Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-11-14
DAILY. STORY.
IN 1918.
lOriginal.l

our bodies on the sea to sail their
ships. Talk about the right of search,
impressing British seamen and all
that; they're stronger on the water
than we, and it's here they continue
to show their serpents' fangs. Oh. for
Paul Jones TO come down ON this
ship and treat it as he treated the
Serapis!
81 suppose it would have been more
sensible for me to go to work instead
of resisting. Then l wouldn't be in
this cubby hole, man with Il cutlass
to watch me. Methinks he's getting
sleepy. Drop your head again, old
fellow, and catch it spasmodically. A
few more mods and you'll not count
for much as n guard. But what If l
could leave this hole? I can't get out
of the ship. One, two. three, four. five,
six-siX bells. / wish the fellow would
go to sleep. I'd just take turn about
the ship to stretch my legs.
''Now for it. He doesn't stir. Good
by, my hearty. I'm going to see what
one of his majesty's ships looks like at
3 in the morning. Everybody asleep.
Thats7a fine sniff of air even if it does
come through Il portfolio. What's in
here? A canvas bag on Il bunk, with
a shot tied to one end. Wonder when
they're going to toss him over. l wish
they'd toss me over instead. I'd rather
make a dinner for sharks than work
for British tyrants. Wonder if the
watch ON deck are all awake. Reckon
they are. These B1ltishers are good at
discipline. No, can't go up there.
'Suppose-suppose / could get tossed
overheard in place of this dead man.
Where would 1 go to? To the bottom,
of course. l couldn't get out OF the bag,
aad the shot would sink me. l might
find a knife to take with me- But l
couldn't swim ashore. We must be off
the Massachusetts coast, Wonder if
their lifeboats are fitted with cork side
pieces. If / can get enough cork to
float me and a knife I'll try it. It's
still dark or dusk. Hello, a knifer'
who's there?''
''That fellow nearly got me. If it
hadn't been for him I'd have been over
in the water in another second. But l
got the cork. 1 wish / could have dip
ped into the boat. 1 might have Sc
cured a cork jacket instead. Now, I'll
steal back and try to summon nerve to
get into the bag.
There, my man, or. rather, my dead
man. you stay under that bunk while
take your sleeping place. I'll have a
hard time relacing the bag. All right;
1 reckon that'll do, though they may
notice bad lacing. Now comes the
worst of it, the waiting.
Eight bells.
zone bell
'Seven bells. / must have dropped !
asleep. Strange that could sleep in a |
dead mans bag; but, now / think of it, |
I've not slept before for two days, not |
since these rascals took me from the |
Molly Boyd
They're coming. Here they are. |
The leaving off of that shot came pref |
ty near betraying me. They've got it |
tight enough this time. Never mind |
the burial service. Oh, God, to listen to |
ones own burial service. That's what |
it is, my burial service. I'll never get
out of this alive. What fool! /
could have submitted and lived
The Lord have mercy on my soul
Will never get this cord cut? Down.
down. What an awful down, If / II
don't do it In another moment the wa
ter above will hold me upder Besides. Il
can't hold my breath so long. Ahal i
Goodby, old shot; you may go to the
bottom. I'm going up. Whew, that Il
y,
air! Let me get rid of this bag and I'll
breathe easier Thank heaven it isn't |
night.
odds fish! didn't think the ship
was so near. 1 got under the water
just in time to miss being seem 1t II
have mattered. They'd have
thought the shot had slipped off and
the dead had arisen.
This is tiresome, and I'm getting Il
hungry. If 1 could only have come up
ON few herring in the galley before
leaving the ship. Let me see, judging II
from the position of the sun it must II
be an hour or two past meridian Not
a ship yet sighted. I'm near the
coast and should at least see the sails
Of fishers. What's that on the hori-
zon? It's a sail. sure enough.
yes. it's getting larger all the while. II
It's coming straight for me.
Ship ahoy,'
''They hear me. They're lufing to
the wind. That's the pleasantest
sound-that boat coming down from
her davits-Fve heard in long while
I'm In luck. This way, you lubbers.
What are you steering off two or three II
points for? Can't see me for the II
rollers? Well, 1 am bobbing up and
down a good deal, but I've got used to II
It. There you are. Now keep that II
course till you reach me-
''Who am I? Never you mind till II
you get me aboard your ship Did you
bring any rum? Good Here's to the
stars and stripesl Don't they look fine