The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-04
--THE
SLAVE SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
By HARRY COLLNGwOOD
CHAPTER XVIII.

any ammunition anywhere's aboard the
thing, IL must be I'm one OF them corner
lockers. SO ! goes away and tries 20
licked locke n II 1HS SISnt Ien tsEa New % and me MORN
| Jiffy howseyer. 10 prise Off the lock;
and when | looked In there sure enough
was the powder--a goodish quanuty-all
made up into cartridges. and there, TOO, l
sees the black stump OF fuse with red
spark on the end flzzing and smoking
away good un, ] knowed what that
whips out my knife. sings out to Ned
TO prise open the other two doors. and
cuts on the live end OF the fuse at once,
and just i'm time. There warnt more
nor an inch OF II left Aad when we got
the other two doors open II were Just the
same, sir-half a minute more'd ha' done
for the lot of us. SIR"
But YOU have taken care to see that
the magazines are now all right7-that
there are no more live fuses In them?' l
exclaimed In considerable alarm.
"Ay, ay, sir; never fear for me-" an
swered Tom with quiet grin. They
are safe enough now, sir; we gave 'em
good overhaul before doing anything
else. sir"
Thank YOU Tom" ! replied: "you
have rendered most important service,
which, IL live to get out OF this scrape.
| will not fall TO report to Capt. Vernon.
But should like TO take squint into
these magazines myself"
"Certingly. sir. by all means" return
ed Tom; and leading the way to the mag
which the fuses had been placed. and
graphically redescrbed the manner in
which terrible catastrophe had been
avsrted.
We had. indeed had a frightfully mar
row escape from distinctions: for the
magazines. Of which there were three,
shaped battery, contained about 100 cart
ridges each--quite sufficient to have
completely destroyed the battery and all
, I'm IT,
ua,tpg satfsaad ,,,,.ot, H.. IL -
safe here, l at once turned my attention
to the next most pressing business of the
moment. which was 10 secure the mus
kets. ammunition. provisions and water
In the cutter. and to make the craft her
self as safe as possible. This was likely
To prove a rather hazardous task as the
canoes were not close 10 the beach and
pressing rapidly on all sides. fel, great
ly averse TO further slaughter; but in this
case | scarcely saw how II was to be
averted. the natives being so pertinac cious
in their attacks. II was quite evident
that we must either kill or be killed |
therefore most reluctantly gave the order
for the discharge Of the six nine Founders
which the battery mounted right into the
thickest OF the crowd-the men TO imme
dia tely rush for the boat, secure their
muskets and ammunition, and at once
return 10 the battery This was done;
away we all went down to the boat,
seized as much as we could conveniently
carry and Immediately scampered back
again. The whole operation did not oc-
cupy more than a couple OF minutes; and
had the satisfaction Of seeing all hands
scramble back into the battery before the
natives had recovered from the check Of
our last discharge
so far. so good but great many
n Ipo fpo In al
~ the provisions and water. which II was
absolutely necessary that we should Sc
cure. so | called for volunteers 10 accom-
pany me on a second trip TO the cutter.
All hands proving equally willing 10 70.
] picked half a dozen. leaving the remain
der In the battery 10 cover us with their
muskcts
Leapng the low sod parspet of the
battery we once more made dash for
the boat: and the natives. catching sight
of us instantly raised a terrific yen and
came padding toward us at top speed
"Out with your cutlaeses. menV' | ex-
claimed: I'VE shall have TO fight our way
back this time / believe. Now each man
seize as much as he can carry In one
hand ard keep close together. Now are
you all ready7 Then march. All! capt
tall" as the lads in the battery bowled
over three or four blacks who had landed
and were rushing Gown upon us. Now
run for itl'
Away we went. heller skelter. and once
more got safely within the compass Of
our sheltering walls. though not until /
who. Of course had TO he last In seeking
cover had been overtaken and surround
ed by some hah-s dozen blacks. two OF
whom I succeeded In disabling with my
sword whilst the remaining four were
promptly placed hors-de- combat by the
muskets Of those who were covering our
Cro be continued on Nouday)