Gilpin observer., 1899-06-01
DICK RODNEY;
Or. The Adventures of
An Eton Boy.
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An Eton Boy.
BY JAMES GRANT.

CHAPTER XVII.-(Continued.)
Soon after this, when evening came
on we heard a noise in the forecastle,
and the voice of Hislop exclaiming:
"Stand clear-sheer off, Antonio! If
you come athwart me, I'll knock you
down with handspike! What! you
grip your knife. do you? Well, just
do it again, and I'll chuck you over
board like bit of old junk"
What is the matter now?" said ],
Fastening forward.
"Oh, this rascally Spanish creole has
been swearing at the men again, and
threatening old Roberts,"
He VOWS, sir, he will burn the
ship" said Roberts, who seemed con-
sidersbly excited.
Burn the ship" reiterated Weston.
II have great mind to put him in
the bilboes for the remainder of the
voyage"
"'Twere best for all concerned, SIR"
said Tom Lambourne, touching his
forelock with his right hand, and CIV
ing the deck a scrape with his left
foot; cor set him adrift with some
provisions in the jolly-boat."
Come, come, Antonio" said wes-
ton, with greater severity than 1 had
hitherto seen expressed in his open
and honest countenance, you must
haul your wind-for some time you
have been going too far. can't spare
my jolly-boat, and, thank heaven! the
days of NARROWING are past among
British sailors, but beware you, ship
mate, or the bilboes it shall be, and
We have pretty heavy pair below.
And as for you. Marc Hislop," he
added, in a low voice, when we walked
aft, take care of yourself, for these
Spanish creoles are as slippery and
treacherous as serpents."
"I'll keep my weather eye open,"
said Hislop.
You will require to do so, think"
you do?" exclaimed the Scotsman,
with growing anger. 'If he proceeds
thus, I'll break either his heart or his
neck"
Next morning, Roberts, the old man
c-war's man, who had always been
Antonio's chief accuser concerning his
| dreams, was nowhere to be found on
| board!
All the hands were turned up; the
whole brig was searched, the fore
castle berths. the cable-tier, and every
place below from the fore to the after
peak, but there was no trace of Rob-
erts. save his old tarpaulin hat lying
| crushed and torn in the lee scuppers.
He was last seen when turned up
to take the middle watch, which ex-
tends from IL to o'clock a. m. and
Antonio was then in his hammock.
Roberts was entered in the log as
having fallen overheard in the
| night" but his loss cast a terrible
gloom over all the ship. Suspicion
grew apace. and seemed to become con-
firmed, as open war was soon declared
between the crew and Antonio.
Every man was ready to take his
trick" at the wheel, rather than trust
the Eugene to his steering in the
night, lest he might let her breach to,
and lose her spars. or do some other
mischief; and no man. IL, he could
avoid 1t, would lay out on the yard
beyond him. No man would walk on
the same side of the deck with him,
or exchange word. or light for n
pipe. or use the same cup or plate; so
he was generally to be seen, leaning
moodily and alone, against the wind
lass bits, with his black eyes fixed
on the horizon, as IL he expected a
sail or something else to heave in
sight.
We shall soon see how all this ended