The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-12-20
snake than man on the forecastie.

It was not my watch till in the morn
Ing But didn't like the look Of the 81
night or the plot or the state of things d
generally, and l shook myself down on T
deck to get my nap there and be ready
for anything at a moments notice. L
The last l remember was the skipper 8
whispering to me that he didn't like >
the look Of things either and that he
would go below and consult his In
structions again. That is the last l Z
remember before the slow heavy, reg
Ular roll of the old brig on the ground
swell rocked me off to sleep.
| was awakened by a scuffie on the s
forecastle and a gag in my mouth.
There was d man on my breast and
man on my legs, and l was bound hand
and foot in half a minute.
The brig was in the hands of the
Spaniards They were swarming all
over her. l heard six heavy splashes
in the water, one after another. l saw
the captain stabbed to the heart as he
came running up the companionway,
and / heard q seventh splash In the
water. Except myself every soul Of US
on board had been murdered and |
thrown into the sea. Why was left |
l couldn't think till I saw the pilot |
stoop over me with lantern and look
to make sure Of who was. There was
a devilish grin on his face, and he
nodded his head at me, as much as to
say, "You were the man who hustled
me down and slapped my face, and
mean to play the game of cat and
mouse with you in return for it!'
l could neither move nor speak, but
1 could see the Spaniards take off the
main hatch and rig the purchases for
getting up the cargo. A quarter Of an
hour afterward / heard the sweeps Of
q schooner OF other small vessel in the
water. The strange craft was laid
alongside of us, and the Spaniards set
to work to discharge our cargo into
her. They all worked hard except the
pilot, and he came from time to time
with his lantern to have another look
at me and to grin and nod always in
the same devilish way. | am old
enough now not to be ashamed of con-
Tossing the truth, and don't mind ac-
knowledglng that the pilot frightened
me.
The fright and the bonds and the
gag and the not being able to stir hand
or foot had pretty nigh worn me out
by the time the Spaniards gave over
work. This was just as the dawn
, broke. They had shifted good part
of our cargo on board their vessel, but
, nothing like all of it. and they were
, sharp enough to be off with what they
had got before daylight
l need hardly say that l had made
up my mind by this time to the worst
l / could think Of. The pilot. 1t was
q clear enough, was one of the spies OF
7 the enemy, who had wormed himself
n into the confidence of our consignees
f without being suspected. He or, more
n likely, his employers had got knowl-
q edge enough of us to suspect what our
+, cargo was We had been anchored fol
e. the night in the safest berth for then
= to surprise us in, and we had paid thu
ID penalty Of having small crew ant
,s consequently an insufficient watch. al
N this was clear enough, but what dit
4 the pilot mean to do with me?
10 On the word of a man, it makes my
If flesh creep now only to tell you wha1
n he did with me.
10 After all the rest of them were Out
~ of the brig except the pilot and two
Spanish seamen these last took me up
4. bound and gagged as / was, lowered
p me into the hold of the vessel and laic
"a me along on the floor, lashing me to il
f. with ropes ends, so that l could Just
n turn from one side to the other, but
foi ri Gu n
If to change my place. They then left
n me- Both of them were the worse fol
ST liquor, but the devil of pilot was so
s. Der, mind that, as sober as am at the
IS present moment.
le lay in the dark for a little while
i'd with my heart humping as if it was
e. going to jump out of me. l lay abou
ne five minutes or so when the pilot came
C. down into the hold alone.
he He had the captains cursed fat can
he dlestick and carpenters awl in on
In hand and q long, thin twist of cottol
ed yarn, well oiled, in the other. He pu
u the candlestick, with a new dip
us candle lighted in it, down on the foo
on about two feet from my face and clos
g- against the side of the vessel. Tn
of light was feeble enough. but it wa
ed sufficient to show dozen barrels
to gunpowder or more left all round IN
tie in the hold of the brig. | began t
suspect what he was after the momen
,k- l noticed the barrels. The horror
in laid hold of me from head to foot, an
eel, the sweat poured off my face like we
est ter.
ery / saw him go next to one of the bal
err rels of powder standing against tn
et, side of the vessel in a line with til
lot candle and about three feet, or ratht
we better, away from it. He bored no
i'm. in the side OF the barrel with his aw
est and the horrid powder came tricklir
I'M out as black as hell and dripped I'M
the hollow of his hand, which he ne
pc, to catch it. When he had got q goo
use handful. he stopped up the hole by JaI
4. T.. Id 4xtriG CT M