The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-11-06
tineers leaning over the lower half

The sailor turned half around anC
said slowly: We've knocked off,"
Knocked OF? Climb aft there
you mutinous rascal! Run!"
Both engineer and seaman ground
about on their heels. We've
knocked off, we tell YOU" they said
together.
The captain glared murderously
Raising his arm he motioned aft
Neither stirred. The coffee cur
caught the engineer full in the face
An instant later the captain was on
his back upon the deck and the
sailor was tying his limbs tightly to,
gether. When he was strapped to
their satisfaction. the whole crew,
engineer, seaman and boy, dragged
him struggling and cursing to the
aftergrating by the wheel. There
they dropped him. Don't come any
of your tricks on u.s." painted the en-.
gineer. You're lucky to get off Sc
easily. You would throw things at
an engineer, would you?"
"'"i' So W Hit you, Jim,
growled the prisoner. intended to
hit that fellow there"
Lucky for you that you didn't
put in the sailor, sullenly.
Anyway" said the engineer
"you'rc settled for while"
The three gathered in the little
galley and ate substantial supper
Then the men lit their pipes and
sauntered out on the deck. The night
was deepening fast; the eastern sky
was already black above the coast
line, and in the west heavy clouds
were scuddinS across the last re-
Elections of the sun. The wind came
in puifs from the south, frettng the
nor'west swells into an angry tumble
From the grating on which he lay
the captain looked from the happing
sail and the rusty funnel forward to
the leaden seas that brimmed to the
low rail. His. thoughts were not
clear. The Indifference of the two
men stirred him to rage; the sight of
his helpless schooner staggering un-
guided through the perilous sea
filled him with misery; the thought
of the fate that was swiftly coming
upon them all CLEANED in his eyes.
The sailor was the first of the
rebels to notice the position of the
ship. Far in shone light which
marked Point Adams. The bar,
North Hand ,n1 ,,,,,, ,,b,, I,,l
mark was obliterated by the driving
scud. ITS freshcnin'," he remarked
uneasily.
Coming on a blow" responded the
engineer. wish we weren't off the
Columbia. Bad place"
Some water is comm aboard.
That means we've got to get sail on
her while we can. There's only two
of us and the boy, and | reckon it
will wind us to set even the fore
stayls'l."
II don't see how we bettered our
selves by getting in fuss with the
skipper" grumbled the engineer.
1--WE just set ourselves extra work"
"Heave her to-" answered the
sailor. "Heave her to, and then you
and l can sit in the cabin and keep
warm and sleep"
1t was pitch dark when they had
set couple of staysails forward and
lashed the wheel again. The ill-trim-
med Katie made heavy weather of it,,
and they had thoughts of releasing
the captain and returning to duty.
With half articulate understanding
they made their way aft to the graf
ing on which they had left the cap
tain. \ dollop of water came over
the rail and flooded the afterdecl so
that they were compelled to hanr,'
on to escape being washed overheard.
The water drained away and in the
dark the two, drenched to the skin,
stumbled to the wheel.
"Where are you, sir?" called the
sailor in low tone
There was no reply. The engineer
stopped and pcered around the deck.
No human form was to be seen and
the grating, crushed into shapelcss
bits, tloaicd in the scuppers. Neither
uttered word. They went forward
and threw themselves painting down
the scuttlc into the forepcak. When
they turned and faced each other, n
heavy sea thundcrcd upon the deck
above them. The old man is lost"
said the engineer.
Hell tell no tales" responded his
companion.
1--WE might as well "a thrown him
over the side as left him on that
grating. You and killed him"
Il say said the sailor, that he'll
tell no tales"
"But the boy?"
They stared idiotically at each
other and clutchcd the sides of the
hunks to secure their footing. The
spasm of resentment was past, and
they were face to face with an un-
premediated crime. The engineer
broke the pause. ITS gone far
enough" he said hoarscly. We've
blood on our hands. The boys not
in this"
"Why not? Do you want to hang?"
II say the boy is not in this-mess;