The morning call., 1893-04-09
CHAPTER XXVI-TCoNrINUEDL


The man had fallen overheard on the
weather side Of the ship. The sailors as
sembled on the poop, rushed to the rail
when the man reeed, and stopped; they
shouted as they stood looking; the captain
sped to the grating abRft the wheel and
gsZed astern there, calling to know If any
one saw anything of the man. Twenty
threats were bawling; some saw him; some
said he had gone down like lead, some that
lie had been shot through the heart and
that there would be nothing to pick up.
Meanwhile, the ship was sweeping swiftly
and smoothly onward, and the ridged seas
of the trade wind beat their plumes of
snow into s6OWeTings of spray against the
cOppered bends of the heeling vessel the
spread Of canvas was great; the studding-
sails were out besides; the seamen would
have needed a clear deck to bring the ship
TO the wind, and the conyicts still stood
massed, covered and overawed by the sight
of the soldiers at the line Of the break of
che poor. every man so grasping his musket
as to be ready to take aim at the word Of
command.
The time was wild with confusion and
terror; the sailors continued TO shout as
they looked astPrn. Some of the children
were yelling loudly with fright on the poop;
sharp, harsh cries reSounded from the main
deck where I saw the doctor thrusting in
among the convcts, while a few of the men
whom he had appointed CAPTAINS" ap-
peared TO be showing and pushing and mar
shaling tie prisoners so as to form them
into some sort Of marching order for tho
descent of the main hatch.
Captain Sutherland came hastily forward
to The rail and looked down upon the con-
victs. He then shouted 10 his chief mate,
who was standing near quarter-boat to
windvard:
'Send all hands forward, Mr.. Bates; send
all hands forward, Sir. There's nothing
10 be DONE" and he mOtioned significantly
toward The maiu deck.
And indeed until the eonvicts were
all in their quarters below. nothing
was TO have been done; for the
seamen must have gone among them TO
haul and drag upon certain of the
gear. At the foot of the mainmast, for eX-
ample, were Delayed many ropes, all be-
longing to the vast spread OF sail stretching
on high overhead, and this mast stood within
the baTricades. What might have happened
had the sailors rushed in among the cOnvicts
10 bring the ship 10 the wind
Captain Sutherland stood pale and still at
the head of the poop ladder. The ships
company were streaming forward through
the ganEway galley, and when 1 Quilted the
poop in the tail of the procession of women
and children the captain, the officers and
q
TO instantly cover the conYicts alone re-
manned on that deck
l stood in the recess along with Frank and
some of the soldiers wives. waiting to see
what was going TO happen beyond the bar
Ticades. One OF the convicts had been
killed or stunned by the maniac and lay
motiOnless rs 4 log. The sentinel who had
shot the man tTudsed the fOTecaste with
frequent 10 Oks in the direction of the main
deck, as though prepared al any instant for
u1f1 ro 1ars nj o. M
near me jabb-red necessarily, and every
tongue wagged in defense of Murphy as
they called the soldier.
"Gott verdomnishr exclaimed Frank.
looking at the woman, but it Yhas murder
TO shoot a madman."
Mind your own businessp cried one of
the women anEriiy. MS the duty of
soldier TO obey orders, and the orders OF
sentry are TO shoot down any convict mo
gets over the barricade a3d, attempts to
leave the ship. So thereP she cried spite
fully believe she was Murphy's wife.
How was the sentry TO know he was mad -?
If a soldier don't obey orders lie stands to
be shot himself. So there!"
at vhas MURDER" said Frank. and, smit-
Ing his thigh, he cried: 'She makes my
blood poll"
''If you call it murder again." said another
Of the women, IN speak TO The sergeant
ana he shall talk to you. You're a low
German fellow, and US soldiers wives are
not to be insulied by the likes of you"
$50 there!" cried the woman who had
spoken, splitting the words at the young
fellow.
Meanwhile sharp orders were being de.
liyered within the barricadr. l took nv
chance OF being TepTlmauded from the poOp
and went little way along the alley, and
saw all the COnyicts sun massed, but in
motion. They we're descending the hatch,
but one It q Time. for there was no room for
more. The body of the fellow who had been
stunned was held by four OF the prisoners.
The doctor stood alone and apart within the
Enclosure, looking a. the men as they
swarmed slowly toward the main hatch,
fltering to their quarters. He was white,
but stern and collected. Sometimes he
spoke, pointing or moving his hand as
though 10 insist on more order. He seemed
n fearless figure, and though l disliked him
l could not but admire him. There were
scores perhaps among those felous who
would have made no more Of telling aud
kicking out his brains than Of dashing an
egg 10 the deck.
l did not see Tom, so I went back to the
recess, and just then an apprentice struck
six Dells. Ten minutes later every convict
was below and The main deck was clear. but
l observed that when the guard came off the
poop one Of the soldiers passed through the
quarterback gate to double the sentry at The
main hatch, and heard another tell one of
the women as he went below to the bar
racks that he was TO do duty as second
sentry at the prisJn-door of the steerage
bulkhead.