Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-19
{ DICK RODNEY; !
Or. The Adventures of {
An Eton Boy. }
RY JAMES GRANT

An Eton Boy.
RY JAMES GRANT.


! ers be risked for ii.
! l volunteered 10 become the envoy
/ of the crew
No. no, Master Rodney" said Tat
tooed Tom: this will never do, What
do you think We will let you venture
into that murderer's den while so
many able-bodied fellows hang
astern?"
But l know his language, which
none of you do"
He speaks the Queens English now
as we'll as any of us, said Carlton.
and if | had only a pistol or a mus
ket to give me but one chance for my
life. | would have made il speak 10
him long ago. in the lingo such pirates
( know best
Moreover, as | did not modest him
on the night we crossed the line he
has no particular grudge at me" |
urged.
There is some sense and truth in
that" muttered several of the crew.
III go-it is settled" said |. anxious
" sOi't biAc VI llt SlOdiiS.
while feeling glow of triumph at the
applause | should gain for the risk |
ran, which assuredly was not a small
one
1T is a shame for us lnbberly fell
lows TO stand by here and see that lad
risk his life. said Probart, one of the
crew; land if so be that creole plea
room falls foul of him
If he does" exclaimed Tom Lam
bourne through his firmly set teeth.
while striking his clenched right hand
on the hard palm of the left, may |
never see England again if we don't
attack him at stem and stern at once
III drop down the skylight with as
many as will follow me, while you,
Ned, will dash down the companion
way with the rest, and then at him
with Ratchet, handsaw and capstan-
bar He can't Kill Us all, shipmates.
that's one comfort-he can't Kill MS
all"
The prospect of an early demise was
neither sOOthed nor encouraged by this
promise of the bloody scene shat was
TO follow.
The carpenter gave ME small but
very sharp tomahawk. | concealed it
in my breast, and resolved to use it TO
some purpose if molested in the cabin
The idea flashed upon me that by one
determined blow | might disable him
forever, and perhaps DO an act of JUS
tice by dispatching him outright
With a vague sense that | was about
TO face terrible danger, and that the
sooner IL was faced and past, the bet
Ter. | walked hastily aft. and on de-
scending the mpanionladder. paused
when halfway down, and after knock
ing on the bulkhead called out distinct
ly and boldly
"Antonio Halo. Cubanoi"
We'll, what do you WANT" asked he,
sulkily
ITO speak with you; may / come
down."
Enter. companero: You have not yet
harmed me. thus bear you no malice
Putting hand in my breast 20 ascer-
tain that my little Ratchet was secure,
OhtCiCO lhS NoUihy lhC Cu-
bano, with his broad back placed
against the ruddercase, was seated on
the stern-locker at the table, which he
had covered with bottles, biscuits,
cheese and polOnies while papers.
dockets, broken desks, and boxes lay
scattered about him. He was clad. as
| have stated, in the poor shippers best
shore-going suit Of clothes. which he
wore open and loose. for the atmos-
phere of the cabin, Notwithstanding
the shattered skylight, was oppressive
ly hot as the sun was now almost YER
teal; the flies were in noisy swarms,
and the cockroaches were crawling
over the beams and bulkhead panels.
On first hearing a foot on the compau-
ion ladder, he had evidently snatched
no a revolver. and cooked il: but ON
finding that his visitor was only me. he
put it down, threw away the fag-end
of cigarito, and said. with ferocious
grin and irOnical pOliteness-
"BuenOs dias "a good day.. senior; TO
what am | indebted TO- this VISIT"
1t was the first time | had ever
looked in the face OF man who had
coolly destroyed a fellow being as he
had done, and my flesh seemed to creep
with an indescribable loathing; but I
had a purpose to achieve, and deter
mined to do 1t.
| was about to enter Weston's state
room, when the Cubano cooked his re-
volver and cried. in voice OF thun-
der
Come back, or | will shoot you as
dead as he is! Ha. ha! por grados
Thy degreeS) Il shall get rid OF you
an
| paused and looked at him; my
young heart beat wildly; felt that |
was facing death, and what would |
not have given had my Ratchet been a
pistol. even with one barrel, though my
opponent was master of twelve charges
HE il dead. them" said in a husky
voice
Who which," asked the Cubano,
with fresh cigarito between his
strong white teeth.