' she said as she came up and picked
up the other fowling piece. Il know how
to shoot, and if they attempt to come on
board we must drive them back even If we
have to shed bloodW
| assured her that | stood ready to do
my best, and two or three minutes later
! the whole gang of men broke cover and
came to halt before us. They saw our
heads above the rail, but not our firearms.
! Dean was carrying the ak taken from
Chips. They were bit surprised to find
no ropes at hand, and Dean at once COM
handed me to throw over couple. When
| refused the gang began to curse and
threaten, and the negro sailor called out in
loud voice that they had done for Chips
and meant to serve the rest of us in the
same way. Finding me determined not to
assist them in boarding, TWO men stood
against the hull and the steward, who was
light man, sprang on their shoulders and
grasped the foremost channel plates on the
port side. Three others executed like
movement on the starboard side.
1--WE must shoot" whispered Epma, as
told her what was going on. you take
that side and I'll attend to this"
We were both badly ratified. l know
shook like leaf and my teeth kept up
clashing, and the girl was 80 white faced
and made such efforts to keep her feet that
Iexpected to see her sink down every in
slant. The two men showed their heads
above the rail at the same instant. and our
two guns made but one report. They were
loaded with swan shot, and the men were
dead before they struck the sands. The
Others raised yell and retreated into the
woods, and fired a second shot to acceler-
ate their pace. Emma did not faint. On
the contrary, she grew cool and calm, and
after three or four minutes went to the
cabin to report. There was dead man on
each side of the ship, and there lay the ak
where Dean had dropped it as he started
for cover. threw over rope and SID
down, and secured the ak, and was hardly
safe on deck again when Dean hailed from
the woods. 1t was to say that the men
were only on lark, and that they meant
no evil to any one. They were truly sorry
for what had happened and begged the
privilege Of coming aboard.
We were on guard all night, and all
satisfied that we could beat them of when
ever they attempted to board. But about
sunrise the American hailed us from the
cover of the bushes to beg forgiveness and
ask TO be taken aboard. This the captain
would not consent to, even though he
argued that they had probably had enough
of it and were honest In their promises.
Thev might mean well enough then, but