Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-12-10

Crystal went to the mainhatch;
here two armed men were on guard.
is all quiet below?" said he.
There's been some hammering.
They're quiet now"
Keep sharp eye for your lives
sake. and cut down any man who at
tempts to break out" called Crystal.
Crystals voice expressed him as
filled with horror and deeply agitated.
In truth he had never reckoned upon
killing Pope. The scheme for his
friend was his friends scheme for
him. Pope was to have been sent
adrift empty handed with a number
OF the pirates whose services Crystal
did not require. But the scar-blacken-
ed buccaneer, unsuspicious Of Pope's
treachery, had been little too soon
for him with his own desperate de
sign, and Pope lay murdered on his
cabin floor, regardless now Of booty
and of love; and sixteen or seventeen
men lay roasting like battened-down
slaves in the briggs heart.
Crystal walked right aft to the
wheel, and looked into the compass
bowl The quaint old illuminated dish
showed true course for Kingston,
Jamaica; this course was not to be
changed. He spoke to the man at the
helm, and told him that Captain Pope
was dead, killed by his hand, by the
hand of his friend, and he bemoaned
1t, and his voice was broken by one
or two dry sobs.
HE would have killed you sir"
said the helmsman.
When dawn broke II had ceased to
rain for nearly an hour. The wind
was gone. but when the melancholy
gray rolled smokelike out of the east
over the sea. II disclosed a number Of
broken clouds In the northwest. with
the orange brightness of the young
morn reflected betwixt the edges of
the vapor. and from that quarter they
might expect the wind.
1t came even as they looked for It.
1t gushed rejoicing over the edge of
the sea, lightly tickling the face Of the
waters into universal laughter.
There were hands enough aboard the
brig to guard the hatchways and to
trim sail. and she started merrily
afresh with her hold full Of half suifo-
Gated men. and her captain a corpse
in his cabin, for the green and lofty
and shining land of Jamaica.
Crystal was low In command, and
on him the airs of the commander
L.. fAah
He ordered two of the carronades to
be loaded with grape and canister;
these pieces of artillery we're then run
to the mainhatch. The half-cover of
the hatch was lifted. and instantly
when this was done the muzzles of
the guns were depressed.
No sooner had the light Of day
fallen through the opening Of the
hatch, than half dozen men came
and stood under. looking up. One of
the men was Grindal. He caught
caught sight of Crystal. and sung up:
What have you shut US men down
here for?"
His face ran with sweat, and his
repulsive countenance was unusually
hideous and swollen with the helpless
wrath and passions Of his wicked soul.
Don't any of you attempt to break
out. You see what you have to ex-
pect," says Crystal. slapping the
breach of cannonade, IF you are not
as quiet as lambs. You have plenty
of provisions down there and water
and liquor In abundance"
"What have we done to deserve it?"
roared Grindal. Were good men
still. We're willing to fight
''Your captains dead and the ships
mine" answered Crystal. BE you as
lambs. or wen save ourselves some
trouble of mercy by firing into you
Crystal now marched on to the fore
castle with two of his men. leaving
the mainhatch wen guarded and
everything ready for deadly belcb
Of cannon, should the men below
prove troublesome. He opened the
scuttle and called up Pope's servant
who Immediately appeared blinking al
the strong light.
Thomas" exclaimed Crsytal. a.
am the commander Of this brig. anc
the bulk Of the crew are under
matches. Turn-to now and light the
galley fire. and get breakfast for me
and the lady and my men. And wher
you've dressed meal and served 1t
turn-to and stitch Captain Pope's
body up IN hammock, and mind ye
put two round shot In the clews at the
feet But before you stitch him up
| want no sight Of him-overhaui his
pockets. Now do you understand
mel"
The man answered Yes" He was
a sober-headed fellow, and perceived
that he was In luck as compared to
most of the rest and went away to
the galley on swift legs, to make the
best of his good fortune.
you can come up" shouted Crystal
into the scuttle.
Three figures arrived emerging as
though they were blind; one was the
gunner. the second the carpenter, the
third the cook. They began to ask
questions; they cursed and they
swore and for answer they were
thrust forward with a flourish OF, cut
lass and a more evil menace of pis.
toll. and driven by Crystal. his two
men, and the man who had guarded
the forecastle. down into the tween
decks.
Crystals consuming desire was to
send the imprisoned men out of the
ship. They might break out potent
with the wrath Of Infatuated souls,
deadly as though bristling with arms;
they were almost double the number
Of Crystals men, and every man Crys-
tai guessed was raging mailman In