The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1905-03-01
SILVER SPUR !

Charles; and this night am escaped out
OF Bristol Castle. IL you be"
Thus far | had written without glanc-
ing up, in fear to read the disappoint-
ment OF my hopes. But now the pen
was caught suddenly from my fingers, the
paper torn in shreds, and there was Mas
ter Pottery shaking us both by the hand,
nodding and backing. and smiling all over
his big red face.
But he ceased at last: and opening an
other Of mis- lockers, drew forth a horn
lantern, a mallet, and a chis,l. Not a
word was spoken as he lit the lantern
and passed out of the cabin. Della and ]
following at his heels.
Just outside. at the foot of the steps.
he stopped, pulled up n trap in the floor
ing, and disclosed another ladder stretch
ing, as ii seemed. down into the bowels
OF the ship. This we descended care
fully, and found ourselves in the hold.
b room was narrow. and every inch
OF II contested by two puissant essences,
the one of raw wood. the other OF bilge
water. With wool the place was piled:
but also | noticed, not far from the lad
der, several casks set on their ends; and
10 these the captain led us.
They were about a dozen in all. stack
Ell close together, and Master Pottery.
rolling two apart from the rest. dragged
them 10 another trap and tugged out the
bEngs. y stream Of fresh water gushed
from each and splashed down the trap
into the bilge below. Then, having
drained them, he STAYED in their heads
with a few blows OF his mallet.
His nlau for lS wpc clnoc And In n
very few minutes Della and / were
crouching on the timbers, each with a
cask inverted over us, our noses at the
bungholes and our ears listening to Mas,
ter Pottery's footsteps rs they climbed
heavily back to deck. The rest Of the
casks were stacked close around us. so
that even had the gloom allowed, we
could see nothing at all.
Jack
Della
"Dost feel h~eroical at alIf'
Not one whit. There's a trickIe of
water running down my back to begin
with
And my nose it itches. Say some
thing to me, Jack"
MY dear. there is one thing I've been
longing these weeks to say; but this
seems an odd place for it. / love you
said /.
There was silence for a moment. and
then within Delia's cask the sound Of
mutfled laughter.
Della" | urged, II mean it, upon my
oath, Wit marry me, sweetheart? p
Must get out of this cask first. Oh.
Jack, what n dear goose thou art" And
the laughter began again.
! was going to answer, when | heard a |
loud shouting overhead. Twas the sound
Of some one hailing the ship. and, thought
!, the troopers are on us!'
They were In truth. Soon | heard the |
noise Of feet above and a string of voices
one after another, louder and
louder. And next Master Pottery began
to answer up and drowned all speech
his own. When he ceased there was
silence for some minutes. after which we
heard a party descend 10 the cabin and
the trampling of their feet on the boards
above us. They remained there some
while discussing. and then came footsteps
the second ladder and a twinkle Of
light reached me through the bunghole
II my cask.
Quick said a husky voice. Over
laul the cargo here
| heard some half dozen troopers
'ustling about the hold and Juggling out
he bales of wool.
"Hi'' called Master Pottery. An
you've done rummaging my ship,
ut everything back as you found it,"
Poke about with your swords.'' com
the husky voice. Whats in
hose barrels yonder?"
Water. sergeant" answers a rooper,
olling out a couple.
Nothing behind them?''
No; they're right against the side
Drop 'em, then. Plague IN this bust
ess! lis my notion they're a mile
way. and Cap'n Stubs no better than
fool to send MS back here. He's grudg-
~ promotion. that's what he is. Hurry.
lere hurry