Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-05-05

Try iiisNseif, ~ uttered a curse anu spranp
letst me, placing himself 'twixt inc and the
ladder; then whipping out his knife, he
called aloud to his companions:
''Take tn chance, lads while yet we ave
i'm! Twill be TIL maxim O. us, an tits
fifty puns to each! Stand by, DULLES! we'll
make meat O TIL cussed spy!-Up, Larry,
an close the latch on i'm! I'll 'old the
gangway."
His action and outspoken hostility was
SO sudden as to take me by surprise, and,
had the Others responded to his call, il
would surely have gone hard with me. But
instead OF springing to the succor of their
mate, they remained standing as though the
quick shifting OF the situation had for the
moment dazed them. The earnestness of
the fellows purpose showed in the rapid
change that came over his face. From a
sulky expression it had altered to one of
wide-awake ferocity, and the istless droop
of arms and shoulders given place to tense
muscles and rounded chest, through the
hairiness of which the perspiration stood
out in beads.
Even with this menace before me could
but think what simple fool the man was.
Instead of quietly following my lead and
getting me at disadvantage, he had chosen
TO beard me against the odds OF my cutlass
and the lukewarmness OF his mates. AT the
same time, it was no case for argument, nor
would 1T do to temporize an instant. Ere
the promise of reward for my capture or the
easy chance to regain control of the schoon-
er could act upon the slowly moving minds
of the well-disposed seamen, had nipped
the mutiny (if it could be so called), and had
the ringleader begging for mercy.
Without drawing my cutlass, advanced
upon the fellow as though to close with him.
mind me now that he was left handed, and,
as the fist holding the knife swayed aloft
and came down, | seized it's wrist and with
violent turn whipped his elbow out of
joint as one twists the leg from well-cooked
fowl. As my hand stayed his he clutched
my throat with his right, but as his joint
parted he gave howl of agony, dropped the
knife and my collar at once, and sank to his
knees roaring like a bull.
Physically the man had been no match
for me, and might have hammered the
life from him and met with little opposition
or resistance. Holding him for a brief
space, that my power might impress his
companions as well as himself, dropped
him, and he sank to the deck with moan
that made me almost regret my act.
But the demands of war, self-preserva-
ton, pride, and the safety of others leave
little latitude for the sentiment of pity in
time of action. Had l in anger alone dis.
jointed the grooming man my conscience
(Which, thank God, has never been scared
into Inactivity might have upbraided me,
but now felt no great pang of remorse as
| sprang up the ladder, calling the two tc
follow
If the plucky resistance of the disabled
seaman had impressed the others, such i'm
preston seemed to have disappeared as they
came with me into the air above. Like owls
suddenly brought into sunshine, they
| blinked in the now broadened light, and
hanging on to the halyards of the foremost
gazed with plain interest at the tumul
| about them. Sailors though they were,
| would have wagered that never had they
| faced such a sight from so small craft
| and this was made certain when the MAJ
named Larry bawled at me, while for mo
| ment gripped the same rope with him:
| "Barrin' an ease o breath, we might a
well ha' left us below. The craft can't liv
| long this way here. Ills matter O. wind O
| Davy Jones, an We had better whistle TO
| the first, let it come high or low. Delay all
an stand by!"
| His exclamation was caused by sudde1
| jerk of the schooner, followed by sidelon,
| dip, and whole green sea came aboard owe
| the starboard bow The full force of
| was broken by the house on the forecastS
hatch, but the bulk swept over all obstacle
like cascade, and, rising to our hips, drov
us clear of the deck in twinllling In
bunch we hung on to the halyards until til
| rush subsidized and let our feet come to tn
planlSing once more. [ saw the foo
| poop, while torrents poured down the gal
ley and into the forecastle. 1t was tn
worst drenching the craft had yet expe
rienced, and a few more such visitors woul'
| send enough water into the hold to max
her loggy, and that would have been tn
last straw, as l guessed the pumps to b
useless for want of care. Had | had full
crew, nothing could have been, done to cas-
our state or render our position less peril
ous The fact that the seas were now NOR
boisterous, though the calm had lasted abov
an hour, told me that a vicious force wa
still at work over the breast of the ocean
Though the sum might have been fairly VI
by this, there was no certainty of the fact
for the light was a greenish gray, and tn
clouds hung low and in burrows, fold on fold
to where the horizon was blotted out il
a thick foglike haze. No land was in sight
and all about nothing showed save the hell
ish turmoil of the sea and the lowerin
menace of the sky above.
How long the schooner might have live
thus there can be no surety, and even t
me, knowing as I did the soundness of eac
beam, rib and treenail, it was wonder sh