The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-10-25
CHAPTER xX.-(Continued.)

tne murmur or voices. Then he reap
peared. unlocking the grating and de-
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 u.s.
When it 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 a central
table behind which the captain was
standing short speech by the worthy,
and the Irishman began again:
The skipper wud have We know" he
said, addressing Graden with a growing
dignity that would have been comic
enough at a less unfortunate momeLt.
that We stand accused iv carrying off the
ouid gint yOnder and committin' burg
larry on his person. Fwhat do ye say
to that. sorr?''
&c is absolutely untrue"
"Wan for him, thin. But Dim to ask
ye how ye account fer tn possession
Nv 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 yoursY'
Not belongs to the old gentleman"
The mischief it does. Then how did ye
come by ut!'
L feel certain that if my coui,in
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
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 founderings 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 us.
We should be placed in irons and con-
fined in iae cabin where we then WERE
He was just man. Angry though |
was at the time, 1 have come to think
he did the right thing The harmless
appearance of Marnac, his ability to
plead his cause, our obvious endeayor to
crew, our possession of so valuable
poeketbook 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 captain's
pocket. For the first time in either of
our lives the handouts snapped at our
wrists. They moved ont one by one; the
door was closed aud barred upon us. In
another three minutes we were both
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.
1t was Blake who woke us with our
midday meal. He was in his most talk
alive mood. Guilty or innocent, it made
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 was
seryap. TO the captain had been down
in the lazarette, and from pure curiosity
had poked up the trap in the cabin floor.
With promises of money, Marnac had
persuaded the youngste- TO guide him to
the captain In their haste they had for
gotten to close the trap and grating be-
hind them, though they had secured those
at the head of the second ladder Mar
mac had waited in the captains room
while the lad went forward to find his
master 1t was doubtless their interview
that Graden had observed from the
bridge When the supposed victim of
our plot had told his story, they had
armed themselves and come to arrest Ms
calling the Irishman and two more of the
crew in case of resistance. They had
found us bel0w-a source of delight TO
the Port lguese sailors. who'Ead a healthy
terror Of Englishmen; and the rest we
knew
"Cone, my man." said my cousin after
he had concluded, "for yourself, now
do you believe us guiltyY'
"Faith, sorr, tits a quare business en-
toirciy,- he answered. scratching his red
pole ;ndecisively. For whether It's you
or the ould gintleman that they'll lay
by the heels in Southampton Water. it's
not fer me to be after saying. Sure it's
wan of the two-which is all Oh knows. -
Now. listen to me. Tim Rlcke.'' said
III.
Sir Henry Graden, and I'm a rich man.
I am not asking you to neglect your duty.
which is TO keep US in: but if you will
have an eye to the door so as to keep
that old gentleman out, therell be five
and twenty pounds in your pocket"
Whatever the Irishman may have
thought of our characters, there was no
doubt as to his belief in the genuine ma
ture of the offer. He beamed upon us
with childlike jubilat;on that was quite
comic in its enthusiasm
''indsde, sorr, indade, and | willr' he
cried
Have you the key"
Il have. sorr. Wud your honor like
to kape it? You can turn the lock whin
/ knock fower times"
THAT will hardly do" said my cousin.
laughing. I'VE might have. the captain
visiting us. which would mean a change
of jailers. Now. as to the trap door
IL that also securedE
The lad we spoke of--he has the kay,
sorr. May the mischief seize him !"
I'VE can't leave it like that See if
you can fix it up to better advantage"
Blake raised the outer block of wood
which fitted level with the flooring, and
inspected the grating below. 1t was
secured by a paddock precaution nee
essary enough, for honesty is not the
prevailing characteristic of Portuguese
crew. After a moments thought, he drew
his pocket a handful of rubbish from
which he extracted large nail. Graden's
boot served as a hammer. and with this
he drove it into the keyhole.
twill holld it foine" cried he, re-
gariing his work with exultation.
And so, with fresh assurances OF
watchfnlness. ne left us.
CHAPTER XXI.
The wind rose again that afternoon,
and by four o'clock it was blowing very
hard. The seas drove against the sides
of the old ship in thunderous murmurs;
now and again they sprang the bulwarks,
crashing down upon the deck above US
and ebaE <bo srr.r, fabric in eorvulc ri w