The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-07-20
--THE
SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
By HARRY COLLnNGwOOD
CHAPTER XIII.

"N-n-no. / can't say do. Hawkes.
ley under her present Disguise
Disguise! my dear sir: she is not dis
guised at all. That is the pirate brig
which destroyed poor Richards vessel
the Juliet And--yes-there can scarcely
be doubt about it-she must be the no.
torious Black Venus of which the yam
kee skipper told u.s."
Smellie looked at me in great surprise
and perplexity for a moment.
Upon my word. Hawkesley. verify
believe You are rsht!" he exclaimed ut
last. THE Black Venus-a nrgress for
igure-head-ha are you hurtP'
Not much. / think. stammered /. as
\ wheel, determined that / would ret give
I'm. The fa,t vas tnat whilst we were
King another shot had been in,d
struck me fairly in the riGht shoulder.
inflictng such severe pain that for the
moment l felt quite Incapable of using
now steered pretty easily, and l could
manage the wheel with one hand.
We must stop this somehow" said
smellie, again jumping on the rail and
taking long look ahead.
do you see that very tall tree shoot
Ing UP above the rest, almost directly
4 ahead?" he continued. pointing out the
n ! replied that / did.
4 swell, steer straight for 1t then. and /
Il will fetch ait some hatch covers-there
4 are several forward-and place them
against the doors; / think | can perhaps
4 eontrive to rig up bullet-proof screen
|, for YOU"
But you are hurt yourself. sir" pro-
"A mere Craze after all. / believe" he
replied. lightly, and forthwith set about
the work Of dragging AFT the rsd hatch h
front OF the companion.
There he said. as he placed the last
one In position, Il think you are reason
think OF that before Shall / bind up
your shoulder for you? You are bleed
Ing, / see"
troubling about now. / would much
rather you would go forward and look
out; it would never, do TO plump the
so far. Besides, there are the men down
forward; they ought to be watched, or
perhaps they may succeed in breaking
Smellie looked at me rather doubtfully
for almost full minute.
IT believe you are suffering a great
deal OF pain, Hawkesley," he said: but
you are a thoroughly plucky fellow; and
II you can only keep up until we get
clear of this COMPOUNDED creek l will then
relieve you. And l will take care, too
TO let Captain Vernon know how ad-
mirably you have conducted yourself not
only tonight. but from the moment that
we left the Daphne together. Now l am
there. II you want help give me time
ly hail"
And he turned and walked forward.
The navigation OF the creek still con-
tinued TO be exceedingly intricate and
difficult the creek itself being winding,
and the deep water channel very much
more winding still, running now on one
side OF the creek, now on the other, be-
sides being studded here and there with
shoals, sand banks, and tiny islets. This,
whilst IL made the navigation very diff
cult for strangers. added greatly TO the
value OF the creek as safe and snug
resort for slavers; the multitudinous
twists in the channel serving TO mask
81 most artfully, and giving 1t an appear
ance OF terminating at a point beyond
which In reality a long stretch OF deep
water extended
At length we lufed sharply round a
low sandy spit thckly covered with man
groves. kept broad away again directly
afterwards. and abruptly found ourselves
in the main stream OF the Congo. Here
the true channel was easily dscernible by
the long regular run OF the sea which had
been lashed up by the gale; and | aad
therefore nothing TO do but keep the
schooner where the sea ran most regular
~. and should be certain TO be right.
Smellie now gave a little much-needed
attention 10 the party In the forecastle.
who had latterly been very noisy and
clamorous In their demonstrations OF dis
approval. Luckily they did not appear 20
possess any firearms, the only fear from
them, therefore. was that they would
find means to break out: and this the
second lieutenant provided against pretty
effectually by placing a large wash-deck
tub on the cover and coiling down therein
the end OF one OF the mooring hawsers