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

OF Gne cushions OF the couch was Undoc
ha right hand, and snatching It uA he
flung 1t across the little cabin fun in
the face of the escaped prisoner. The
soft mass struck the man with force
sunacient to blind him for an instant.
The musket exploded harmlessly in the
ART and, ere the astonished Barker could
recover his footing, Bates had hurled
him out of the cabin, and, crying Mutt
nyF' locked the cabin-door on the inside.
The noise brought out Mrs. Vickers from
her berth, and the poor little student Of
English history ran into her arms.
It's a mutiny, ma'am," said Bates.
20 back to your cabin and lock the
door. Those bloody Williams have risen
on us! Maybe it aln't so bad as it
looks; I've got my pistols with me, and
Mr.. Frereu hear the shot anyway.
Mutiny! On deck therew he cried at the
full pitch of his voice, and his brow
grew damp with dismay when a mocking
laugh from above was the only response.
Ihrustlng the woman and child into
the state berth, the bewildered pilot
cooked a pistol, and snatching a cutlass
from the arm-stand fixed to the butt of
the mast which penetrated the cabin,
he burst open the door with his foot, and
rushed to the companion-ladder. Barker
had retreated to the deck, and for an
instant he thought the way was clear,
but Lesly and Russen thrust him back
with the muzzles of the loaded muskets.
lie struck at Russen with the cutlass.
missed him, and, seeing the hopelessness
OF the attack, was fain to retreat
In the meanwhile, Grimes and the 9th
9 hnd IL.
thelr bonds, and encouraged by the fir
ing winch seemed to them a sign that
all was not vet lost, made shift to force
UP the fore-hatch. Porter, whose cour-
age was none of the fercest, and who
had been for years given over to that
terror OF discipline which servitude in
duces, made but a feeble attempt at re-
slstance, and forcing the handspike from
MIN, the sentry, Jones, rushed aft to helm
the pilot. As Jones reached the waist.
Cheshire, cold-blooded, blue-eyed man,
shot him dead. Grimes fell over the
corpse, and Cheshire clubbing the mus
ket coolly battered his head as he Law.
and then selling the body of the unfor-
tunate Jones in his arms, tossed It into
the sea. Porter, you lubber!" he cried.
exhausted with the effort to lift the
body, come and bear a hand with this
other one! Porter advanced aghast;
but just then another occurrence claimed
the villains attention, and poor Grimea'
life was spared for that time.
lex, inwardly raging at this unexpect-
ed resistance on the part of the pilot
hung himself on the skylght. and tore it
up bodily. As he did so, Barker. who
had reloaded his musket, fred down into
the cabin. The ball passed through the
stateroom door, and, splintering the
wood, buried itself close to the golden
curls Of poor little Sylvia. 1t was their
halr-breadth escape which drew from the
agonlzed mother that shrek which, peal
ing through the open stern windows, had
reused the soldiers in the boat
Rex, who by the virtue of his dandv
ism, yet possessed some abhorrence of
useless crime, imagined that the cry was
one OF pain, and that Barker's bullet had
taken deadly effect you've killed the
child, you villain!'' he cried.
What's the oddsY' asked Barker.
sulkily. "She must die anyway, sooner
or later"
Rex put his head down the skvliobt
and called on Bates to surrender. hut
Bates only drew his other pistol. "WouId
you commit murderY' he asked, looking
round with desperation in his glance.
No, no." cried some of the men, will
ing to blink the death of poor Jones.
Its no use making things worse than
they are. Bid him come up and we'll
do him no harm"
Come up, Mr.. Bates" says Rex.
and give you my word you shan't be
injured"
win you set the majors lady and
child ashore, then "-asked Bates, sturd- !
lily facing the scOwling brows above him.
Eyes"
Bates, hoping against hope for the re-
turn of the boat, endeavored to gain
time. shut down the skylight, then"
said he, with the ghost of an authority |
In his voice, until ask the lady"
This, however, John Rex refused to |
do. "YOu can ask we'll enough where |
you are" he said.
But there was no need for Mr.. Bates
to put question. The door of the state
room opened, and Mrs Vickers appeared.
trembling, with Sylvia by her side. SAC
cept, Mr.. Bates" she said, "sincS It
must be so. We should gain nothing By
refusing. We are at their mercy-Qod |
help us!'
amen to that" says Bates undss his
breath; and then, aloud, 1--WE agFOsg"
Put your pistols on the table and |
come up, them" says Rex, covering the
tables with his musket as he spoke. |
Nobody shall hurt you"
Mrs. Vickers, pale and sick with ter
ror, passed rapidly under the open sky
light, and prepared to ascend. Sylvia
chung to her mother with one hand, and
with the other pressed close to her little |
bosom the English History"
get a shawl, ma'am, OF something"
says Bates, ''and hat for missy"