The Grit-advocate., 1903-10-23

whispers, he in low note told her ~.
story of Captain Jackman and of that
handsome lunatic's love for the bee,,i
ful daughter bf a fiery-hearted cor
mander in The Royal Navy. He sa,d
that this brig had belonged to Cap,a,u
Jackman and that that mans scheme
OF piracy had determined him to ,mI
tate il. He told her he was a gentle
man, the son of a clergyman. a man
who had held commands in the Mer
chant Service of considerable figure
Why should he starve? Why should
her cousin Crystal starve?
She followed him with rapt atten.
tion. Her beautiful eyes rested upon
his face. There was the pleading
melody of his country's accent in his
tones. and it dwelt upon her ear as
though all his talk meant that he was
asking her pardon and pity for being
what he was.
A hand bell was rung in the cuddy
Our last meal aboard the poor old
the exclamation with a secret curse
and a muttered "Why."
After the meal, as soon as Popr
made his appearance the men turned
to and a brisk and savage company of
them went to work to provision the
long boat and two quarter-boats. Then
it was that one OF the passengers
standing in the. cuddy doorwav
guessed the intentions of CAPTAIN
Pope. He muttered in sick voice
Good heavens. open boats" and
plucking up some heart stepped up to
Crystal. who still sat slowly chewing
at the table.
I'VE are to be sent adrift them"
says he.
you are" answered the square man,
without looking up.
"The women and children, too"
yes" growled Crystal
"Adrift," murmured the passengers
one to another, ARE we to be sent
adrift?"
1T will kill my baby" shrieked the
mother of the child, rushing at the
negress and tearing the infant out of
her arms.
The boats were in readiness. The
longboat lay rolling under the gang
way; her mast was stepped as were
the masts of the other boats. Their
sails were ready for hoisting and the
provision had been so slowed in bow
and stern as to nicely trim the little
craft
"Mr. Crystal" sung out Pope, put
ting on the commander, "let the gang
way ladder be got over the side. And
the prisoners and wounded must be
got into the boats before the passen-
gers enter them"
Crystal began to hustle. A cutlass
was at his side, and a brace of pistols
were in his breast. BY this time, the
refreshed pirates We're all dressed and
armed. The chief mate called to some
of them, and they went to the fore
castle. The door ran laundering back
in its grooves to their thrust. and they
entered. On the floor, starting to the
greasy flicker of lamp, lay some
wounded men on mattresses taken
from the hammocks; and standing
here and seated there were the rest
of the prisoners, some twelve or fif-
teen men.
-Four of you guard this entrance"
says he to his men; you can leave
the door OPEN" and then 20 the pris-
oners, Up all of you on to your pins
and file out
Any dreams of conflict and recap
ture which might have inspired the
prisoners must have been extinguished
by the first glance they obtained OF the
main deck, where stood, ranked
abreast of the gangway. naked cutlass
in hand, with Pope beside them, ten
pirates. armed with loaded pistols
Pope's cruelty in sending the wound
ed adrift was atrocious. 1t cannot be
excused. One man was clearly in a
hopeless way; any one could have seen
that in the color of his face, and in
the expression of his eyes. AS quickly
as it was to be managed. the prison
crs, wounded and well, were got into
boats; the wounded in one quarter
boat with two or three of the we'll
men, and the others were divided be-
tween the long-boat and the second
quarterboat
tTo be contin nLed.)