El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-10

dived below The crew trooped aft and
stood at the break of the quarter deck
waiting for him. AID in the meanwhile
they feasted their eyes on Donna Clio
tide la Touche.
Presently Captain Kettle returned to
| deck, aggressive and cheerful, and faced
the men with hands in his jacket peck
cts. Each pocket bulged with something
heavy, and the men, who by this time
had come to understand Captain ket-
ties ways. began to grow quiet and
nervous.
"Now, my lads said he, 81 told
you when you shipped aboard this Law
ender box in Callac that she was merely
ferry to carry you to a fine war
steamer which was lying elsewhere.
Well, there's the steamer just off the
starboard bow yonder. Her names the
Cancelario. and at present she seems to
belong to President Quijarra's govern
ment. But Miss La Touche here, who is
employing both you and me. just for the
present, intends to set up government
of her own, and as preliminary she
wants that ship. We've got to grab it
for her,
Captain Kettle broke off, and for
full minute there was silence. Then
some one among the 1Eeu lduSuSu, anu
dozen others joined in.
"That's right, said Kettle. "Cackle
away, you scumi You'd be singing a
different tune if you knew what was
beneath yon.
A voice from the gloom-an educated
voice-answered him:
''Don't be foolish, skipper. We're
not going to ram our heads against a
brick wall like that We set some value
on our lives.
''Do your" said Kettle. t'Then pray
that this breeze doesn't drop, as it
seems likely to do, or. you'll lose them.
Shall I tell you what 1 was up to below
Just now? You remember those kegs of
blasting powder? Well, they're in the
place where some of you slowed them,
but they're all of them unheaded, and
one of them carries the end of fuse.
That fuse is cut to burn just 20 min
utes, and the ends lighted. Wait a bit.
It's no use going to try to douse it.
There's pistol fixed to the lazarette
hatch, and if you try to lift it that pis-
toll will shoot into the powder and We'll
all go up together without further pa
laver. Steady now, there, and hear me
out. You can't lower away boats and
get clear that way. The boats bottoms
will tumble away so soon as you try to
hoist them off the skids. I saw to that
last night. And you can't require any
telling to know there are too many
sharks about to make a swim healthy
exercise. -
The men began to rustic and talk.
"Now, don't spoil your only chance,
said Kettle, "by singing out. If ON the
cruiser yonder they think there's any
thing wrong, they'll run out a gun or
two and blow us out of the water be
fore we can come near them. I've got
no arms TO give You, but you have your
knives, and l guess you shouldn't want
more. Get in the shadow of the rail
there and keep hid till you hear her
bump. Then jump on board, knock ev
erybody you see over the side and keep
the rest below"
The men crept away, shaking, and
Captain Kettle himself took over the
wheel and appeared to browse over it.
He gave her half spoke at time. and
by invisible degrees the bark fell off till
she headed dead on for the cruiser.
Save for the faint creaking of her gear
no sound came from her, and she skunk
on through the night like some patched
and battered phantom. Far down il
her lazarette the glowing end of the
fuse crept nearer to the powder barrels, |
and in imagination every mind On |
board was following its race.
Nearer and nearer she drew to the !
Cancelario and ever nearer. The wait /
ing men felt as though the hearts Of |
them would leap from their breasts. |
Two of them tainted. Then came a |
hail from the cruiser: Bark ahoyl |
Are you all asleep there?''
Captain Kettle drowsed on over the |
wheel Donna Clotilde, from the shad
ow of the house, could see him nodding
like man in deep sleep.
'Carrajo. you bark therei Put down
your helm. You'll be aboard of US in |
a minute!"
Kettle made no reply. His hands
sawed automatically at the spokes. ard
the glow from the pinnacle fell upon
close shut eyes. It was fine bit of act
ing.
The Chileans shouted, but they could
not prevent the collision, and when it
came there broke out yell as though
the gates of the pit had been suddenly
unlocked. The bark's crew Of human
refuse. mad with terror, rose up in
flock from behind the bulwarks AS
one man they clambered up the cruis-
er side and spread about her decks
Ill provided'with weapons though they
might be. the Chileans were scarcely
better armed. A sentry squibbed off
his rifle, but that was the only shot
fred. Knives did the greater part of
the work, knives and Delaying pins and
whatever else came to hand. Those of
the watch on deck who did not run be-
low were cleared into the sea, the berth