Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-14

INSTRUMENTATION on board. the discipline
seeming near perfection as possible. and
therefore this sudden outbreak was most
alarming. A swift step passed the pantry
| door. and instantly l saw the skipper rush
ing forward. Without a word he plunged
into the midst of the angry four. and seiz-
ing the foremost seaman by the throat and
waist. hurled him crashing against the bull
warkS. At the same moment the mate
Sprang at another man, as IA serve him
in the same manner. but, missing his grasp,
he stumbled and fell on his knees. A
stified scream burst from my dry lips as l
saw the CLINT of steel, the seaman attacked
had drawn his knife. and as the mate fell
the weapon descended with fearful force
between his shoulders
l heard the ugly sound right aft and it
remains with me today The skipper, how
ever. with the agility of porpOise in
stantly flung himself on the two men and
fought as If he had the sinews of ten.
Compared with the noise of the prelimi-
nary quarrel, this life and death struggle
was silence itself, but l could hear the
labored breathings of the combatants COM
ing in hoarse gasps and the cracking of
the joints as the writhing bodies knotted
and strained. There was a scream behind
me, rustic of skirts, and out of the cabin
rushed the shippers wife with flying hair
and outstretched arms. But before she was
half way to the spot, there was a swoop
as of some huge bird past her and the
second mate, the youngest officer in the
ship and the biggest man, alighted in the
Tray like hungry tiger. l did not see
the other watch of the crew arrive but
they were there and fighting fierceIy as the
rest. And now, the first flush of fear hav-
ing gone from me, L became interested
somewhat coldly critical indeed of the
various points of the battle. finding my
self, TO the surprise of some other corner of
my brain, siding with the officers and hon
ing they would be victorious. The sur
prised back water of thought was prob
ably owing TO the fact that all the officers
tod rrvtrl IL
the men. though not kind, seldom touched
me, although that was probably only lack
of opportunity. But with all nv keen
watching | could not yet forecast the up-
Shol OF TINS awful encounter The mass
of bodies seemed to me inextricably entan-
gled. heaving and writhng like a basket of
wounded cells, while all around them fran
tlcally clutching at the laboring body of
her husband and shreking pitifully how
cred the unhappy wife and mother Sud
denly it dawned upon me that the little
Elsie was alone and probably frightened to
ueath AND though never a favorite with
even her, it seemed good to go and COM
fort her If possible. So | turned AWAY
from the window, and there behind me was
You Sing. calmly cleaning the knives as
unmoNed by any external occurrence as a
piece OF machinery. Az | unlocked the
window, he caught my eye and the pecu-
Harry Winsome smile he always wore for
me lit up his solemn face His Inns omen
ed and he murmured softly with an indie
words l had succeeded in teaching him.
lilo, Tommy l could only smile hack
IN return as l hurried off to the skiDner's
state room aft, feeling as if with the shut
tlhS OUT OF that savage sight a load had
been lifted off my brain A quick reyu,sion
OF sympathy thrilled me as l found the
pretty child fast asleep in placid uncon-
seriousness OF the terrible scene in progress
outside. l stood for minute looking AT
htr with a tenderness l had never before
lett toward her, all her childish dislike and
Iuhny little ways of showing it. borrowed
from her parents, utterly forgotten Then
sgIuy closing the door, l hurried back to
me pantry hndIng You Sing Still busily
employed Scrambling to the window I
Peered forward again, seeing to nv horror
only heap of bodies lying still stood
there as II frozen, trying hard to think
enCeaNorlnS to realize the position bur nm
able 10 control my disOrganized brain. How
ichg stood staring thus / have no idea
out was recalled to usefulness again by
, rUu oLHs gentle 10 Ich upon my back
turning slowly round, l faced him while
ne pointed out his nIshed work and irti
mated TO me In the sign language we a.
ways employed that he awaited instrrc
uons what to go on with. Impatien-Iv
made a great effort to show him that all
] ordinary work was now at an end, and
puilng him to the window pointed nut
the awful heap on the main hatch He
looked. and. / believe, understood the situa-
! tlon, Tor he turned again to me and matted
my face, pointed first to me and them to
himself, as If to intimate that upon US two
me as master and he as servant the con-
( duct of affairs now rested Taking my
courage IN both hands, | softly stepped ont
/ on deck and approached the scene of CON
u!ct. though trembling so violently that
could scarcely go. But when I reached the
! entwlned heap of bodies l did not know