The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1906-12-21
CHAPTER .xx.-fContinued.)

scending the ladder. At the edge of the
hole l could see the faces of several
members of the crew and caught the
CLEAN Of drawn knives. Evidently they
did not trust us.
When 1t was over, we followed Blake
up the ladder and waited quietly while
he laid out Graden's revolver and our
few belongings on the flap of central
table behind which the captain was
standing. A 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 less unfortunate moment.
shat We stand accused iv carrying off the
ould gint yonder and committin' burg
larry on his person. Fwhat do ye say
to that, SCRIP
ut is absolutely untrue
"Wan for him, thin. But Dim to ask
ye how We account fer tn possession
" that pocket-book the skipper is holding
SO loving in his hand. He says that
there's close on FIVE hundred pounds In
ut. Is ut yoursT
Not belongs to the old gentleman"
"The mischief it does Then how did ye
come by ut?"
feel certain that IL 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 sorry business. From
his long pauses and facial contortions
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-
cluded when the captain raised his hand,
and the hounderings of the interpreter
ceased abruptly.
Thus was his decision translated. He
would touch at Southampton, where the
case could be fought out in the English
courts. In the meanwhile, as the evil
dence was overwhelmingly against u.s.
we should be placed in irons and con-
fined in the cabin where we then WERE
He was just man. Angry though |
was at the time, l have come to think
he did the right thing The harmless
appearance of Marnac, his ability to
plead his cause, our obvious endeavor to
keep him from communicating with the
crew, our possession of so valuable a
pocketboOk belonging to him-no, we
cannot blame the captain if he decided in
his favor.
To attempt resistance would have been
absurd. The men about us carried
knives, and the butt of heavy revolver
showed warningly from the captains
pocket For the first time in either of
our lives the handouts snapped at our
wrists. They moved out one by one; the
door was closed and barred upon u.s. In
min LoAh
asleep. Our ill-fortune, the doings OF
our worst enemy. the irons at our wrists
we forgot them all in the dead, still
sleep that Nature grants to the very
weary.
rsy 1t was Blake who woke us with ouI
Ia midday meal. He was in his most talk
alive niosd. Guilty or innocent, it made
x small difference to him, after he had de
cided upon the fact of our gentility
He was agog with the manner of Mar
macs escape from us. The lad who wa.
servant to the captain had been down
; in the lazarette, and from pure curiosit!
had poked up the trap in the cabin floor
With promises of money, Marnac hat
persuaded the youngster to guide him t,
the captain. In their haste they had for
gotten to close the trap and grating be
uluu luGll, IuOuSu lHcS Huu SeCuTeu tHOS
at the head Of the second ladder. Mar
nae had waited in the captains room
while the lad went forward to find hi
master. 1t was doubtless their interview
that Graden had observed from tn
bridge. When the supposed victim O
our plot had told his story, they ha
armed themselves and come to arrest us
calling the Irishman and two more of tn
craxu an noSo of resistance Thay bo
found US below-a source of delight t
the Portuguese sailors, who had health
terror of Englshmen; and the rest W
knew.
"Come, my man." said my cousin afte
he had concluded, "for yourself now
do you believe US guiltyT
"Faith, sorr, tits quare business Ell
toirely," he answered, scratching his re
pole indecisively. "For whether tits 70
or the ould gintleman that they'll la
by the heels in Southampton Water, it
not fer me to be after saying. Sure t
wan of the two-which is all OF knows
snow, listen to me, Tim Blake" sal
my cousin. "My name is, as l told yo
Sir Henry Graden, and 1 am a rich ma
l am not asking you to neglect your dut
which is to keep US in; but if you wi
have an eye to the door so as to kee
that old gentleman out, therell be Fl,
and twenty pounds in your pocket"
Whatever the Irishman may ha,
thought of our characters, there was
doubt as to his belief in the genuine n
ture of the offer. He beamed upon
with a childlike jubilation that was qui
comic in its enthusiasm.
''Indade, sorr, indade, and ! will"
cried.
"Have you the key"
81 have, sorr. Wud your honor lii
to kape 1t? You can turn the lock VIII
I knock Tower times"
''That will hardly do" said my cousi
laughing. 1--WE might have the capita
visiting us, which would mean a chan
of jailers. Now, as to the trap door.
n that also secured?"
'The lad we spoke of-he has the ka
sorr. May the mischief seize him !"
"We can't leave 1t like that See
you can fix 1t up to better advantage"
Blake raised the outer block of wo
which fitted level with the flooring n,