The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-07-05

front stepping dSlue TAN anu stabSly
looking gentleman came deliberately
forward. He was, as one would guess,
about five-and-fifty years of age, and
was comely in the face, but thin,
though sturdy and upright in figure.
His dress was uncommonly rich, and
was the most snowy and striking had
seen up to that time.
l bowed low, somewhat impressed by
his elegance, and waited with an air of
Difference for him to speak. doubted
not he was some rich grandee, and very
likely the owner of the ship and cargo.
He looked at me coldly, yet with some
curiosity, and after brief glance at
my companion, said in choice Spanish;
"Who are you, senor, and how did
you come upon the raft?"
l repeated what l had told the cap
tain, though with some enlargement.
As proceeded l saw his brow darken,
especially at the mention that we were
English.
81 grieve, sepor, to find that you and
your friends belong to that nation of
heretics and robbers" he said in a
severe voice. Pray, upon what busi-
ness was your ship, and what was she
doing in these waters"
perceived the dangerous thing that
was in his mind, and suffered no delay
in answering.
"Why, your lordship," 1 replied Il
clapped this title to him at venture),
"our ship was peaceful merchant
man, and her business was to convey
cargo of English cloths and small
wares to Havana, and fetch sugar.
spices and the like thither. Our cap
tain can give you more of this mat
ter"
And where, think you, went your
escaping mutineers?" he inquired,
without pause.
This disconnected me bit, but / felt
it best to out with the truth.
"To join that scoundrel Morgan, II
our guess is not greatly at fault"
let go boldly.
He smiled in a grim fashion.
"Aye, senior, such was my thought of
the matter. They have gone to join
that child of perdition. doubtless, and
some good Spanish blood may be shed
in consequence. What think you," he
vent on, looking at me fixedly, shall
/ not be doing my sovereign and the
church a service if endeavor to dis
charge a small measure of this debt?"
began to think that we had fallen
ort of the frying pan into the fire, for
was at no loss to guess what he
meant. Nevertheless / was resolved
not to quail, and, indeed, it was pos
sible he might be only trying me.
collected myself, therefore, and an
swered him.
"A debt, your lordship, should be
paid by the debtor, and not by him who
has no part in it. The Spanish blood
you speak of was not shed by me or by
my comrades. We abhor piracy and
every such lawless doing"
The hidalgo nodded, but could not
see that | had produced any measur-
able impression on him. 1t was an
anxious moment, and discerned that
my companions had detected some
thing amiss and come closer though
could not then give heed to them.
"Well, senor," he replied, at last
"there is reason in what you say, and
l am not disposed to deal with you
harshly. Nevertheless"-here his look
hardened again, and my spirits sank
81 cannot forget that you are English
men. If you yourselves have done my
countrymen no harm, neither had the
Spaniards of Puerto Rico and Mara
caibo done the English harm. Your
lives are safe, but you have forfeited
your liberty, and on your arrival at
Panama will be sold as slaves. You
may go forward for the present and
serve with the crew."
He nodded to signify that he had con
cluded, and, with the same stately pre-
cision as at first, passed in among the
crowd and made his way out of sight
l was in a measure dumfounded, and
stood where he had left me, trying tc
grasp the full purport of what had be
fallen. Cast into slavery, and by the
people of n Christian nation! Wha'
worse would it have been had we falleI
among the heather Algerines? l wa!
aroused from this overwhelmed state
by the voice of Mr.. Tym, and, turning
abont, acquainted both him and thu
captain with what had passed.
"Saves to the dons, is it?" said Sci
linger, when / had finished. "a mid
ding hard poEt to steer into, after al
that has befallen us! The greasy lob
scourers! / hope we shall manage t.
put trick or two upon them before W
are done. To think of such tallow-head
making slaves of free-born English
men!"
We had time for only few word
further, for soon one of the officers
the boatswain, as I presently discov
ered-came along and ordered us Il
pick up our things and follow him u
the forecastle. This we accordingly dit
1 carrying the supercargo's box, Il
show him that much respect, thougl
he tried to dissuade me. On the wa.
l took some thought of the people abou
me, not having TIL now observed then
with particularity, and found that most
save few in armor, who seemed +
be professional soldiers, belonged t
the ships company, the passengers no
numbering above score. OF these th
greater part were dressed in a rathe
rich sort, though not comparable I
the don, and about one-fourth were fe
! males.
fro BIZ coNTrHSCD.l
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