Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-18
Copyright, 1897, by D. Appleton & Co. All
rights reserved
CHAPTER XVII.-CoNTINuED.
BY cHAUNcY c. HOTcHkISS

CHAPTER RXNlI.-CoNTINUED.
had worked with feverish haste, know
ing that the outcome of this episode with
the Ajax would terminate for good or evil
in a mighty short time. Once they ran off
our track we would be comparatively safe,
though, to lessen this possibility, | sur
msed that they would themselves be
guided by the drift, only using their oars
that they might make their speed greater
than that of the schooner. By so following
they might hope to overtake US, and doubt
lea would have done so only we were now at
the point where the rush of the Hudson
meets that of the Sound river, and the rips
and whrlpools formed by the mingling of
these waters off and below Nutten's island
were constantly creating counter streams
and cross currents that shifted and spun
with the minutes, ever changing and never
at rest save at the brief intervals of slack
water on the turning of the tides.
Beyond the gurgling and rushing of the
stream not a sound could | now hear,
though once or twice / was sure | caught
tine humping OF oars in their tholes and
heard voices of men. But if | did, they went
wde of us, for the minutes swung into half
an hour at least, and the half hour into
whole one, yet nothing of the boats from
the Ajax did ! see.
for during this time of terrible suspense we
on deck had barely stirred. Not a sound
had come from below, nor had an attempt
to uncover the windows been made, and
yet | knew one man had broken nose from
q musliet butt, and both must be- pressed
for want of air Mistress Gertrude still sat
on the cabin top, and crouched low near the
companion door, with pistol in hand, was
hei brother.
As patient as, vas this girl, she was human
flesh, and delicate bit of femininity at that.
The cabin top could not be made perma.
nent quarters for her, and, though L believe
she would have collapsed from sheer exhaus-
ton ere offering word of complaint, it was
an uncaled-for sacrifice for her to remain
longer unsheltered and seated on bare, hard
pIanking. Up to the present comfort had
not been considered. but now that imme-
date danger was past, turned my thoughts
TO the young lady, and cast about for a re-
treat to which she might retire Save the
hold or the forecastle, no spot was avail
able, and either would be repugnant to one
of her fastidious tastes. Still, shelter she
must have; | would see to it presently, but
now | became more than curious to know
what devment was meant by the continued
silence of the two desperate men Gagged in
the cabin.
1t struck me that the quiet, coupled with
what had gone before, might bear mighty
significance, and going softly to a corner ot
the tarpaulin, | quickly threw it up and
looked in. The light was out. Drawing
back out of range | called Scammell by
name, and then Lounsbury, but received nc
reply. Putting the threat of death in my
demand for an answer, | still received moth
ing in return; so clambering to the cabin
top, / laid my above dead-hght tC
catch a sound of movement within, but 5ac
hardly taken my position when both most
and lungs were assailed by such a mixed
stencil of burned powder, lamp SCOT, run
and founess in general as to almost turr
my stomach, though it at once cleared up the
mystery.
Here, now, was my threat to stife then
carried out better than | knew. Dragging
off the tarpaulin, | pushed away the hatcl
cover, drew the bayonet from the staple
forced back the companion slide and en-
tered. The first thing did was to stumble
over a mans body on the floor and thel
| turned and got to the deck for the air il
the cabin was more than | could at one
endure. Letting the place clear for little
fetched the galley lantern and went dowl
once more The cabin was yet filled with
heavy blue mist, and the sulphurous fume
were choking Lounsbury lay on the foo
with his face covered with blotd, apparent
Is dead, both eyes being swollen and hi
countenance blackened beyond recognition
His companion sat on the cushioned tran
som, iammed into a corner betwixt bert
and the bullhead. He was unconscious
und, with his tongue hanging out, wa
breathing fceby. Physically he was alive
but, through liquor and foul air, was :
dead drunk that nothing could have rodse
him. Three empty brandy bottles la
about, together with Scammell's saber,
broken sword, pistols and tobacco pipe'
while on the table, the cotton cover of whic
was burned to ashes were the remains of
leathern powder pouch rent by explosion.
No wonder they had succumbed |
their tipsiness, or Though the carelessnes
OF desperation, they had fired their ammun
tion the amount not having been sufiicen
to cause more than the muffied blow an
fash | had heard and seen on the instar
Of our beng hailed by the Ajax. This, wit
the smoke of the previous firing, togetht
with the heat and closeness of the quarter
had created smudge and foulness in whic
none but drunkard could have lived
minute They had evidently been deep
some scheme to blow open the forward doc
(which showed signs of attack when
spark from pipe caused the plot to hara
the plotteys Lounsbury had been the chi