Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1906-11-17
for The Term of Ills Natural Life
BY MARCUS CLARKE



seemed the most ordinary occurreace in
the world. Suddenly, however, they no.
ticed change of expression in the sullen
face of their commander. Frere, sitting
in the stern-sheets, with his face to the
Osprey, had observed a peculiar appear
ance on her decks. The bulwarks were
every now and then topped by strange
figures, who disappeared as suddenly as
they came, and faint murmur of voices
foated across the intervening sea. Pres.
emily the report of another musket-shot
echoed among the hills, and something
dark fell from the side of the vessel
into the water. Frere, with mingled
alarm and indignation, sprung to his
feet, and, shading his eyes with his hand,
looked toward the brig The soldiers,
resting on their oars, initiated his ges-
ture, and the whale-boat, thus thrown
out of trim, rocked from side to side
dangerously. moments anxious pause
and then another musket-shot, followed
by woman's shrill scream, explained
all. The prisoners had seized the brig!
Give way" cried Frere, pale with rage
and apprehension, and the soldiers, real
lied at once the full terror of their po-
sotion, forced the heavy whale-boat
miserable pair of oars could take her.
MIR. Bates, affected by the insidious
influence of the hour, and lulled into a
sense OF false security, had gone below
to tell his little playmate that she would
soon be on her way to the Hobart Town
of which she had heard so much. and.
taking advantage of his absence, the sol
dler not on guard went to the forecastle
to hear the prisoners singing. He found
the ten together, In high good humor.
While he listened James Lesly, William
Cheshire, William Russen, John Fair
and James Barker slipped to the hatch
way and got upon deck. Barker reached
the aft-hatchway as the soldier who was
on guard turned to complete his walk,
and passing his arm round his neck.
pulled him down before he could utter
cry. In the confusion of the moment
the man loosed his grasp of the musket
to grapple with his unseen antagonist,
and Fair, snatching up the weapon,
swore to blow out his brains if he raised
finger. Seeing the sentry thus Sc
cured, Cheshire leaped down the after
hatchway and passed up the muskets
from the arm-racks to Lesly and Russen.
There were three muskets In addition
to the one taken from the sentry. and
Barker, leaving his prisoner In charge
OF Fair, seized one of them and ran to
the companion-ladder. Russen, left I'M
armed by this maneuver, appeared to
know his own duty. He came back to
the forecastle, and passing behind the
listening soldier, touched the singer on
the shoulder. This was the appointed
signal. and John Rex, suddenly termin-
ating his song with a laugh. presented
his fist in the face of the gaping Grimes.
mo noise" he cried ''the brig's ours.
and ere Grimes could reply he was seized
by Lyon and Riley and bound securely.
Come on, ladsv says Rex, "and pass
the prisoner down here. We've got her
time time, I'll go bailI" In obedience to
this order, the now gagged sentry was
flung down the fore-hatchway, and the
hatch secured. 'Stand on the hatch
way, Porter" cries Rex again; "and if
those fellows come up knock 'em down
with a handspike. Lesly and Russen.
forward to the companion-ladder! Lyon.
keep a lookout for the boat, and If she
comes too near, frev'
As he spoke the report of the first
musket rang out Barker had apparent
ly fired up the companion-hatchway.
| When Mr.. Bates had gone below, he
found Sylvia curled up on the cushions
OF the stateroom, reading. "Well,
missy? 2" he said, well soon be on our
way to papa"
Sylvia answered by asking a question
altogether foreign to the subject ''Mr.
Bates" said she, pushing the hair out
Of her blue eyes, whats a coracle?"
| "A which," asked Mr.. Baaes.
"A coracle. C-o-r-a-c-l-e," said she
spelling 1t slowly. II want to know"
The bewildered Bates shook his head
Meyer heard Of one, missy" said he
bending over the book. What does II
sayr'
The Ancient Britons,'" said Sylvia
reading gravely, "'were little better thar
barbarians. They painted their bodies
with woad'-that's blue stuff. you know
Mr.. Rates-'and seated In their light cor
acles OF skin stretched upon slender
wooden frames, must have presented 6
Wild and savage appearance
well" said Bates, II think it's a car
rage, missy. sort of pheayton, al
they call It,"
Sylvia, hardly satisfied, returned t,
the book. 1t was a little, meau-loo kin,
volume-a "Childs History of England
and after perusing it a while will
knitted brows, she burst into a childish
laugh.
why, my dear Mr.. Batesv' she cried
waving the history above her head II
triumph, what a pair of geese we are
A carriage! Oh, you silly mani It's
boatv'
rs itT said Mr.. Bates, in admira tiol
Of the intelligence of his companion
who'd ha' thought that now?" and h