Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-02-14
-wnat the devil has come to yony~ 1 70

tain, he continued, setting his back against
the rail and jerking his thumb over his
shoulder. Eye may be captain, but twill
soon be captain O. nothing-d'ye see9-
savin', of course, We come to farms with
Jack Lounsbury. Do We mark that, an
that, an that?" he went on easily, turning
and pointing to three sails that were well
up on the horizon.
Then something of the matter came to me
at once. That they were British ships l
well knew, for the French were not yet due
to arrive, and American privateers moved
not in flocks. In wonder at my mates &C.
tions and words, / had lot marked this ris-
ing danger, but at a glance saw that escape
by flight was useless, as the oncoming yes
sells were spreading out from east to south
and rapidly sailing down on a fresh wind,
which they were evidently bringing with
them. To pass through them unnoticed was
unhoped for; to be chased was to proclaim
my character.
Lounsbury was no coward, I knew; but
that he was a traitor to me, or mad, I had
small doubt. His manner and words heat
ed my temper, but now that I must have
recourse to deception, I let him bide the
while, and turned attention toward get.
ting out of the danger bearing down from
windward. Putting a curb on my temper.
/ said:
"You will get up tn, British ensign and
bold the course. We will clear them yet"
And with this I turned toward the COM
panion.
Now, whether he feared I was about to
arm myself, and preferring to take me as
l stood (Which was moro than most men
dare attempt), or whether his plans were
ripe for action, / know not; but he inter
posed his square figure betwixt me and
the door, and with a mighty patronizing air,
spake thus:
Faith, captain. I had no call to harrow
We, seeing the game is in my own two hands;
but list a bit, and we may yet be comrades
again. No matter how I know, but I do
know ye look to cozen yonder ships by false
papers, seeing It's impossible to dodge them
as they have the weather gauge Of We an
we are in the blight of the land. Now what
use might be yer papers should I see fit
to damn We as a rebel with a cargo of rebel
lead consigned to rebels? About as much
sarvice as a rabbits tail to a COW in fytime.
Ye be q man O. sense an have little liking,
take it, for a taste O. either Cunningham
1.-THE British provost marshal at New York;
OF one O the prison hulks, an we can escape
them both if my standing by We will help,
by just handing over the bit O. gold We have
snugged away below"
The shock of this demand with the knowl-
edge of what might lay in store for me
caused me to lose thought of all else save
how the fellow had gotten SO familiar with
my private affairs, and to this day / have
never entirely fathomed it. And it was
here l was clutched by fear of the danger
bearing down on me, for my best-laid plans
were rendered valueless by the scoundrel
| had too easily taken on trust. / cannot
account for his insight, save that he had
probed my locker when l was absent (this
fact being plain enough), and had in some
mysterious way come ut the fact that I
possessed treasure which, by search, he
had discovered hidden somewhere beyond
his reach. Be this as 1t may, l saw that
my secret was no longer mine alone.
1t is very possible my emotion showed
in the face, and he, nightly astray in guess
ing my temper, doubtless thought / was
completely in his power. And, in fact, for
the moment I might have confessed as much
had l given thought to it. Before I could
gather words to frame an answer, he con-
tinued, though with lowered voice:
lis five hundred pounds to the penny,
! fancy; if more, We can keep the rest. Did
We play Jack L%ounsbury for a sucking? /
started this voyage on your farms, but we'll
finish on mine. Have we slept since the war
began that We knew not the color o Louns-
bury O. Rye? Come, now, speak out!'
Then We looked to fall in with yonder
ships, did We, We ~scoundrel?" said l, while
L gathered myself together.
Gay, two o them. The one to east is a
fight O luck"
What are thew"
"The tail O. Howe's fleet from Philadel.
phia. Ye may swear that Clinton has evacu.
ated the place an is marching across Jersey
for New York. So it was to be. Am | plain
enough? They be bound for the same
place, an, d-n it, man, shall we go with
them or no? Speak out!'
"Does anyone know of my private mat
tiers save YOURSELF" l asked, as / knitted
my strength to fulfill the purpose / had ar.
rived at.
None O that now! Isee yer game! What
| know, / know! An We think if | am made
way with, alls safe" With this he backed
a pace, and, drawing a pistol from his pocket,
presented it full at me. "Now," he con.
tinued, with a devilish look in his half.
closed eyes, "ye are my prisoner an 1 cap.
tain; an as for the matter O. that, l have
been all along"
l had guessed the man was armed. Know
ing me, he would hardly have had the dar-
ing to thus speak to my face without means
OF defense. OF his possible backing by the
crew, had given no thought (Which came
near making an end of mel, but my wrath
was boundless, and, as his firearm came
nearly within reach, l quickly stretched out
my left hand and struck up the weapon, then
with an oath | made a step forward and
planted my right fist in his face. The blow
fell far too short to bring him down, only
knocking his pipe from his mouth; but, as if
surprised, his little eyes opened wide as he
turned under its force, and again with all
my power l struck him fairly beneath his
left ear.
Though it may be unbecoming in me to
chronicle my own strength, the blow was a
fearful one. 1t lifted him clean off his feet;
the pistol and spyglass went spinning into
the larboard scupper, where he followed
them, falling with a crash, the blood squirt
ing from his ears, nose and mouth. / had
little doubt that / had killed him, and as
little care, but with a natural instinct / fol.
lowed and bent over him.
At that instant the fresh wind from the
south struck us. Possibly we had lain in a
calm for a space while the breezs veered
from the east, but of that l have no knowl-
edge. only, as we presented a full beam to
the blast. it lurched us to larboard, and
caused me- to straighten myself to get a bal
ance.
1t was well 1 did, and l have since looked
upon that gust as an interposition of the
Almighty to save me from the knife of an
assassin, for as ! lifted myself l caught a
glimpse 81 the bare feet. Of q negro making