Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1906-06-08
For The Term of Ills Natural Life
BY MARCUS CLARKE


the world. Suddenly, however. they no.
ticed a change of expression in the sullen
face of their commander. Frere. sitting
N 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 n faint murmur of voices
noated 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 e 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
lied at once the full terror of their po-
sotion, 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
or which she had heard so much, and.
taking advantage of his absence, the sol
der not on guard went to the forccastle
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
and James Barker slipped to the hatch
way and got upon deck. Barker reached
the aft-hatchway the soldier who was
on guard turned to complete his walk.
and passing his arm round his neck.
pulled him down before he could utter
cry In the confusion of the moment
the man loosed his grasp of the muskes
10 grapple with his unseen antagonist.
and Fair, snatching up the weapon.
swore to blow out his brains if he raised
a finger. Seeing the sentry thus Sc
cured, Cheshire leaped down the after
hatchway and passed up the muskets
from the arm-racks to Lesly and Russen
There were three muskets i'm addition
to the one taken from the sentry. and
Barker, leaving his prisoner in charge
OF Fair, seized one of them and ran TO
the companion-ladder. Russen, left I'M
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-
ating his song with laugh. presented
his fist in the face of the gaping Grimes
NO noise! he cried; 1.-The briggs ours"
ana ere Grimes could reply he was seized
by Lyon and Riley and bound securely.
Come on, ladsr 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
hung down the fore-hatchway and the
hatch secured. ''Stand on the hatch
way. Porter" cries Rex again; ''and if
those fellows come up knock 'em down
with a handspike. Lesly and Russen.
forward to the companion-ladderl Lyon.
keep lookout for the boat, and if she
| comes too near, frer'
As he spoke the report of the first
musket rang out Barker had apparent
iy fired up the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
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, what's a coracle?"
"a which," asked Mr.. Baaes.
"A coracle. C-o-r-a-c-ls," said she.
spelling it slowly. IT want to know"
The bewildered Bates shook his head
Never heard of one, missy" said he.
bending ever the book. what does 1t
sayT'
The Ancient Britons,'" said Sylvia.
reading gravely. were little better thar
barbarians. They painted their bodies
with woad'-that's blue stuff, you know.
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, IT think it's car
riage, missy. sort of pheayton, as
they call it."
Sylvia, hardly satisfied, returned 70
the book 1t was a little. mean-looking
volume-a "Child's History of England
and after perusing it a while with
knitted brows, she burst into a childish
| laugh.
why, my dear Mr.. Batesr' she cried.
waving the history above her head In
triumph, what a pair of geese we are
A carriage! oh, you silly man! It's a
boatr'
rs it?' said Mr.. Bates, in admira ton
of the intelligence of his COMPANION.
Who'd ha' thought that now?" and he
was about to laugh also, when, raising
his eyes, he saw in the open doorway
the figure of James Barker, with a mus
ket in his hand.
"Hallol What's thisf What do you
do here, STRIP
''Sorry to disturb YER" saws the CON-