Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-01-14

shutters for oil the windows looking out
forward, each shutter having portfolio
for musketry firing and likewise iron
plates which could be clamped Oh be.
meath the skylight if the emergency
arose. Then the bulkhead between cage
No. and the passengers quarters was
provided with portfolios and made bull
let proof as we'll. For the cabin defense
we bought four double barrelcd shot.
guns and two rifles. This would give
Us, III case Of a row, six good arms, to
say nothing of the officers pistols and
what firearms the passengers might
bring. You will observe that have left
the seyen guards entirely out in my
figuring.
When the Hindu was ready to receive
the convicts, government inspector
came aboard to see that everything re-
lating to the prisoners was shipshape.
There was nothing to find fault with,
and he named the date when the gang
would be sent aboard. Our passengers
came frst-exactly 20 Of them. Whom
do you suppose the first three were?
When I first clapped eyes on them, l
was so taken aback that l stood open
mouthed and could not utter word.
They were Mr.. and Mrs. Williams and
the daughter, Mary. 1t had been six
weeks since left Dudley, and I had re-
oeived no news of them whatever,
though was every day trying to pluck
up the courage to write direct to Mary
herself.
"Wel], Ralph, it's this way" said
the father as l expressed my astonish-
ment. Everybody knows the gal is in-
DOcent as babe, but she can't abide
notoriety. Well go out to Australia
and have look around, and if things
don't suit we can return after couple
of years. I'd forgotten the name of your
craft, and it's pleased am to find that
we are to sail with you"
I can't say that Mary seemed over
pleased to find me there. Indeed, she
acted az if considerably put out about
it. While may not have been distaste-
full to her personally, yet the sight of
me kept all the past in mind, and she
had taken her troubles very much to
heart She shock hands and made an
effort to be friendly, however, and that
was all could expect OF the other IL
passengers there We're four married cou-
piles, two young women servants, one
single man and six children. They were
all middle class people, tidy and re-
spectacle, and we could not have asked
for better lot.
The passengers came aboard in the
morning. At Q O'Clock in the after
noon cur prisoners came alongside un-
der heavy guard, and l received an
other shock, and a far more disagreeable
one The first convict to step aboard
was Ben Johnson, the villain who was
to blame for what had gone through.
We were face to face before we recog-
nized each other. He was handcutfed
and also had Oh leg chains, for he had
become SO desperate that everybody
feared him. His face was full OF curl
osity as he stepped on deck, but the in
stant his eyes lighted Oh me he raised
his manacled hands to strike and shout
ed at tho top of his voice:
"You here, Ralph Tompkins! All,
you cowardly cur, but could ask for
no bettor luck! When we take the ship,
it will be my pleasure to fay you alive" "
knew, of course, that he had been
sentenced to transportation for life, but
it had never occurred to me that he
might be among the gang of 90. The
guards seized him and were hustling
him along when he caught sight of
Mary and her parents. He realized IN
al instant that they were passengers,
and there was look Of devilish ferocity
on his face as he cried out:
"WhatI And Mary tool Why, satan
himself seems bound to play into my
hands on this trip. Three cheers for Ben
Johnson's luck"
The girl and her people We're as badly
knocked out as was, and had we not
been all ready to weigh anchor they
would have quit the brig and forfeited
their passage money. Mary had to be
led below, while the father declared to
mo that nothing on earth could have
induced him to 90 with the Hindu had
he known that Ben johnson was to be
one of the gang. The situation was
bad one for all four of US, but the only
way left us was to put Oh bold face
and make the best Of it. Ben johnson
was perhaps the most desperate man in
the lot. but the gang az whole was
one of the worst ever embarked. When
they had been divided and Gagged, the
officer of the guard felt it his duty to
say:
II have handled at least so gangs of
convicts in my time, and tell you that
no ship ever had a worse one under
hatches There are plenty of men afloat
and shore who are willing to bet two to
one that you never get as far as the