Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-03-13
THE TROUBLE ON BOARD THE LIROL.
By MORGAN ROBERTSON.
rcopyrish,, 1899. by Morgan Robertson ]

| paced the quarter deck IN the mlddie
watch. his one eye shooting fiery glances
at the Opaque blackness to windward
ut the tangle of straining cordage and
bullying canvas aloft, at the group Of
sailors forward, huddled under the shell
tering weather rail, and at the helms
man. braced against the wheel and i'm
movable. He paused in his walk.
Ease her when she pitches, he bel
lowed. And the belmsman answered
and assumed life.
He resumed his walk and commun-
ings. his mind going back to the fight
in the slaver's hold ten years ago.
Again he fought that terrible duel with
sheath knives. He thrust. parried,
lodged, advanced and retreated. watch
ing the steely blue Of his enemy's eye,
feeling again the exhilaration Of boiling
blood, the initial tingling Of the hair
roots. heard again the shouts, oaths and
encouragement of his lawless shipmates
and once more buried his knife in Bill
ings' shoulder and received the cut on
his cheek in return. Again he succeed.
ed. and the knife was transferred from
the wounded right hand to the left he
had him now He rushed. and Billings
slipped in his own blood. On to the
prostrate form he pounced; one stroke
would finish him. Billings had dropped
his knife. and he raised his own, but 1t
came down slanting. The stroke was
futile. The wounded arm had encircled
his neck. His cheek was pressing the
warm blood on his enemy's shirt, and
he felt il now-the insertion OF the
thumb, the smarting pain and binding.
burning sheet Of fire that marked the
going out Of his left eye forever. And
the strange weakness which overcame
him and enabled Billings 10 throw him
10 his feet and follow and plsnt that
pile driving fist blow that sent him so
near TO eternity. And all over sick
blackbird. too. that Billings wanted to
nurse. Billings might have killed him.
1t was his right. Yet-but he had
gouged. and no man who is q man will
do that He had said he would even up,
and he would. This ship in which he
was chief mate would finish the voyage
one man short
1t was in the zenith period Of Ameri-
can shipping. in the days Of short miz-
zenmasts, single topsails and square
sterns and squarer stern windows, when
the American sailor was America born.
his proudest title able seaman, yet, feel
ing within him the potentiality OF
quarter deck duty. quick to resent Ill
treatment, to conspire and even mutiny.
Officers carried arms in those days,
crews were trained to the use Of car
ronades, pirates watched for and slave
trading considered as q slight lapse
from the conventional-a little out Of
date and style.
OF such description was the Atbol
and her crew, outward bound from
New York on a summer voyage TO Liv-
erpool. with Captain Smith command.
ing, George carp chief mate and one
John Billings in her forecastle.
The captain appeared and Joined the
brooding first officer.
well. Mr., carp. what do you think
Of the crew." he asked. Strikes me
they're a pretty good lot. Don't you
think sol"
mo. captain. can't see it. They re
the worst gang Of soldiers, farmers and
beach combers / ever saw together. I'm
going to work them mp. They need 1t. "
The captain laughed. There's one
man who don't" he ssid. Billings.
the big redheaded fellow in your watch.
I heard of him ashore: came home mate
with old johnson in the Trade Wind.
Been mate in that employ five years
now. Would have gone out in COM
mand this time, only he had bad row
with old Johnnie. who got the owners
down on him. Ny brother used to sail
with him in the slave trade. Billings
has an ungovernable temper. You'll
have to look out for that. How the slave
trade counts against man nowadaysl
Call me if it freshens
The mate was alone again. His acci-
dental and unnecessary proposition to
work up the men. coupled with the
mention of Billings hasty temper, gave
form to his speculations Billings knew
his place and work too well 10 ever put
himself in the way Of punishment. but,
worked up with the rest. he would
probably join them in rebellion. Then.
as one Of mutinous crew. he could be
disposed Of. He would make sure Of
that
Next day the working up began. All
hands were kept on deck in the after
noon. Unnecessary repetition Of orders
oaths, epithets and insults followed the
crew as they hurried around the deck
or worked in the rigging. Man after
man was sent from the wheel until
Billings took the helm. when even the
critical mind Of the mate could find no
fault with the steering. No matter how
suddenly he appeared at the binnacle.
he only found the ship on her course
exactly. And Billings. though always
respectful, did no. hesitate to occasion
ally fix the calm. open blue eyes on the
scowling visage Of the mate in an ex-
pressionless stare, not too prolonged,
yet enough to crowd the evil heart into
the throat and stife the words Of abuse
he longed TO utter. There had been no
further recognition between the two.
At the end of week the exasperated
men were ripe for mutiny and murder.
r.l;oh D;11,noe' ~ d,,apca o1opo yravapt.
ed. One night as they hauled and pant
ed like overladen horses on the fore
brace, and the mate stood amidships,
pouring forth volleys Of invective and
malediction. a marlin spike whizzed
past his ear from the darkness near the
fore rigging and buried itself an inch
deep in the woodwork Of the cabin. He
fred his pistol forward, but struck no
one. 1t was not Billings who had
thrown it. as he had hoped on the mo-
ment. Billings was perched on the rail
looking forward. But Billings was the
one man there who had seen the missile
thrown. and in the forecastle discussion
which followed took position against
such methods, losing thereby his ascend
ency over his mates and only regaining
it by knocking down the marline spike
thrower and two other opponents.
IF the time comes" he said, when
we will be justified in the courts, you'll
find me ready to put the after guard In
irons and take the ship home. Mean
while I've no desire to hang or go to
prison.
| But BILLINGS himself was not infalli-