Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-05-16
CHAPTER XvH.-CoHrrNUEp.


had worked with feverish haste, know
ing that the outcome of this episode with
the Ajax would terminate for good or evil
in mighty short time. Once they ran off
our track we would be comparatively safe,
though, to lessen this possibility, sur
mIsed that they would themselves be
guided by the drift, only using their oars
that they might make their speed greater
than that of the schooner. BY so following
they might hope to overtalle us, and 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's island
were constantly creating counter streams
and cross currents that shifted and spun
with the minutes ever changing and never
Iat rest save at the brief intervals of slack
water on the turning of the tides.
Beyond the gurgEng and rushing of the
stream not sound could l now hear,
Though once or twice | was sure caught
the humping of oars in their tholes and
Leard voices of men. But if did, they went
wide of us, for the minutes swung into half
an hour at least, and the half hour into
whole one, yet nothing of the boats from
the Ajax did l see.
I, And now took deep breath and moved,
On deck had barely stirred Not sound
had come from below, nor had an attempt
to uncover the windows been made, and
yet knew one man had n broken nose from
musket butt, and both must be pressed
for want of air. Mistress Gertrude still sat
on the cabin top, and crouched low near the
companion door, with pistol in hand, was
heI brother.
AS patient as was this girl, she was human
flesh, and delicate bit of femninity at that
The cabin top could not be made perma-
nent quarters for her, and, though / believe
she would have collapsed from sheer exhaus-
tion ere offering a word of complaint, it was
an uncaled-for sacrifice for her to remain
longer unsheltered and seated on bare hard
planking. Up to the present comfort had
not been considered. but now that mme-
diate danger was past, turned my thoughts
to 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
,of her fastidious tastes. Still, shelter she
must have; l would see to it presently, but
now i became more than curious to know
what devilment was meant by the continued
silence of the two desperate men Gagged in
the cabin.
1t struck me that the quiet coupled with
what had gone before, might bear mighty
significance and going softly to a corner of
the tarpaulin, l quickly threw it up and
looked in. The light was out. Drawing
back out of range | called Scammell by
name, and then Lounsbury, but received no
reply. Putting the threat of death in my
demand for an answer, l still received moth
ing in return; so clambering TO the cabin
top, l laid my ear above q headlight to
catch a sound of movement within, but had
hardly taken my position when both nose
and lungs were assailed by such mixed
stencil of burned powder, lamp SCOT, rum
saGd foulness in general as to almost turn
my stomach, though it at once cleared up the
s,nystery.
Here, now, was my threat to stifle them
carried ent better than ! knew. Dragging
of the tarpaulin, l pushed away the hatch
cover, drew the bayonet from the staple,
forced back the companion slide and en-.
stered. The first thing did was to stumble
over mans body on the floor, and then
/ turned and got to the deck, for the air in
the cabin was more than / could at once
endure. Letting the place clear for little.
fetched the galley lantern and went down
.onee more. The cabin was yet filed with O
heavy blue mist, and the sulphurous fumes
were choking Lounsbury lay on the floor
with his face covered with blood, apparent
81 dead, both eyes being swollen and his
countenance blackened beyond recognition
His companion sat on the cushioned tran
som, jammed into a corner betwixt berth
and the bulkhead. He was unconscious,
and, with his tongue hanging out, was
breathing feebly. Physically he was alive
but, through liquor and foul air, was &C
dead drunk that nothing could have reused
him. Three empty brandy bottles lay
about, together with Scammelfs saber, a
broken sword, pistols and tobacco pipes
while on the table, the cotton cover of which
was burned to ashes, were the remains of q
leathern powder pouch rent by explosion.
No wonder they had succumbed. In
their tipsiness, or through the carelessnes:
of desperation, they had fred their ammuni
tion. the amount not having been sufficient
to cause more than the muffled blow and
fash I had heard and seen on the instant
of our being hailed by the Ajax. This, with
the smoke. of the previous firing, together
with the heat and closeness of the quarters
had created smhdge and foulness in which
none but drunkard could have lived q
minute. They had evidently been deep in
some scheme to blow open the forward dool
(which showed signs of attack when {
spark from pipe caused the plot to haras'
the plotters. Lounsbury had been the chic