Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-05-18
CHAPTER XvH.-CoNr1NUED.

CHAPTER XVII.-CONTINUED.
I had worked with feverish haste, know
ing that the outcome of this episode with
the Ajax would terminate for good or evil
lin 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
Giran that of the schooner By so following
they might hope to overtake us, ard doubt
less 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 whirlpools formed by the mingling of
these waters off and below Nutten' 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 sound could l now hear,
though once or twice | was sure | caught
tine humping of oars in their tholes and
Eeard voices of men. But if | did. they went
wide of us, for the minutes swung alto half
an hour at least, and the half hour into a
whole one, yet nothing of the boats from
the Ajax did | see.
And now l took deep breath and moved,
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
a musket butt, and both must be pressed
for want of air Mistress Gertrude still sat
son the cabin top, and crouched low near the
companion door, with pistol in hand, was
cher brother.
r As patient as was this girl, she was human
,l1esh, and delicate bit of femininity at that.
The cabin top could not be made perma
snent quarters for her, and, though l believe
she would have collapsed from sheer exhaus-
stion ere Offering word of complaint, it was
an uncalled-for sacrifice for her to remain
2onger unsheltered and seated BARE hard
pianking. Up to the present comfort had
not been considered. but now that mme-
diate danger was past, i turned my thoughts
10 the young lady, and cast about for 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
eft her fastdious tastes. Still, shelter she
must have; 1 would see to it presently, but
now l became more than curious to know
what devilment was meant by the continued
silence of the two desperate men Gagged in
the cabin.
It struck me that the quiet, coupled with
what had gone before, might bear mighty
Significance, and going softly to corner OF
the tarpaulin, l quickly threw it up and
looked in. The light was out. Drawing
back out of range l called Scammell by
name, and then Lounsbury, but received nc
sreply. Putting the threat of death in my
demand for an answer, l still received moth
Sng in return; so clambering to the cabin
top, laid my above a headlight to
catch a sound of movement within, but had
hardly taken my position when both nose
and lungs were assaulted by such mixed
stencil of burned powder, lamp soot rum
and foulness in general as to almost turn
my stomach, though it at once cleared up the
znystery.
Here, now, was my threat to 'stife them
carried out better than l knew. Dragging
off the tarpaulin, l pushed away the hatch
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 then
L turned and got to the deck, for the air in
the cabin was more than i could at once
endure. Letting the place clear for little
4 fetched the galley lantern and went dowI
.once more. The cabin was yet filled with
heavy blue mist, and the sulphurous fumes
were choking. Lounsbury lay on the hool
with his face covered with blood, apparent
Is dead, both eyes being swollen and hi
sountenance blackened beyond recognition
Ills companion SAT On the CuSiliOueu tfdu
Som, jammed into a corner betwixt bertl
and the bulkhead. He was unconscious
.ard, with his tongue hanging out, wa
Areathing feebly. Physically he was alive
but, through liquor and foul air, was <
dead drunk that nothing could have rouse'
him. Three empty brandy bottles la,
about, together with Scammell's saber,
!broken sword, pistols and tobacco pipes
while on the table, the cotton cover of which
.was burned to ashes, were the remains OF
ieathern powder pouch rent by explosion.
No wonder they had succumbed. II
their tipsiness, or through the carelessnes
0s desperation, they had fired their ammpni
.tion, the amount not having been suficien
TO cause more than the muffied blow AM
flash l had heard and seen on the instan
of our being hailed by the Ajax. This, wit
she smoke of the previous firing, togethe
with the heat and closeness of the quarters
had created smudge and foulness in whic
none but drunkard could have lived
minute. They had evidently been deep il
some scheme to blow open the forward doc
(which showed signs of attack when
spark from a pipe caused the plot to haras
the plottsrs. lsansbury had been the chic