The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-23

as ne saw II. I'VE were Just In time.
Crook saw it and was amazed
| Il suppose It's one of the wonders Of tht
deep he said to himself 81 wish they
wouldn't come so thick-they give me the
| blues"
crowd Of officers and men saw the ex-
plosion too; but although one or two Of
| them, being of scientific turn of mind
suspected vaguely. no one as yet knew
what the real truth was. Even the general
had to learn the details. He turned round
and saw that tine fireman was lying pros
trate on the deck. overcome by terror and
exhaustion.
Get up" he said. land follow me to my
cabin"
The fireman rose and obeyed.
Send for the sentry on the lifebuoy
| astern; let him be relieved until I've done
with him." said the general TO his orderly;
and Private Crook appeared, wonderingly.
Tell me what happened between you
| and this man, sentry" said the general,
| indicating the fireman.
Crook told his story up to the time of the
coming of his captain.
| 'ThatH do-you can wait outside. Keep
| within call and have your rifle ready,
said the general, and Crook readily Per-
suaded himself that there was special sig
nihcance in the allusion to the rife.
Yes. SIR said Crook. He slapped the
|
of salute. turned, and left the cabin. He
planted himself rigidiy at the door. and
| waited with sharp ears for summons.
IF you're goingto shoot me, SIR" said
| the fireman, his eyes wide and his voice
weak with terror 81 won't tell you single
| thing. so help me God-an' can tell you a
| lot
| IF you were hanged without hearing
1t would be no more than you deserve
| said r. prUI 3c
| clean a death for you
Eft / saved the ship an all your lives,'
pleaded the prisoner. miserably. Promise
that yurii let me go, sir. an I'll tell you
| all"
| The general was curious. and, as the
danger was past, he thought he might hold
out hope of easy treatment. But he tenn
| ported. Il can't give you any undertake
| ing" he said. You have put yourself
| into the hands OF the law and you must
| be prepared for the consequences.
1T isn't as II the worst had come 20 the
worst. sir. nor as If l wasn't sorry for It
an hadn't tried to show my grief
You were terrified into it, retorted the
general.
| We'll. SIR" said the prisoner. feeling
| that his life was certain to be spared
seem that no one knows but you. en-
| that there isn't a bit of danger now,
1
Tell it, then" said the general. curtly.
But l have your word of honor that
shall be let go. sir?" said the fireman.
| The general hesitated. An offence like
| this would be lightly punished by penal
servitude for life; and yet it might be bet
ter to bear the mans explanation and let
him go.
IF l think that what you tell me justi-
| fies me in setting you free" he said. you
may leave the ship at the first port; II not,
you must abide by the result. Are you
willing to do that and leave the matter
to me?"
Yes. sir. I am said the fireman, be-
cause reckon you'll think the information
cheap. Anyway, I'll risk it. The story's
short. l was at Kimberley just before the
war broke out. seeing il could make any
thing out of the mines, as I'd got sick o.
stokin' ocean tramps. Just before left
Boer from Pretoria sounded me 10 ses
whether I'd join In the plan that they'd
drawn up to stagger humanity. as they
called it He named his price and ex-
planned his scheme. 1t made me pretty
sick, but / couldn't help myself. He gave
me hundred down. and came right away
10 London and spent it in a week. An
other man took me in charge as soon as I
landed, and didn't leave me until | was
safely on board. had all my instructions
plainly put to me in little den In Brom-
ley, and knew just what I had to do. The
London man gave me little machine that
was ehoked with dynamite and would
explode with a bit of clockwork. All 1
had to do was to get on board stoker,
stow myself away, and plant the machine
When We were near Las Palmas / was TO
start the works and escape. Being used
to the sea, knew the lifebuoy arrange
ment. and trusted to that, but / hadn't
reckoned on the sentry. When I'd start
ed the clockwork-it was supposed to run
for at least two hours before exploding the
dyDamite-I rushed on deck and got to the
stern. But there was the sentry as sharp
as needle. If 1t hadn't been for him I
should have got into the sea- and should
have cruised round in the lifebuoy until
boat-arranged for in Pretoria-pieked
me Up. On landing 1 was to receive a
thousand pounds.
And all this Is true?" asked the gen.
eral.
Gospel" the fireman assured him.
you see, the machine worked all right
You saw it go off. / suppose they didn't
mean in Pretoria-the skunks,-to give me
chance OF getting my money because
the clockwork hadn't gone for more than
half an hour.
You knew there were five hundred men
and FIVE hundred horses on board?" There
was terrible look on the face of the gen.
eral as he put this question.
Yes, SIR"
"And that not soul could have lived?"
It's pretty awful sir, know; but they
had me in their clutches. But what are
you goin' TO do, sir?" The fireman spoke
In terror. for the general had risen ard
was walking, with hard face. toward
him. Remember your PROMISE
II have made up my mind" said the
general Sentry. lead this man to the life
buoy. L want him to show me how be was
handling it when you stopped him."
Crook took the fireman by the arm,
gripping his loaded rife as he led him aft
You can go back to the guard-room,"
said the general to tine soldier who had
relieved Crook, and the man went, but
unwillingly. He was burning to know what
was happening.
Keep this part of the ship clear of
everybody for a minute or two" cried the
general. and little crowd OF men who had
assembled vanished.
Now / want you" said the general. in
a quiet voice, Just to show me how you
stop you How were you going to get the
buoy overheard. Sentry. you're not sup
posed to hear this"
mo, sir" said Crook; I'm deaf"
The fireman jumped lightly to the out
side OF the rail, and began to unlash the
buoy. His confidence was restored. and he
felt some sort Of pride in himself
And how would you have got over
board?" asked theofficer after the way CT
student who was taking an intelligent
interest in demonstration.
Leaned out like this, grabbing the
buoy. just let go the lashin', an plunged
into the water. I should just have missed
the screws"
Just pulled this rope-like this?" asked