Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-11
and III bide here against Thorndyke's

working of the minds of both; Scamme!ls
bent on the probable result of delivering
himself to Clinton, and Lounsbury's on the
dawning chance to get his finger on my gold
still safe in the bukhead. Presently the
cavalryman smote his knee with his fist and
broke out:
"My God! why-why did l not spit the
fellow while | had the chance two days
since, or shoot him? Why did not know
him for a spy? 'Twould have saved all this.
Is there no trace of him?"
"None since he passed the lines an put
Lowney to sleep. They tell me he killed the
green sentinel with his fist. Faith, my head
aches at the thought o him, an ye may
thank God the ever was cracked, else
twas your skull that broke an not the
pitcher. BY the pow&s above, l begin to
fear him, an ye-"
"Shut up!" was the ungracious answer.
"IIand out the bottle and help me get on
deck for air hate this hole! | have been
buried three days." And with this Seam
nell struggled into a sitting position, reach
ing out his hand for the dram Lounsbury
was already pouring.
Now that | had these two at saber's
length, it went against me to think of their
coming on deck and possibly spelling the
plans / had already Matched in their behalf
Slipping from my cover, | crawled over the
cabin house and got to the door. There
was a lock on it, but the key had long since
gone and | had been used to make shift
of fastening the companion by paddock,
hasp, and staple. AS | felt over it | missed
the paddock, though hasp and staple were
still intact. While fumbing for my knife
to use as a bolt, in the light from the cabin
window | caught the CLINT of musket ly-
Il a., 4 .l Il
quickly unshipping its bayonet, thrust the
steel through the iron loop, and the two be-
low were prisoners. There was another door
in the cabin, but it opened into small space,
or "'tween decks" and l knew mass of
lead had been piled aft and against it to
give the vessel a proper trim, so that mode
of egress was blocked.
My scheme was simple enough. | would
now go the whole pace and take with me a
couple of prisoners, and if | failed | would
be no worse off than before. In any event
there would be a sudden ending to my diff
culties if | was to be taken, and the kidnap-
ing would not hasten my final swing.
Still unshod and silent, | made my way
forward and with some difficulty, owing to
the darkness and need of stealth, the scow
was emptied of her load, and at last we three
stood on the deck. So far all had gone we'll
My next move was to away the ground
tackle leaving the boats painter still be-
layed to the cable. As the last strand part
ed and the schooner shot away, leaving the
scow still fast, l fancied the astonishment
cf the guard on finding the Phantom had
dwindled to a rusty, mudspattered con-
trivance but peg removed from raft.
AS the schooner gathered force and fled,
now broadside to the ebb, | told in whispers
what | had found and what done. | was
well aware that not many minutes would
elapse before those below would discover
something out OF gear. Between the COW
cred headlights and the fog they could have
no notion that the schooner was free, for the
water was as fiat as ice, there being no more
| apparent motion now than before. Unless
| we fouled something, they could make no
| guess at what had happened, but the door
| would bother them, and in all likelihood
| they would end in an attempt at breaking
| it down.
To balk this | led the way aft, bidding
| Ames be spokesman If it came TO words, and
TO act as he saw fit if it came to blows.
| Placing Mistress Gertrude on the top of the
| house, and so out of harms way, Ames and
| | bent our ears to the door, though | kept
my eye open for what might at any minute
confront us from out the depths of the fog.
We had not long to wait ere hearing from
| those within, for soon hand was placed on
| the fastening, and the door ratified in the
forcible shaking it received. Its failure to
open was followed by round oath, and
we plainly heard the voice OF Scammell sug-
gesting that it be broken down. After a
parley betwixt them as to what was the
probable cause OF the trouble, another at
tempt was made to force the door by shall-
| -, ,yNrl- al = b,.onub Z ba
Joint of the companion way the blade OF a
sword. This | could not see, but felt the
steel with my hand, and thinking the stu
| alton had better be known at once, | picked
| up the musket and with blow of its stock
broke the protruding weapon close to the
panel.
To the two below this was the first in.
tmation that aught was going wrong, and
their CONSERVATION must have made fine
show. Possibly ten seconds elapsed before
they recovered from their surprise, and
then the voice of Lounsbury demanded:
"Who's on the deck?" but on receiving nc
answer, the panels were assaulted with a
force that well-Righ sprung them from their
frames. Now | babe Ames speak, and
placing his head conveniently near dead
light, he called out:
Below there, Scammell and Lounsbury
you two be prisoners in the name OF the
United Colonies, and l demand the surren
der of your arms! If you force the com
psnion, it will mean death to both; you are
outnumbered."
"Who are you?" came from within, this
time from Scammell.
"Call me the ghost of Donald Thorndyke
if you will, but pass out your arms" All
which | laughed outright, despite the stu
alton.
The laugh must have been heard by them
and my locality fairly well marked, for there
came volley of curses and then through
the door two pistol shots in quick success
sion.
1t was fortunate that l was well at the
side of the companion, else the assault would
have finished me. 1t showed the temper o
my captives, as well as the necessity for pro
lection against another similar attack, fol-
should it come to our getting oil and using
the sails the helmsman would be in sore
danger of being shot as he stood at the
wheel There were no window openings
IN the cabin fore or aft, and, save the door
no possible weakness in the structure; but
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