Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-02-16
"Well. Ralph, that Is not much to

kell 10 Keep Ills eyes Optu anu BlNe Iuo
any news worth communicating. but he
brought me none until the bark had
been headed down to the southeast
Then he found opportunity at night 70
say to me:
II can't make out TINT fellow York.
! have watched him with increasing
vigilance. but have failed to trip him
up, though there are many things to
arouse my suspicious He has an infiu.
ence with tho crew little short Of mag.
netic. Men who didn't like him at all
are his best friends now. ! am the only
one of the guards he hasn't made
friends with.
docs he talk much?" queried.
Every little, as far as have observed.
and yet / believe he does great deal Of
ii. Some Of the men are talking about
the goldfelds and others Of life on an
island, and believe the fellow is work
ing up to some climax. Did you know
that no and Miss Foster have quite fall
en- in love with each other during the
past week?'
''Is il possible?
"And, qucerly enough, Miss White
told me 10 my face this morning that
she didn't believe Ben Johnson guilty
Of the crime or deserving Of the punish
ment. She seems to have great admi.
ration for him. even il it is not some.
thing stronger | think we had best
keep an eye on them rs well as the peo-
pie forward, Mr.. Tompkins
thought so, too, and determined
that Mary Williams should assist us.
A few hours later. when I found oppor-
tunity to speak to her. / told her Of
Haskell's observations and suspicious,
and she replied:
II think it at least very queer, Mr..
Tompkins Up to the hour We left the
Cape both young women seemed to
make every effort to win my friendship.
Since then they have almost avoided
me, and have been troubled for fear /
unwi,tingly gave offense. So far as !
know aud can judge both arc intclli.
gent, respectable girls. and why they
should pursue this singular course is
more than can understand. "
I further learned from her that Miss
Foster had been quite thick with Dr.
Haxton AMI spent more or less time in
the dispensary, and though Mary had
no opinion to offer il was plain to me
that she was anxious and uneasy.
MIR. Tompkins, she said as was
about to turn away, every precaution
has been taken against revolt. and the
discipline so far as can Judge has been
Increased rather than abated, but Of
course it is possible that trouble may
come II the convicts were plotting re.
volt. how would they bring it aboutl"
THAT is what worries me-" I re-
piled. "and why / sought your assist
-ace. While everything seems to be 60
ing right there is no telling what infiu
ences are at work II we had the right
sort Of doctor aboard. and IL hadn't
shipped that man York, should feel
great deal easier about things. Should
there be- "a revolt il is hard to say Just
how it will come. 1t may be- at night,
when most Of Us arc asleep and totally
unprepared, or it may come when one
Of the gangs is on deck for exercise or
work.
''And suppose the convicts overpower
guards and crew and set possession OF
the bark?"
"Then God help us Ben Johnson as
the leader, would have his say about
things. The captain, Haskell, myself
and others would not live an hour after
he took command, and as for you and
She stopped me with gesture and
quietly said:
II will assist You in any way can.
None OF the other people seems to be
worried. but for the last two days
have been almost convinced that there
was something wrong. will watch the
two young women and the doctor and
report to you.
II you arc posted as 10 the sailing OF
q ship, you will understand that while
] was acting a. captain the second mate
should have stood my watch. This l
did not permit, but stood watch and
watch with him. l had my interview
with Mary between Z and s O'Clock in
the evening. At s went below and
turned in for four hours When came
ON deck at midnight, l took Haskell
and the third mate and went below to
examine the cages. This was the first
midnight visit ever paid to the convicts
and produced great surprise. had led
the way AS quietly as possible. and
though all the convicts appeared TO be
sound asleep when I looked into the
cages the positions Of some Of them
were so unnatural that suspected they
had thrown themselves down only .
moment before. The man York was the
guard on duty between cages Nos !
and 2, and though he had q face OF
brass I did not fail to detect signs OF
perturbation. l found the cages all
right, but was perfectly satisfied that q
minute before my descent York had
been holding conversation with some OF
the convicts. Had it been in his power
to let them OH deck I should not have
found them snoring away and muttsr-
ing in their dreams.
The midnight visit made no change
in our affairs, but gave me q thought
to be acted OH next day. Among the
crew was man named Hawley. l had
no fault to find with him as q sailor,
but had sized him up as the most sim.
pie minded man Of the lot. II l could
90 ut him right, I could learn from
him the subject Of talk in the forecastle.
Before noon next day, the man being
in my watch and the of watch below,
I got him aft under pretense OF examin-
ing the cabin stores in the lazarette.
had placed a bottle Of rum where he
could not fail to find it, and gave him
time to sample the stuff before follow.
ing him through the trapdoOr. 1t
pleased me to discover that he had
taken a liberal drink. and when the
stuff had been given time to loosen his
tongue carelessly inquired:
"That man York is considered very
smart man by all the crew, isn't he?"
Nobody could be smarter. sir. he
promptly replied. IF l had tenth Of
his smartness, wouldn't be where am
now. beggin your humble pardon, sir. !"
"He has been in the goldfelds Of
Australia, I hear?"
"All over 'em, sir. and has got some
thin like q ton Of the bloomin stun
hidden away in a hill. He dasn't bring
il ont for fear of robbers, but he can
lead the lot Of us straight to the spot