The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-06-21

self was swollen to nearly twice its
normal size.
At once Curtin's professional in
stinct was stirred. On the impulse of
the moment he stood up awkwardly
on his pinioned legs, and said in Chi
nese:
That is bad wound you have in
your arm. am an English doctor
Of HOngkong. Perhaps if you will let
me see your arm l can relieve the
pain"
The big Chinaman stopped his I'M
easy striding to stand and look doubt
fully at the speaker. The pirate lead
er happened to be near, heard what
Curtin said, and, the wounded sailor
continuing to hesitate, signed to him
to allow the doctor to examine his
arm.
The sufferer obeyed stolidly, and
one glance at the infamed wound,
which evidently had been made by
sword thrust, was enough to tell Cur
tin that he had to deal with a case of
threatened blood-poisoning. But he
thought that if the arm was immediate
ly lanced the Chinaman would have
a good chance for speedy recovery.
This he told the pirate captain, who
had come over to stand beside his
fellow cutthrOat He said that if the
black case that had been seized among
his other baggage that morning was
brought and his arms were released,
he would at once treat the wound, al
though he would not guarantee to cure
the man.
To the Doctors surprise, the cap
tain answered that he had lived in
Hongkong, and knew of the skill of
| the English doctors, and that he would
be much gratifed if Curtin could save
the sailor, as the fellow was one of
his best men
The medicine-case was quickly pro-
duced, and the doctors hands were
united. First ascertaining that the
contents Of the case were undisturbed,
he prepared the wounded arm by
pouring little alcohol upon it. Then
ne took out his instruments and quick
ly performed the operation.
The look of relief that came into
the sufferers face was apparent, but
neither the captain nor the other mem
hers of the pirate crew, who had gath
cred round to watch, made any COM
ment. Curtin carefully dressed and
| band8ged the wound, and as soon as
he had finished, his hands were re
| bound. His patient moved away
without word of thanks or apprecia-
ton, vet the doctor did not neglect
to say that as often as was necessary
he would attend the arm again. He
was anxious to make a friend of this
Chinaman; for a friend, he felt, would
not be a bad thing to have among
that barbarous crew.
Shortly after sunset that evening
the junk reached the mouth of a mar
row river and a quarter of a mile from
the entrance to this stream the sails
were lowered and anchor was dropped.
Curtin gathered from the talk Of some
Of the crew who stood near him that
the junk was to be taken up this riv-
er to an outlaw retreat, but that they
would not enter the narrow channel
until the high tide of the next morn
ing.
Not long after the evening meal
was over the pirates began to turn in
for the night. Most of them merely
threw themselves down ON the hard
deck. BY nine o'clock all we're asleep.
with the exception of single watch
man, whom Curtin could see strolling
| back and forth across the after-deck
Hours passed, and as the doctor Law
/ outsJretched on the bare deck he tried
to work his hands out of the hempen
cord that bound them together behind
his back. He thought that if he could
free himself from his bonds. the
Waterman might nap, and thus give
him opportunity to slip over the side
Of the vessel into the sea and swim
ashore, But he was unable to release
his hands
Not long after this, the Waterman
came forward and silently passed close
to Curtin, and he was rather surprised
TO see that the lone guard was no
other than the man whose arm he had
lanced that morning. He wondered
idly if the fellow had been chosen
for the post of Waterman for the
reason that suffering had rendered
him sleepless.
Then suddenly, as he looked up at
the big yellow man, a new idea for
escape terminated, grew to hazy