Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-12-28
CHAPTER xx.-(Continued.l


The Irishman vanished and again came
the murmur of voices. Then he reap
peared, unlocking the grating and de-
scending the ladder. At the edge of the
hole | could see the faces of several
CLEAN & drawn knives. Evidently thsy
did NOS trust us.
When 1t was over, we followed Blake
up tho ladder and waited quietly while
he laid out Graden's revolver and our
few belongings on the flap Of q central
table behind which the captain was
standing. short speech by the worthy, |
and the Irishman began again:
THE skipper wud have ye know" he
said, addressing Graden with a growing
dignity that would have been comic
enough at a less unfortunate moment,
that ye stand accused iv carrying off the
ould gint yonder and committin' burg
larry on his person. Fwhat do ye say
to that, sorr?"
ut is absolutely untrue"
IVAN for him. thin. But Ohm to ask
ye how ye account fer tn possession
iv that pocket-book tho skipper is holding
80 loving in his hand. He says that
there's close on Ave hundred pounds in
ut. Is ut yoursT
"No-it belongs to the old gentleman"
1.-THE mischief 1t does Then how did ye
come by ut?"
l feel certain that If my cousin
could have told his story directly to the
captain, the honesty of his manner and
the simplicity of his narration would
have had effect. But this pleading at
secondhand was a sorry business. From
his long pauses and facial contortions
l soon gathered that Blake was not the
linguist that he claimed to be. Indeed,
the version which the captain received
from him must have been something
astounding. The tale was scarcely con-
cudod when the captain raised his hand
, and the founderings of the interpreter
ceased abruptly.
Thus was his decision translated. Hs
would touch at Southampton, where tbs
case could be fought out in the Englisf
courts. In the meanwhile, as the evi
dencs was Overwhelmingly against us
we should be placed in irons and con
fined In tho cabin where we then were
He was a just man. Angry though
S was at the time, l have come to thinl
r he did the right thing. The Harmless
! appearance of Marnsc, his ability t
T. plead his cause, our obvious endeavor t
n keep hln from communicating with tn
crew, eur possession of so valuable
pocketbook belonging to him-no, W
cannot blame the captain II he decided
his favor.
s To attempt resistance would have bee
/ absurd. The men about US carrie
:, knives, and the butt of a heavy revolvs
showed warningly from tho captain
pocket. For the first time in either I
10 our lives the handouts snapped at OF
u wrists. They moved out one by one; Il
D. door was closed and barred upon us.
IT another three minutes we were bo'
If asleep. Our ill-fortune, the doings
our worst enemy, the irons at our wris
" we forgot them all in the dead, st
a. sleep that Nature grants to the We
AT weary.
ne 1t was Blake who woke us with o
midday meal. He was in his most tai
alive meod. Guilty or innocent, it ma
~ small difference to him, after he had
OF cided upon the fact of our gentilit
On He was agog with the manner Of Ma
macs escape from us. The lad who "
of servant to the captain had been do'
Is In the lszsrette, and from pure curios
of had poked up the trap in the cabin no
W With promises Of money, Marnac h
ar persuaded the youngster to guide him
the captain. In their haste they had I
gotten to close the trap and grating
Ito hind them, though they had secured thu
Al the head of the second ladder. Nj
nae had waited in the captains TO
while the lad went forward to find
n.y. master. 1t was doubtless their intervi
en- that Graden had observed from
m bridge. When the supposed victim
,as our plst had told his story, they
ii armea themselves and come to arrest
-, calling the Irishman and two more of
crew in case Of resistance. They
found us below source of delight
les the Portuguese sailors, who had heal
raj terror of Englishmen; and the rest
per knew.
Come, my man." said my cousin a
mt he had concluded, "for yourself, nov
les do you believe us guiltyT
the "Faith, sorr, tits quare business
the toirely," he answered, scratching his
nole indecisively. "For whether it's
om- or the ould gintleman that they'll
ar bv the heels in Southampton Water,
90 not fer me to be after saying. Sure
~ wan of the two-which is all Oh know
o ~ New, listen to me, Tim Blake"
pe my cousin. my name is, as l told
Sir Henry Graden, and l am rich n
I am not asking you to neglect your d
which is to keep US in; but If you
FRA have an eye to the door so as to
otel that old gentleman out, therell be
we'd and twenty pounds In your pocket"
no whatever the Irishman may
.taI tborrht of our characters, there wa
o~d doubt as to his belief in the genuine
ono ture OF the offer. He beamed upoi
oVo' with a childlike jubilation that was
test oo 1900 corr indade. and I willT