The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-29
VII.

ward him: not an inch did he bulge
I touched him on the shoulder.
He faced around with a quick start.
"Sir," said l, quick and low, before
he could get a word out-"sir, We are
in your hands. l will be plain. 10
night I have broken out Of Bristo
Keen, and the Colonel's men are aftel
me. Give me up to them. and they
hang me tomorrow; give my conrad
up and they persecute her Wiley. Now
sir, l know not which side you be, Ou'
there's our case in a nutshell"
The man bent forward, displaying
huge. rounded face, very kindly abou,
the v and set atop of the oddes'
body in the world, for under a trunE
extraordinarily broad and strong
stradd!ed q pair of legs that a baby
would have disowned-so thin ant
stunted were they-and, to make 1t the
uueerer, ended in feet the most pro
digious you ever saw.
AS / said. this man leaned forward
and shouted in my ear so that l fairly
ieaped in the air:
"My names Pottery-Bill Pottery
,ap'n O. the Godsend, an you can
make me hear, not if you bust your
sePwl
You may think this put me in q flint
quandary.
81 be deaf as nails" bawled he.
,T,..on lo,,,10n for tho fr00nprS-
thought, if anywhere near. could moi
miss hearing him. His voice shook the
very rigging.
. r. 8 An O. my crew the hail
ashore gettin' drunk an the half below
in a very accomplished state O liquor
so there's no chance for zee to speak,
He paused a moment, then roaret
again:
what a pity! Cos you make ms
very curious-that you CO"
Luckily. at this moment, Della nae
the sense TO put a finger to her Up
The man wheeled round without an
other word. led US aft over the BLOCKS
cordage and all manner of loose gear
that encountered the deck. to 4 Ladder
that, toward the stern. led down into
darkness. Here he signed to us tc
follow, and. descending first. threw
open a door. letting out a faint stream
of light in our faces. Twas the cap
tain's cabin. lined with c%upboards and
lockers, and the light came from an
oil lamp hanging over q narrow dea'
table. By this light Captain Billy scru'
tinized us for an instant; then, from
n of his lockers. brought out pen
paper and ink, and set them on the
table before me.
I caught up the pen, dipped it, and
began to write:
81 am John Marvel. a servant of King
Charles; and this night am escaped on,
of Bristol Castle. If you be-
Thus far I had written without
glancing up, in fear to read the disap'
pointment of my hopes. But now the
pen was caught suddenly from m!
fingers, the paper torn in shreds, and
there was Master Pottery shaking US
both by the hand, nodding and back
ing. and smiling the while all v
his big red face.
But be ceased at last, and opening
another Of his lockers, drew forth 8
horn lantern, a mallet and 4 chisel. MOI
a word was spoken as he lit the lantern
and passed out of the cabin, Della and
I following at his heels.
Just outside. at the foot Of the steps
he stopped. pulled up a trap i'll the
flooring. and disclosed another Ladder
stretching. as it seemed, down into the
bowels of the ship. This we descended
carefully and found ourselves IN the
hold, pinching our noses between finger
and thumb.
For indeed the smell here was search
ing to a painful degree; for the room
was narrow, and every inch Of it con
tested by two puissant essences, tEf
one Of raw wool. the other OF bilge
water. With wool the place was filled
but also l noticed. not far from the
ladder. several casks set on theil
ends; and to these the captain led us.
They were about q dozen iii all
stacked close together; and Master Pot
terry, rolling two apart from the rest
dragged them to another trap alld
tugCed out tie bungs. \ stream OF
fresh water guShed from each ant
sDlashed down the trap into the bilgt
below. Then. having drained them
he STAYED in their heads with q few
blows of his mallet.
His plan for us was clear. And II
A very few minutes Della and l were
crouching on the timbers. each with
cask inverted over us. OH noses at the
burGholes and u ears listening tt
Master Fottery's footsteps as they
climbed heavily back to deck. The res
of the casks were stacked close arount
lis, so that even had the gloom allowed
we could see nothing at all. ,
Jack"
"Delia..'
"Dost feel heroical at all?'
Not one whit. There's a trickle o;
water running down my back to begiI
with"
".And my nose it itches; and oh, wha
q hateful SMELL! Say something to me
Jack"
"NIy dear" said I, there is n thin:
I bavc been longing these weeks t.
say: but this seems an odd place foI
it"
What is it,"
1 pressed by lips to the GunSEoic
and
II love you" said I.
There was Silence for q moment. ant
then within neiia's caSk the sound o
unified laughter.