Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-01-07
CHAPTER XVI.
THE MATES BOAT,

THE MATES BOAT.
AL night long aboard the brig a
smart lookout was kept. Boldock was
OF opinion that the Queen was not above
30 or 40 miles ahead Of the Wellesley.
She was going right ahead, he conjec-
tured, by the circumstances of the girl
having fioated in q bee line to the briggs
cutwater. He was Of opinion with Mr..
Hardy that when the ten men rose to
seize the Queen they would not find the
Held en- easy walk. They might be
worsted, in which case there would be
loss of life more or less considerable.
and Boldock. whose imagination was
tolerably active, figured the Queen
rounding up in the wind and lying all
aback helpless, Benson shot down, her
mates dangerously wounded, and piratic
passengers and seamen of the bark
bleeding about the decks in dying ago.
mics.
So smart lookout was kept for any
shadow OF ship blotting the stars Of the
horizon Of that fine night, for any blue
or crimson ball of distress spangling the
dusk with sailing constellation But
nothing showed, and when the dawn
broke the sea stretched bare breast,
sallow to the sulphur light northeast
1--WE are pretty well off for small
arms, think, Mr.. Stubbins?'' said the
commander.
"The natives'll find Us well off
enough, I dare say, SIR" answered the
boatswain, with grin.
"About a dozen of muskets, think,
and twice that number of cutlasses?"
"That's about it, sir. ~
lyon might like to hear me tell an
extraordinary story of the sea- said
the commander in his deep and plant
i've voice. "All hands should have the
news. 1t may engender some deviation.
But ii we can recover a noble ship, the
lives Of number of passengers and
little mountain of nuggets from the re-
morseless clutches of ten broken down
gentlemen whose ideas Of humanity are
exemplified by their conduct toward the
lady whom we picked up yesterday
morning, all hands of US, Mr.. Stubbins,
will deserve we'll Of our country
He then gave the boatswain the story.
Mr.. Stubbins listened, with face dull
with wonder head hung as he trudged
by the commanders side, mouth open,
eyes askew, lifting at the jolly, hot
flaming countenance beside him.
Its about the rummiest looking lob
as ever I've heard tell off, said the
boatswain. Passengers too! Cuddy
a-doing the forecastle work! My, now! II
Jack don't mind his eye, he'll lose his
reputation. Ten bush nippers Of COM
pany and not sailor Of the ship in the
job! Well, all I can soy is let Jack mind
his eye"
The commander uttered three or four
'''ha, ha'sp' like deliveries through
speaking trumpet.
sand it amt known, allow, where
they re going to carry the ship to, sir,
IL they succeed in seizing herr" said
Stubbins
1.-THE lady says she heard them speak
Of an island. They pronounced the
name. Unhappily she cannot recollect
it.; also she heard them speak of a brig
antine and one Saunders. That's intel
ligible. The vessel will rendezvous off
the island to receive the booty out of
the ship. which the scoundrels will
probably wreck. - ~,.
It'll be q wonderful piece Of order
ing. SIR said Mr.. Stubbins after
pause. something proper to make a
man thoughtful in his prayers, if SO be
it should happen that the young lady
the men think drowned dead should be
the INSTRUMENT of delivering them in
to the hands of Justice
IF those ten men seize the bark, sir
said MI. Hardy, they'll surely not at
tempt to carry her round the Horn
'They'll make for that island whose
name the young lady unhappily can't
remember, " said the commander.
''ln that CASE said Mr.. Hardy,
''they may shift their helm and cross
our hawse within hailing distance. -
"What good would that be:'' ex-
claimed the commander. Mr.. Hardy
leered at the gun. "A nine pounder!'
said Boldock, folding his arms, ad-
vancing one leg and eying the gun in
the attitude Napoleon is usually pic
tured in.
"Weight enough there to bring down
q mast, sir" said the mate.
s'The Queens witch; she sails two
feet to our one, man; it would be touch
and away with her while you were try
ing to bring that piece to bear. Our on
" chance in that way lies in blood hav-
ing been shed aboard-in fact, Mr..
HJordv in the shin being thrown into