Mower County transcript., 1899-08-16
Copyright. 1897. by D. Appleton &
rights reserved)
CHAPTER XIV.
By cHAUNCY c. f1OTChXls
A SMALL TRAGEDY.

see how had Jared its inmates when my
ears were assailed by a violent hammering
forward, and l at once perceived that my
prisoners had assaulted the weakened panel
of the forecastle door. With my blood we'll
up, got myself hand over hand along the
bulwark, and by a leap from the cathead
came to the hatch and boldly threw back the
slide. The three were jammed on the lad
der at work together, but the suddenness
of my move caused them such a surprise that
they tumbled from the perch as though
struck. The lamp was out, and from the
black hole came hot and reeking smell that
was sutfocating.
whats amiss there?" I roared, hanging
on to the hatch with one hand and with the
other showing the barrel of my pistol.
They scrambled to their feet and looked
up, .ittle but their white flesh showing in
the wan light entering the half-open hatch
The sailor with the pigtail whom | had
pitched below was trltle in advance of the
others, and, stepping a pace forward, he
shouted back:
'Wot's amiss? Everything's amiss! Wot
kind o treatment is this TO give man?
Split me! but Id rather go overheard and
sti1e in jitfy than smother by inches.
Wot's amiss above, man? Who be you?
Where's the cap'n?"
Never mind mel" l answered. "'Tis
enough that am master here, Lounsbury
being some two leagues back. Pass up your
arms! You are prisoners to the colonies,
and the first finger that lifts in fight be-
longs to dead man! Pass up what you
have below there!"
Prisoners, is it?" said he of the pigtail,
turning to his fellows. Heard ye sign O
the gang that boarded US? Cuss me, mates,
but they must ha' come on wings then, for
the sea was as smooth as pan O. warm
grease two minutes afore, was hurled on to
ye, an not speck in sight, barrin' the
Sprite! Prisoners, is it? Cuss me, list to
that!"
"Ay, prisoners it is, and to the colonies;
90 no more palaver. What have you be-
low"
II care not damn for colonies or king!"
was the reply. There be no arms here.
Dye think three men were sent hither to
beat off boarding party, an the schooner
in consort? Dye take us for sea-loa6ng ma
rines? We be sailors, we be-that's all.
Here's wot have, an I'll trade it for air!"
Saying this, he pulled his knife from its
sheath, and, taking the steel by it's point,
held it toward me.
will you swear to no other arms, each of
you?" I cried.
"Ay, that's Gods truth" spoke up one of
the others. aye say We are of the colonies
well, SO be I. I'm New Bedford lad, sir,
an I'll thank ye to hold grip on me that
l may not be taken from ye."
"An' that's Gods truth, too, yer honor!"
broke in the first speaker. There was
naught vicious in the rumpus we was raisin'
A man has right to air, an twas all we
was cravin'. So be I'm prisoner, I'm con-
tent if it means grub an water an chance
to breathe"
Now l know little of the nature Of the
black sailor save that his anger is apt to
show in treachery, but with the regular
white salt am better acquainted, and have
found that the English seaman, be he Yam
kee or Briton, argues his point with square
fist and flashing eye. Though there may
be wars and wars with the mother country,
it will be open and without back-stabbing
by those of the Saxon race, and, believing
this, l thought / saw a way of scoring a
point, and that with little danger to myself.
The truth of the statement that they were
unarmed appealed to my reason. For de-
fense three men armed or not would have
cut no figure, and, as the Sprite had in.
tended to act as consort, the necessity of
force on the Phantom had not been con-
sidered. Being satisfied that my prisoners
possessed no weapons other than the sailors
universal knife, and holding that bold face
will carry man further than too open
show of caution, flung back the door and,
grasping the slide, hung over the hatch
opening and dropped into the forecastle.
Now" said l, as gathered myself and
Il, b. E.:
by me we'll soon come to terms; if foul, take
the last chance you'll have to settle! Who
comes first, or come you ALL"
look a. here, mister" said the spokes-
man, who scarce shifted his position as
dropped near him, II spoke ye fair, an had
/ boarded We alongside / would be fast
enough in the fight, mind ye, an 'twould be
along O the leftenant's eye on me. But as it
bein' forced to it. was shanghied into this
get out without stakin' my neck as de-
sarter, Pm willin' enough. Ye say we be
prisoners? Say no more. Do We drive US to
work for rations? Why so be. We knew
naught about bein' tooken captive, an only
wanted to speak ye fair an get breath.
That's why we carved the hatch. Amt that
so, mates?"
"Ay, that's gospel" came from the one
who had spoken of himself as Yankee.
while the third held his peace, leaning with
folded arms and skillful balancing of his
person against one of the bunk uprights
"You say you are New Bedford lad?"
said I, speaking to the man who had made
the statement.
Eyes, sir; New Bedford, sir" came his
ready answer. II was pressed in Ports
mouth three years agone, sir, while on shore
leave from the Sallie Null, trader, sir. I've
been sailin' in these here home waters for
nigh on two year, sir, with never chance to
run. l say it boldly, sir. Put me in three
miles O the coast an give me leave, sir, an
III go over the bow, damn me, an swim
ashore. But won't join the Yankee navy,
sir. No., sir. don't want to hang; but,
for Gods sake, sir, don't get taken, else
back to the Sprite I'll have to go, an I'd
as soon go to hell for a spell o. sufferin'!"
/ looked sharply at the third man, ex-
pecting some word from him, but he shifted
his eye from mine, giving me something like
a sneer and struggling his bony shoulders,
but vouchsa6ng nothing in the way of
words. He was a dogged looking rascal,
with Q broad, red scar across nose and