Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-12-29
CHAPTER TX.

tAasT breath to listen.
ats all planned" says Gabbett, in
bow growl wen the door "opens we
rash, and we're in among the guard
afore they knaw where they are. Drag
saza back into the prison, grab the harm
rack, and it's all over
"Stand from the door, Miles, says
Pines voice outside, in its usual calm
accents.
The Grow was relieved. The tone was
Gn ordinary one, and Miles was the sol
der whom Sarah Purfoy had bribed
not to fire. All Eg1 gone well.
The keys classic and turned, and the
Arayest of the prudent party, who had
been turning in his mind the notion of
2isking his life for pardon to be won
By rushing forward at the right moment
and alarming the guard, checked the
cry that was in his throat as he saw the
men round the door draw back a little
for their rush, and caught glimpse of
Che giants bristling scalp and barred
gums
"Nowv' cries Jenny Vetch, as the
fFOn-plated oak swung back, and, with
ahs cultural snarl of a charging wild
boar, Gabbett hurled himself out of the
prison.
The red line of light which glowed for
an instant through the doorway was
Alotted out by mass of figures. All
the prison surged forward and before
ahe eye could wink, five, ten, twenty OF
ahe most desperate were outside. 1t
was as though a sea, breaking against a
stone wall had found some breach
through through which to pour it's
waters The conta gion of battle spread.
Caution was forgotten, and those at the
back, seeing Jenny Vetch raised up on
ahe crest of that human billow which
reared it's black outline against an in
distinct prospective of struggling figures,
responded to his grin of encouragement
by rushing furously forward.
Suddenly horrible roar like that of
a trapped wild beast was heard. The
rushing torrent choked in the doorway,
and from out the lantern gl0Wed into
which the giant had rushed a flash broke,
followed by a groan, as the perhdious
sentry fell back, shot through the breast.
The mass in the doorway hung irreso-
butte, and then, by sheer weight of pres
sure from behind, burst forward, and
as it so burst, the heavy door crashed
into its jambs, and the bolts were shot
sato their places.
All this took place by one of those
simultaneous movements which are so
Enpid in execution, so tedious to describe
81 detail At one instant the prison door
had opened, at the next it had closed.
The picture which had presented itself
~ the eyes of the cOnvicts was mOmen-
sary The period of time that had elaps-
ed between the opening and the shutting
of the door could have been marked by
she musket shot.
The report of another shot, and then
noise of confused cries, mingled with
the clashing of arms, informed the i'm
Drisoned men that the ship had been
alarmed. How would it go with their
friends on deck? Would they succeed
in overcoming the guards, or would they
be beaten back? They would soon know;
and in the hot dust, straining their eyes
TO see each other, they waited for the
ISSUE. Suddenly the noises ceased, and
a strange rumbling sound fell upon the
ears of the listeners.
What had taken place? This, the men
pouring out of the darkness into the
sudden glare of the lanterns, rushed, be-
wildered, across the deck. Miles, true
50 his PROMISE did not fire, but the next
instant Vickers had snatched the fire
lock from him, and, leaping into the
stream, turned about and fired down to-
ward the prison. The attack was more
sudden than he had expected, but he
did not lose his presence of mind The
shot would serve a double purpose. 1t
would warn the men in the barrack, and
perhaps check the rush by stopping up
ahe doorway with corpse. Beaten back,
struggling and indignant, amidst the
storm of hideous faces, his humanity
vanished, and he aimed deliberately at
she head of Mr.. James Vetch; the shot,
however missed its mark, and killed
the unhappy Miles.
Gabbett and his companions had by
ahis time reached the foot of the com
panion ladder, there to encounter the
xutlasses of the doubled guard cleaning
sedly in the glow of the lanterns. A
glance up the hatchway showed the
giant that the arms he had planned to
seize were defended by ten firelocks.
and that, behind the open doors of the
partition which ran abaft the mizzen-
mast, the remainder of the detachment
stood TO their arms. Even his dull in
Aellect comprehended that the desperate
project had failed, and that he had
Been betrayed. With the roar of de-
SPAR which had penetrated into the
prison, he turned to fight his way back,
gust in time to see the crowd in the
gangway recoil from the flash of the
musket fred by Vickers. The next in
slant Pine and two soldiers. taking adj
vantage of the momentary cessation of
HE press, shot the bolts and secured the
prison.
The mutineerS were cauoht in . +ro,
The narrow space between the barracks
and the barricade was choked with
struggling figures. Some twenty CON
wicts. and half as many soldiers, struck
and stabbed at each other in the crowd.
5'here was barely elbow room. and at
hacked and attackers fought almost with
-a2t knowing whom they struck. Cab
Asst tore 4 cutlass from Il soldier. shook
= =.