Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-03-14

winch n0Q been 0tto0 before my time
doubt II for the same purpose as II
was going to use it-would give me a
strong pressure Of boiling water at 212
degrees of heat, so l had but little
doubt that at last had found a sure
weapon Of defense and one which
would be, no less effectual, perhaps
even more SO, than the razorlike dahs
which had been used with such deadly
results on my poor friends.
However, I hadn't long to wait to
test it 1t surprised me, as a matter of
fact, that my respite had been such a
long one, but I suppose the villains
must have had some trouble in finding
the specie. That their quest had been
successful didn't doubt, as I could
now hear voices overhead close by the
engine room and the sound Of heavy
boxes being dragged along the deck.
A slight sound above attracted my
attention, and. looking up, saw the
forms of two of the wretches stealing
cautiously down the ladder and peer
ing about, no doubt trying to locate me
in the semidarkness. They little guess
l allowed them to come down sufti-
GENTLY far to be well within reach of
my water Jet, and then connected the
hose and let them have full pressure.
The results far exceeded my most
sanguine expectations, for as the boil
Ing, seething fluid caught them fairly
on their scantily clad bodies they let
out wild yells Of agony and retreated
heller SHELTER to the deck, their groans
being audible for long time after they
had departed, 1t gave me some salts
faction to know that at least I had
managed to partly skin two. of the
scoundrels. The lesson must have been
a salutary one, too, for had no more
visitors that night.
As far as could judge we ought to
have been getting within the radius of
Pulo Web light, and whether they in
tended to go on through the Malacca
passage and round Acheen head would.
l knew, be decided in a very short
time. The revolutions we had made
since leaving Penang were my only
guide, but l had made the voyage so
often that l could give pretty fair
guess as to our position.
How the weary hours Of that terrible
night dra gged on! 1t seemed an eterni-
ty. wasn't to be left long in doubt.
however, as to the intentions Of the
pirates, for just as daylight was break
ing without any preliminary warning
was thrown violently on my back on
the engine room plates, and the poor
old packet, with a shudder that seemed
to shake her as with a At of ague, gave
one convulsive heave and stopped dead
My first sensa ton was a feeling Of
thankfulness that had fallen back
ward instead of into the crank pit
which I should assuredly have done
had been pitched forward, and there
one turn Of the crank would have been
quite sufficient to put an end to all my
troubles. 81
struggled to my feet and stopped
the engines, which l knew were only
driving the ship harder on to whatever
obstacle she had struck.
What would be the next item on THU
horrible programme? I could heal
shouting and a great tramping Of feet
ON the deck overhead, and later, to my
great Joy, the sound Of boats beinl
lowered into the water. 20 concluded
that they evidently intended leaving
the ship. Ny conjecture was right, fol
after an hour OF yelling and hustle the
welcome sound Of oars beating the wa
ter reached my ears. Then a great 81
lence seemed to settle over the vessel
and felt AZ though a weight had
been lifted from my brain. Broad day
light now flooded the heavens, and the