Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-01-04

f1utlie- cried Inc otner, Wnom the blow
and the brandy had driven 10 madness.
I'VE shah see. Take that. thou
deyviTs spawn. take that He ran AZ
me. and kicked me as hard as ne could
with his heavy sea boots.
Some Of the gang laughed. but the man
who had spoken before gave the Dutch
man Il shove that sent him wnirling
None of that" he said. sternly. 'We'i.
have British fair play on British sol.
and none of your cursed 'longshore tricks.
| won't stand by and see an Englishman
kicked, dye see, by tub-bellied, round
Starned. schnappS- swilhng. chicken-heart-
| ed son of an Amsterdam lust-yrouw
Hang him il the skipper likes. That's al
| above board, but, by thunder. if It's 4
hight that You Will have. touch that man
again"
"All right. Dcon." said their leader.
soothingly. We all know that Pete's
not fighting m.n, but he's tae best
| cooper. on the coast; Ell. Pete? There is
| not his equal at staying, hopping ana
humping. He'll take plank of wood
and turn il into a key while another man
would be- thinking of it,
oh. You remember that, Capt. Murga-
troyd. said the DutchEnan, sulkily. But
you see me Knocked about and
| schlagged, and bullied, and called names,
and what help have I? So he.p me. when
| the Maria is in the Texel next. I'll take
| to my old trade. | will, aud never set
! foot on her again..
No fear the captain answered,
| laughing. While the Maria brings in
| hve thousand good pieces a year, ana
can show her heels to any cutter ON the
| coast. there is no fear of greedy Pete
| losing his share of her. Why. man. az
| this rate YOU have a luSt-hauS of yous
| own in Il year or two, with a trimmed
| lawn. and the trees all clipped like pea
| cocks. and the flowers in pattern. aud a
! canal 10y the door. and IA great bouncing
| housewife just like any burgomeister.
| There many such a fortune been made
out of Mechlin and Cognac."
"Ay. and there's many broken kopf
! got over Mechlin and Cognac,' grumbled
my enemy, Bonner! There are other
! things besides lust houses and flower
beds. There are lee shores and nor
! westers, beaks and preyentiyes"
| And there's where the smart seaman
| has the pull over the herring buss or the
| Skulking coaster that works from Christ
mas to Christmas with all the danger
and none of the little pickings. But
enough said! Up with the prisoner. ana
| let Us get him safely into the hilhoeS'
was raised to my feet and half car
! ried. half dragged along in the midst of
| the gang. My horse had already been
| led away in the opposite direction. Our
| course lay off the road. down very
! rocky and rugged ravinc which sloped
away towards the sea. There seemed TO
| be no trace of Il path. as | could only
| stumble along over rocks and bushes as
! best | might in my fettered and crippled
| state. The blood however. had dried
| over my wounds and the cool sea breeze
/ playing upon my forehead refreshed me.
| and helped me to take a clearer view of
! my position.
| 1t was plain from their talk that these
| men were smugglers. As such, they
were. not likely 10 have any great love
! for the government or desire TO uphold
| King James in any way On the con
| trary, their good will would probably be
| with Monmouth. for had | not seen the
| day before whole regiment of foot in
| ms army, raised from among the coaster
| folk On the other hand, their greed
might be stronger than their loyalty, ANA
might lead them to hand me over to JUS
| tIce III the hope of reward. On the
whole. it would he best, thought, to say
nothing of my mission. and to keep my
| papers secret rs long as possible. But
| could not but wonder as | was dragged
| along, what had led these men to lie in
wait for me as they had done. The road
| along which had Travelled was a lonely
! one. and yet fair number of travellers
| bound from the west through Weston TO
| Bristol must use ii. The gang could not
| he in perpetual guard over it. Why had
| they set trap on this particular night
| then! The smugglers We're a iawiess and
! desperate uuuN, bui they Uld NOT. as Il
| rule. descend to f00t-paddery or robbery
| As long as no one interfered with them
| they were seldom the first to break the
| peace.
Then why had they lain in wait for
me- who had never injured them? Could
| it possibly be that had been betrayed?
| was still turning over these questions
in my mind when we all came to a halt.
and the captain blew n shrill note ON Il
whistle which hung around his neck
The place where we found ourselves
was the darkest and most rugged spot
i'll the whole wild gorge On either side
great cliffs shot up which arched over
our heads, with a fringe Of ferns and
braken on either lip, so that the dark
sky and the few twinkling stars were
we'll nigh hid. Great black rocks
| loomed vaguely ont in the shadowy light.
while in front high tangle of what
seemed to he brnshwood barred our road.
At second whistle, however n dint of
| light was seen through the branches. and
| the whole mass was swung to one side as
though 1t moved upon a hinge. Beyond
| II a dark winding passage opened into
the side of the hill. down which we went
with our backs bowed. for the rock cell
ing was of no great height On every
side of us sounded the throbbing of the
sea.
Passing through the entrance, which
must have been dug with great labor
through the solid rock, we came out into
Il lofty and roomy cave, lit mp by Il fire at
| one end and by several torches. BY
| their smoky yelvw glare | could see that
the roof was, at least. fifty feet above
us. and was hung by long lime-crystals.
which sparkled and cleaned with great
brightness. The floor of the cave was
formed Of fine sand, as soft and velvety
as a Wilton carpet. sloping down in a
way which showed that the cave must
at its mouth open upon the sea, which
was confirmed by the booming and
splashng of the waves, and by the fresh
salt air which filled tine whole cavern
No water could be seen. however, ms a
sharp turn cut off our view of the outlet
In this rock girt space, which may have
been sixty PAGES long and thirty across.
there We're gathered great piles Of casks,
Kegs and cases; muskets, cutlasses
slaves, cudgels and straw were Uttered
about upon the floor. At one end high
wood fire blazed merrily. casting strange
shadows along the walls. and. sparkling
like a thousand diamonds among the
crystals on the roof. The smoke was
carried away through a great cleft in the
rl-C Oh 81,