The Opelousas courier., 1898-11-05
Smarting under this slight Interior

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men. and commanded:
Don't stare at me, you Williams; but
tie that boy to the foremost, and be
quick about it,"
Reluctantly and with plying looks,
the sailors obeyed, first stripping from
the lad his coat and shirt, leaving his
bare back exposed.
Now Ernest understood the captains
purpose. The boys cries for mercy,
and the stripes already on his back,
showed it too plainly. Respectfully,
vet with decision, he inquired of Cap
tain Biggs:
what do you intend to do with that
child?-for !nris nothing more remem-
Der that"
"None Of your business, you med
ding puppy" was the reply.
Il cannot afford to get angry WIZ
a man who is drunk" said the super
cargo, quietly.
"You lie" beloved the captain;
you white faced hound, you lie!!"
The supercargo making pa reply, the
tyrant descended into the cabin, and
soon returned, holding in hisshand an
ugly looking whip. With a glance of
defiance at Ernest, he staggered to-
ward the bound boy. His arm was
raised to strike, and in another mo-
ment the whip would have left its
cruel mark upon the white flesh.
Captain Biggs turned with an angry
oath. for the descending blow was
stayed by the firm grasp Of the super
cargo's hand. Snatching his arm
away, the Infatuated man again raised
his whip, and this time it woull
have struck Ernest's flushed cheek
had not a well-directed blow stretched
the captain on the deck.
The drunken wretch with difficulty
rose to his feet. Ernest stood upon
the defensive, but the captain, feeling
he had met his master, only NUT
tered:
"This is mutiny, sir. You shall suf-
fer for it when we get ashore"
"No!" Numbered the supercargo,
now thoroughly reused. at is not
| mutiny: neither shall I suffer for 1t.
1 am the agent for the n Of this
vessel and cargo. and such inhuman-
ity shall not be!v
The crew, who were looking on,
waited for the captains reply, but to
their establishment he only skunk away
to his cabin, muttering VOWS Of ven
geance.
Ernest, aftef releasing the boy, also
descended into the cabin. He entered
his state-room, and locking the door,
resolved to stay there the rest of the
day.
There are some men who, after
reaching a certain point in their cups,
become reckless, and in their despera-
ton are neither for their own lives
nor those of others.
Captain Biggs was one of them. In
the morning he had not arrived at this
point, or Ernest could not have dis
posed of him so easily; but in the aft
ernoon he had reached it.
1t was four o'clock. Some one
knocked at the door of Ernest's state
ROOM.
"Who is there" the young man de-
manded.
Recognizing in the reply the voice
Of the mate, he rose and opened the
door.
Seeing the man much agitated, he
inquired:
What is the matter?"
"We're all lost unless something's
6nnn' uyQS tho hY1rrio1 raV1ry CAV
hour ago, the captain came on deck,
more intoxicated than ever, and TAX
ing the wheel, pointed the vessel direct
for the shore. He either doesn't know
what he is doing, or intends to sink
us. The coast is very dangerous, and
if we keep this course an hour longer
are all doomed men,"
"Mate, madness like this is no long
er legal authority" said the super
cargo. 'Will you stand by me in re-
sistance to it,"
Here's my hand on it, SIR" replied
the sailor-"mutiny or no mutiny,
here's my hand on it."
Ernest quickly opened his trunk, and
taking from it two revolvers, handed
one of them to the mate, retaining
the other himself.
II hope there may be no need of
he said, gu thy, "but it is best
to have them. A revolver is a most
powerful argument sometimes"
The mate agreed, and with the air
of a man to be depended on. They
went on deck. There was a spanking
breeze, and there was not a wrinkle
in the swelled sails.
Straight before them lay the coast
line. Even then the yeast of waves
toward which they were SO madly
moving vas plain to be seen. Once
in that seething sea, and the song Of
the wind would lose it's harmony in
mingling with the discord Of drown
ing mems cries.
A sailor stood by the captain, be-
seeching him to let go the wheel.
The reckless man took no notice, but
was bawling out the fragments of
drunken song as he steered the good
ship onward.
Ernest saw that the firearms would
be needless. He had feared that the
crew, %dreading a charge of mutiny,
might resist any attempt upon their
captains person, but, grouped together
in silent, ~listless horror, they stood like
turned into stone. Long used to
obey, they had made no resistance to