Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1906-06-08

Win theH Dacks 10 ner, the musket-shOt
seemed the most ordinary occurrence in
the world. Suddenly, however, they no
tleed change of expression in the sullen
race OF their commander Frere, sitting
IN the stern-sheets, with his face to the
Osprey, had observed 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
hoated 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. A moments anxious pause.
and then another musket-shot, followed.
by a 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
lzed at once the full terror of their DO
sotlon, forced the heavy whale-boat
through the water as fast as the one
miserable pair of oars could take her.
Mr.. 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
der 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
ana James Barker slipped to the hatch
way and got upon deck. Barker reached
the art-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 inter
a cry In the confusion of the moment
the man loosed his grasp of the musket
10 grapple with his unseen antagonist
ana FAR, snatching up the weapon,
bWore to blow out his brains if he raised
niger. Seeing the sentry thus Sc
cured cheshire leaped down the after
natehway and passed up the muskets
from the arm-racks to Lesly and Russen.
mere were three muskets In addition
70 the one taken from the sentry. and
parker, leaving his prisoner In charge
Oh FAR, seized one of them and ran To
the companion-ladder. Russen. left un-
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-
atlng his song with a laugh, presented
his fist in the face of the gaping Grimes
No noise!" he cried; 1.-THE briggs ours"
and ere Grimes could reply he was seized
by Lyon and Riley and bound securely.
Come on, ladsv' says Rex. "and mass
the prisoner down here. We've got her
time time, I'll go BALL" In obedience TO
this order, the now gagged sentry was
flung down the fore-hatchway and tho
match secured. Stand on the hatch
way, Porter" cries Rex again: "and If
those fellows come up knock 'em down
Win handsplke. Lesly and Russen,
Forward to the companion-ladder! Lyon,
keep lookout for the boat and If she
comes too near, fre!
AS ne spoke the report of the first
husKet rang out. Barker had apparent
" nred up the companion-hatchway.
When Mr.. Bates had gone below. he
found Sylvia curled up on the cushions
OF the stateroom, reading. well
missy = he said, ''we'll 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 It slowly. IT want to know"
The bewildered Bates shook his head
'Never heard Of one, missy" said he
bending over the book. what does Il
sayT' UO'' ="
The Ancient Britons,'" said Sylvia
reading gravely, "'were little better than
barbarians. They painted their bodja.
with woad'-that's blue stuff. Won NOV
Mr.. Bates-'and seated in their light cor.
acles Of skin stretched upon slender
wooden frames, must have presented a
Wild and savage appearance
well" said Bates, II think it's a car
they call It," "
Sylvia. hardly satisfied returned to
the book. 1t was a little, mean-loolr,ng
volume "Child's History of England"
and after perusing 1t a while with
knitted brows, she burst into a childish
laugh.
why, my dear Mr.. Batesv' she cried
waving the history above her head m |
triumph, what a pair of geese we arei
A carriage! Oh, you silly man! It's a
boatr'
''Is itT" said Mr.. Bates, in admiration
of the intelligence Of his companion
Who'd ha' thought that nowP' and he |
was about to laugh also, when, raising !
his eyes, he saw in the open doorway |
the figure Of James Barker, with a INNS
Hak In hss band NS