Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-06-08
DICK RODNEY: !
Or. The Adventures of 5
An Eton Boy. 5
BY JAMES GRANT s

An Eton Boy.
BY JAMES GRANT.

~ G6keEteGGeetG&k k&G
M CHAPTER RXIX.-(Continued.)
"Hallo" said Tom Lombourne, sud-
Aenly looking aloft, as the topsails
Mapped and shivered; she's yawning
or stsering wild; what is that Span
lard tabout?"
nut where is he?" added Carlton,
- We now missed Antonio from the
sNhesl: Antonio, where are you?"
fbs@Cone overheard, hope" exclaimed
~ second mate, with something more
4 ~ need not be repeated, as he rushed
the wheel, and, after making it re-
e I've few times rapidly, he filled
y sails and steadied the brig. This
- done just in time, for the Eugenie
~ q press Of canvas on her, and, had
y been taken aback, the conse-
ences might have been serious.
Hook about for the skulking lub-
3" said Lambourne. in great wrath.
q souse him well with slush-
ket; another moment and the craft
Id have been broached TOP
He must have crept behind the
gboat and got into the forecastle,"
fgested Carlton.
sy1l bring him up with n round turn
~ playing this trick" grumbled Lam
arne.
Hush" said I. as strange sound
~ upon my ear.
sWhat is it," asked the others, lis
z3ening.
"a cry-did you not hear it,"
X, s'No-nonsense" said they, together.
"It was q cry that came from some
where"
II did hear something" said Will
White: but It was a sheave creaking
In o block aloft. think"
NO. no." said I, pausing by the
capstan. as terrible foreboding seized
me: "it came from the cabin"
There is no one there but the Cap
tain. Hislop. and the boy Bill. who
aleeps in the steerage. and they are
fau three sound enough by this time"
:<mAd Lambourne.
~But the sound was from the cab
] persisted. fastening aft.
that moment another cry, loud
e. piteous-a cry that sank into
~ re moan, echoed through the brig.
6reing the nights dull ear" and
z11g1ng high above the welter OF the
80 alongside. the bubble at the stem
I'd stern. or the hum Of the wind
Trough the taut rigging.
We all rushed aft to the companion,
nd at that instant Antonio sprang up
- cabin stair. By the clear splendor
~ &he tropical moonlight we could see
TIT his usually swarthy visage was
pal9!a death. while his black eyes
ble1o1 like two burning Goals. He
gfagped his unsheathed knife. the blade
Of which. rs well as his hands and
clothes. were covered with blood!
Ny heart grew sick with vague ap-
prehension. and my first thought was
for weapon; but none was near.
What have you been about, you
rascally picaroon-and why did you
leave the wheel?" shouted Lambourne,
Becoming greatly excited; "the masts
might have gone by the board-what
devil's work have you been after be-
lowf''
Then the dark Spanish creole
grinned, as the blood dripped from his
hand on the white and moonlit deck.
KNOCK him down with handspike.
CArlton." added Lambourne, who could
rot leave the wheel; knock him
6own-the shark-faced swab!"
On hearing this. Antonio drew from
his breast q revolver pistol, one of a
Dair which We knew always hung
i1caded in Weston's cabin, and fired
straight at the head of Carlton-who
lodged the shot. which killed the sea-
man named Will White, who stood be-
hind him.
The ball pierced the brain of the
poor fellow. who bounded convulsive-
ly nearly three feet from the deck; he
fell heavily on his face and never
moved again, for he was dead-dead
as q stone.
In its suddenness this terrible deed
paralyzed us with horror, not unmixed
with fear, as we were all unarmed and
completely in the power of this Span
ish demon, the report of whose pistol
brought all the startled crew tumbling
over each other out of the forecastle.
''Aha, maldita! Santos Angelesw
said the Spaniard, waving the pistol,
the muzzle Of which yet smoked, to-
ward us in half circle. as n warning
, for all to stand back; did you think
to run your rigs upon me? l am An
tonic ell Cubano, and don't value you
all a rope's-end or n rotten castano,
"a you shall find. / am now the cap
tain OF this ship. and shall force you
ali to obey me. or else'-here he swore
one of those sonorous and blasphem-
GUS oaths which run so glibly from
Spanish tongue-"I will shoot you all
in succession, till am the last man
left on board: and when 1 am tired of
the ship / can burn or scuttle her. Do
you understand all this?"
Dead silence followed this strange
address, the half of which was scarce
ly understood by our men, as 1t was
naid in Spanish.
s.Basta!" (avasD see that you do
understand" he resumed; "and now
ha~in nv obedience. Throw this car