Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-03-02
CHAPTER III.-coNrINuED.

CHAPTER lI.-lONTiNUED.
Of the younger lady I had never heard
nor, after my heeting glimpse of her, could
! make myself believe that her nature was
tainted. Scammell was the official guard of
the two for the trip, which accounted for the
dragon being at sea, and, according to the
doctor, he had become deeply enamored of
his younger charge, the fair Gertrude King.
Doubtless it was a desire to cover himself
with glory and dazzle the eyes of his love
which had led him to take hand in board
ing the Phantom, but / gave over interest
in the whole matter by the time the boat
reached its destination.
I The half-slewed Irishman made but hasty
work with Lounsbury. The unconscious
man had been removed to the cabin, and lay
In my berth with eyes fast closed, still
breathing like a pump. The doctor looked
at him frowningly, felt of his head and pulse
with careless air, and then gave his dag
nosis.
Flip a sovereign, cap'n, and bet on its
fell, and We will have as good notion of how
the case will turn out as myself. There's no
knowing at all what the man will come to.
He has had the devils own shock. It's con-
cussion and mayhap fracture, mayhap true
tural lesion of the brain. Who knows? He
may die, he may live, but he'll be bit
flashed in his wits if he pulls through, and
ne'er the lad he was. What's one dead rebel
more or less? Let him lie and take chances
Have you a drap O. potheen to say good
night on! Pm off"
felt like kicking the man for his heart
lessness, but gave him drink and saw him
started for his own craft; then, getting the
crew together, set them to work, and in
short order we were under way.
The surgeons words had not tended to
depress me. The passion possessing me
when I struck my mate had passed away,
and if he would live and remain flashed"
until I had cleared from the muddle into
which had been forced L would pray for
his final recovery.
1t was an easy matter to sail for New York.
AS the schooner now bore, wing on wing,
that port lay fair off the end of the jib
boom. The Sprite sailed something less than
half mile on our larboard beam, and thus
we went for hours, each holding her own.
In the early light of the following morn the
wind suddenly lightened, then shifted to
the north, and by the time l had made
Sandy Hook, where the bulk of Howe's feet
lay waiting the arrival of the British army,
the Sprite was some miles to windward.
I had forgotten the race. The sick man
had most of my time and attention, tor he
had taken to raving, and was finally lashed
to his bunk. His speech was but an uncouth
mounting of words that meant nothing, and
when at last, in the lower bay, the schooner
was formally taken possession of, I passed
the care of him to others, and began to look
sharply to my own affairs.
It was two days after the mess on the
Phantom before we dropped anchor off the
city, coming to final rest near the upper
limb of the blight of the small bay below
Corlears Hook, on the Sound river East
river).
There had been more than little fuss and
many questions put by the authorities be-
fore I stepped ashore. Answers, too, were
given, which might have been picked full
of holes had suspicious arisen in the minds
of the reigning powers; but owing to the
disorder due to the retreat of Clinton from
Philadelphia, and the arrival Of his army,
which had now boarded the feet at Sandy
Hook, confusion ran riot in all branches of
government, and saved me from much fine
lying.
There had never been moment when
eould have gotten at the gold in the cabin
without exciting suspicion. In fact, l had
but little time to study the papers had ap-
propristed and still had on my person; and
now, weil-nigh destitute from want of cash,
] had the misery of seeing the kings broad
arrow painted on the bows of the Phantom
and OF finding myself turned ashore.
was not greatly troubled by my lack oi
ready money. ! held Endorsement docu
ments for claim on my own ship for prize
money for capturing her, and could easily
urn it into gold by allowing liberal dis
count; but it went to my heart to see the
broad arrow (which marks the kings prop
ertyl, and know the craft was, by hook or by
crook, prize in possession of the enemy.
But if my comparative poverty caused me
no great uneasiness, was worried over the
fact that had two living witnesses against
me, one of whom, the negro, was capable
of damning me with his evidence could he
but obtain the ear of an official. 1t strucl
me forcibly, too, that was fairly within ths
enemy's lines and under a false name and
character. 1t were one thing had beer
caught at acting part on the high seas ane
on my own schooner, but quite another to bt
discovered under the existing circumstances
The first could have made me prisoner o.
war at most; the second would damn me q
a spy, and give me short shift to the mex
world by means of rope.
at that time it might have been possible
for me 20 have left New York and gotter
en- my way homeward. But it did not hap
pen to lie in my blood to turn up with th'
report of having forfeited everything say,
liberty and life. With a weakling it wouit
have passed; with me 'twould look as though
had thrown away all for the sake of light
ening my heels. and would likely injure m,
seputatioa-