The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-05-17

and work the schooner under my COMMAND
until We make Holmes Hole in the Vine.
yard, an when you sct foot ashore you are
free men. | have no rations and no water.
The scuttlc butt has launched itself over.
board, and | am afraid Of the supply in the
iorehold. There's not a shilling in It Tor any
of YOU. but It's fair way Of escaping the
kings navy without descrtins. for I'll put
you on parole I tell YOU. lads, I'm bad
one to foul, but You'll find have an easy
heim and never misa stays u handled hon
eally. Now choose betwiNt this hole and
the deck, and choose In = hurry II you are
10 save nsyk and freedom, throw down your
knives az a sign: I've no more time to
waste"
The two who had spoken looked hskant
zach at the other. and the knife of the
original spokesman fell 10 the deck. As the
hand Of the Yankee sought the sheath the
third man spoke, unfolding hia arms and
srowling like thunder a. he gave vent to his
words.
"Ye two he domncd fools to he trustin'
a rebel an runnin yer head into tn moose.
Be yea a couple o. babbys not 10 mark his
ircarm is useless wi III wet? 'EC's IN our
'andsl Wot's TO 'inder our takin' the craft
an gcttin' III price that lies on the cad Of
this ere
lie got no further. ! strobe mp 10 him
and snapped my fingers in his face, then,
thrusting my eyes close to his, thunderCd
"On deck with ye, ye blatbezkite! III
scc that ye sing tune with old iron in 1t
ere sunrise TO morrow On deck, tell yel"
Notwithstanding the din already exist.
ing in the forecastle, my voice rose far above
ii, its violence and the uddcnncss Of my
move makins the man shrink back as though
frightened. But he was not cowtd. Gather.
ing himself he uttered a curse and tprang
past me, placing himself 'twix, me and the
ladder; then whipping out his knife, he
called Aloud TO his companions.
Take tn chance, lads. while yet We ave
inn Twill be III maxim o. Us, an It's
fifty puus 10 each! Stand by bullieal well
make meat o. tn ousscd spy!-Up, larry,
an close the 'atch on i'm! III old the
Rangway."
His action and outspokcn hostility was
% sudden as to take me by surprise, aud,
had the others responded 10 his call, II
would surely have gone hard with me- But
instead Of sprinRing to the succor Of their
mate. they remained standing az though the
quick shifting Of the situation had for the
moment dared them. The earnsslness of
the fellows purpose showed in the rapid
change that came over his face. From a
sulky expression it had altered to one OF
wideawake ierocity. and the listlesa droop
Of arms and shoulders given place 70 tense
muscles aud rounded chest, through the
hairinsss Of which the perspiration stood
out 10 beads.
Even with this menace before me | could
but think what simple fool the man was.
Instead OF quietly following my lead and
getting me at disadvantage, he had chosen
10 beard me against the odds Of my eatlass
and the lukewarmHrss Of HE mates. At the
same time, 1, was no ease for argument, nor
would Il do 10 lemporiTe an instant. Ere
the promise Of reward for my capture or the
easy chance to regain control Of the schoon
cr could act upon the slowly moving minds
Of the wel.disposcd seamcn, I had nippcd
the mutiny az il could be 20 called, and had
the rinelcAder begging for mercy.
Without drawing my cu,lass, advanced
upon the fellow ss though to close with him
] mind me nov that he was left handed. and
an the fst holding the knife swayed aloft
and came down, ] seized its wrist and with
q violent turn whipped bis elbow out Of
joint As one twists the leg from Awell-cookea
fowl. AZ my hand stayed his he clutched
my throat with bis right, but as his joint
parted he gave a howl Of agony, dropped the
knife and my collar at once, and sank tG his
knees roaring like bull,
Physically the man had been no match
for me, and | might have hammered the
life from him and met with little opposition
or resistance. Holding him for a brief
space, that my power might impress his
companions a. well a. himself. dropped
him, and be sank 10 the deck with moan
that made me almost regret my act
But the demands Of war, self-prescrva-
tion, pride, and the safety Of others leave
little latitude for the sentiment Of pity in
time Of action. Had / in anger alone die.
jointed the groaning man my conscience
(which, thank God, has never been scared
into Inactivity might have upbraidca me,
bet now felt no great pang Of remorse as
sprAng up the ladder, calling the two 10
follow.
II the plucky resistance OF the disabled
resman had impressed the others, such I'm
preston seemed to have disappeared IA they
cane with me into the air above. LIKE owls
suddenly brought into sunshine. they
bIinksd in the now bruadened light, and,
hanging on 10 the haiyards Of the foremost,
eaxed with plain interest at the tamuli
about them. Sailors though they were,
wouid have wsgercd that never had thsy
faced such sight from 80 small craft,
and this was made certain when the man
named Larry gwled At me, while for mo-
mert erippe1 The same rope with him:
"Barrin' an ease O. breath, ye might 40
wei Ia left us below. The craft can't live
long this way here. 'ris matter o wind OF
Davy Jones. an ye had better whistle for
Che fret. let II come high or low. Relay ell,
an stand hyi"
His exclamation WIS caused by sudden
jera Of the schooner, followed By sidaSEs
dip, and whole grcen sea came aboard over
the Sarbcard bow. The full force Of 4
was broken by the house on tha forrcastle
hatch, but the bulk swept over all obstacles
like cascade. and. rising TO our hips. drove
Ne clear Of the deck In q twinklinr. In q
bunch we hung on 10 the haiyards uEtii thu
rush sabsided and tet our feet come 10 the
planking caee more. cav the feed
swsrp sit and foam ever tho break Of shs
pscp, While torrents poured down tho Esl
lsy and into the icrecsssi<, II was the
worst drenehing the craft bad yet sxps.
rismcsd, and lev mors ssch vaitoss weuii
q - 4 l.. = - - ~