The morning call., 1893-05-28
CHAPTER XXNVIu.
SHE ESCAPES FROM THE CONVICT sHIl
WITH HER SWEETHEART AND OTHERS.

CHAPTER XXXVIIL
SHE ESCAPES FROM THE CONVICT SHIP
WITH HER SWEETHEART AND OTHERS.
Mr.. Bates and VIII arrived. each bear
ing a burtheB of clothes from the Sion
chest. | advised the mate to go behind
the miZZen-maSt and shift his convict
clothes at once. He seemed unnerved and
wanting in spirit, as though broken down
by the scenes and sights of the day and
night, and obeysd me- as if l had been
Tom or his captain. VIII was dressed, as
throughout 1t had strangely happened
that no convict had forced him to ex-
change clothes. He went TO Toms cabin
and brought up my bundle and monkey
jacket; the latter L slipped on, throwing
Toms convict coat overheard with passion
and oathing. Will told me that only two
or three men were now awake IN the
cuddy; one had fallen under the table just
as he had passed up through the steerage
hatch.
Quilted the wheel to look through the
skylight, but the waking men sat too far
aft to be seen. l heard the murmur of
their fuddled voices, and was sure by the
tones that the noise must cease in a few
minutes.
The picture remained as l have de-
scribed it: the convicts lay over the table
and in twenty different postures. Under
the table. and betwiXt the table and the
buIkhead they were heaped as though
slaughtered. A dreadful smell rose
through the open skyltght Fragments of
broken pipes. shredS of wearing apparel,
capszed pannikens and hookpots. over
set pals of rum, covered the deck and
table. l was sure that Tom was right in
thinking that when those senseless. beast
like shapes came to be looked at in the
morning they would be found corpses.
Mr.. Bates. having changed his clothes,
stood beside me dressed in a suit of black
cloth and cloth cap. He said:
''Shall tombstone and | start on provis-
ioning the boat? ] shouldn't like to act
without Instructions from Butler"
mo time should be lost" [ answered 3;
''but where will you find provisions, Mr..
Bates?"
it mayn't come 10 our having to break out
fresh stores"
1--WE shall want nothing If the brig re-
ceives us" said |.
True: but we must 60 away we'll pro-
visloned nevertheless.
just then Tom came along the poop. He
spTang on to the hencnop and placed some
Parcels in the boat, i0fned US and said /:
I've secured the chronometer, a textant,
some charts and a Undertook. AIS quiet
now ia the cuddy. God of heaven, what a
scene! was obliged to tread upon the
bodies Of men TO look into the cabins; many
lie capsiZed upon their backs, their legs
upon the seats The light bad, yet made
out Aaron on the deck of a BERTH There's
whole hundred and Thirty people below in
that cuddy Would any man credit the
story of such a wholesale drugging and
damning by drink? They lie thick under
the break there, and the main decks strewn
with them. The forecastle's empty. But
alpS not quiet yet in the ship" said he
speaking very quickly and softly. "a fel-
low under the bulwarks yonder sat up and
called me by name. l took no notice. Two
or three men just now staggered off the
gratings on the main hatch to seek more
comfortable resting places. We must wait
aw bile"
"Shall Jobnstone and l get the boat pro-
visioned?" said Mr.. Bates.
"Ay, do your best, Bates, and promptly.
Provision us as though we were to be a
fortnight afioat."
He strained his eyes in the direction of
the brig; my cousin and the other left the
poop.
The time slipped by; stepped to the
skylight ard found the hour 10 minutes to
l. Bates and WIN came and went and
came again, and al everv trip they brough
load; | believe they found ships bread
in the i0recastle and some raw hams and
drum big tins Of raw meat in the galley.
l asked no questions, however; the time
OF our departure was drawing near and
l.
could tell at what moment some of the
convicts might get the better of theil
| stupor and come upon the poop for the
wilderness of the planks and for tile arDess
of the lodging 1t offered. | could not per-
suade myself that vast number OF
persons should he as drugged and iifeless
as though strong dose OF laudanum had
gone to every dram Yet. whether cred
| tied IL or not, had but to use my eyes 10
witness the truth; l had but to descend
the cabin steps, l mad but to walk around
the quarter and main decks of that no "
silent, shadowy convict ship TO know there
was scarce man but was stone senseless
with rum. Sometimes beastlike cry
broke from below; sometimes drunken
| shout sounded forward. These noises
were startling, but we speedily found that
they signifed nothing
Tom went to the head of the starboard
poop ladder and looked and listened. He
returned, descended the companion steps,
and. after looking and listening, pui oul
all the lights. 1t was then about quarter
| past 2. The moon had made deal OF
westing and was red and shone no longer
very brightly.
tombstone" said my sweetheart in q
Yes, sir"
Cut the gigs and yonder boats falls
short OFF just under where they are he.
layed: Quick, my lad! Bates, it must he
DONE"
"God help themw said the mate. "But
there are sailors who'll show them what
10 do should 1T come to sudden CALI"
win came from his job The gripes OF
our boat were then neiselessly cast adrift
jump iD,, Marian; jump in, John.
stone" said Tom.
VIII and sprang into the boat and sa;
low, ana In a. moment or two the dark side,
Oh the sEip swarmed upward as we de.
seended. The boat splashed when sh,
hoated; some fellow Mt that instant haIloet
long and dismally; the melancholy, dread
Jul cry was re-echoed by the sails. and tn,
voice was as that of a strong man MORTAL,
wounded and yielding up his ghost in /
death shout.