Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-03-21

to-" shouted the captain. Drop a lad
der over the side there and look smart.
So! Now we are ready for them.''
The yard was swung round. and the
vessel lay quietly rising and falling on
the waves. The boat dashed alongside,
her brass cannon trained upon the brio
antine, and her squad Of marines with
their fingers upon their triggers ready
to open fire. They grinned and shrUG
ged their shoulders when they saw that
their sole opponents were three unarm.
ed men upon the poop. The officer was
on deck in an instant. with his drawn
sword in his hand.
Come up. two OF you" he cried.
You stand here at the head Of the lad
der, sergeant. Throw up q rope, and
you car Xix it TO this stanchion. Keep
awake down there and he all ready 10
fire. You come with me. Corporal Lee
moline. Who is captain of this ship?"
81 am, sir" said Ephraim Savage
submiSsively.
You have three Huguenots aboard"
Tut, tut. Huguenots. are they? |
thought they were very anxious to get
away, but as long as they paid their
passage it was no business of mine.
An old man, his young daughter and a
young fellow about your age in some
sort of livery
I'm uniform, sir-the uniform of the
kings guard. Those are the folk |
have orr for"
And you wish to take them back?''
Most certainly"
"The did man is in his bunk asleep.
the maid is in a cabin below. and the
other is sleeping down the hold"
Sleeping, you soy? We had best
surprise him."
But think you that you dare do it
alone? He has no arms, it is true, but
he Is a well grown young fellow. VIII
you not have twenty men up from the
boat?"
Some such thought had passed
through the officers head. but the cap
tain's remark put him upon his mettle.
Come with me, corporal" said he.
Down this ladder, you say?"
Yes, down the ladder and straight
on. He lies between those two cloth
bales" Ephraim Savage looked up
with a smile playing about the corners
Of his grim mouth. The wind was
whistling now in the rigging, and the
stays Of the masts were humming like
two harp strings. Amos Green
lounged beside the French sergeant
who guarded the end of the rope lad
der, while Tomlinson, the mate, stood
with a bucket of water in his hand
exchanging remarks in very bad
French with the crew of the boat be-
meath him.
The officer made his way slowly
down the ladder which led into the
hold. The corporal followed him, and
had his chest level with the deck when
the other had reached the bottom. 1t
may have been something in Ephraim
Savage's face or it may have been the
gloom around him which startled the
young Frenchman.
up again, corporal!' he shouted. II
think that you are best at the top"
"And l think that you are best down
below, my friend" said the Puritan,
who gathered the officers meaning
from his gesture. Putting the sole Of
his boot against the mans chest, he
gave a shove which sent both him and
the ladder crashing down on TO the
officer beneath him. As he did SO he
blew his whistle, and in a moment the
hatch was back in its place and
clamped down on each side with iron
bars.
The sergeant had swung round at
the sound of the crash. but Amos
Green, who had waited for the move
ment, threw his arms round him and
hurled him overheard 30 the sea.
at the same instant the connecting
rope was severed, the fGreyard creaked
back into position once more and